Nikon D600, 24-70mm F2.8, 24mm, 2.8, 3200, 3 frame Panorama

The night of the New Moon during the summer months in Cache Valley is becoming a tradition of heading for a remote location deep within the mountains to capture the Milky Way.  We leave behind the air and light pollution of Logan, Utah to find a star speckled sky on a ebony backdrop with no moon or city lights to detract from natures nightly display.

Tonight, my goal is to capture the Milky Way and its reflection in Tonys Grove Lake.  So much more goes into doing this than one would expect -  the shadow of the mountain, where the Milky Way rises, its path across the night sky, the mountains that jet above the lake to hide its path, my location on the lake's edge and cloud cover all play roles in capturing this image. 

My fellow photographers and I situate ourselves on a outcropping above the water's edge and wait for the Milky Way's appearance.  The calculations for where we thought it would rise are slightly off, but we make the most of the situation.  We leave this spot to hike around the lake for a more preferred view only to find the clouds have moved in.  My goal for the night thwarted, but there is always a silver lining and I'd like to think I captured it in the image below.

Heavenly Night was shot at Tony's Grove Lake with a Nikon D600, 24-70mm F2.8,  24mm, 2.8, 3200 ISO, 7 frame panorama.