Milky Way Arches Over Mount Lassen Wilderness
Monday, May 25th, 2026 at 9:03:50 AM · 2026/Mt Lassen Volcanic National Park
This long-exposure astrophotograph captures the Milky Way galaxy's core region arcing across a remarkably dark sky above Mt. Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. The galactic band is visible as a diffuse, luminous cloud of stars and interstellar dust stretching diagonally across the upper-center portion of the frame, surrounded by thousands of individual stars scattered across the deep black sky. Dark nebulae — dense clouds of cosmic dust — create striking contrast against the brighter star fields of the galactic core. The silhouette of tree branches intrudes subtly into the upper right corner, grounding the cosmic scene in the terrestrial environment. The overall mood is profoundly serene and humbling, evoking a sense of cosmic scale and wilderness solitude.
Chronologically Adjacent
