Astrophotography and Night Scapes

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Milky Way over Half Dome, Yosemite National Park

I recently made the hike to the summit of Half Dome. It's a grueling 16-mile hike with 5000' of elevation gain so I left my heavy camera home on that day. However, I chose to time my hike on the perfect night for astrophotography in Yosemite National Park, so I…

Phil CollaJuly 15, 2021

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Sierra Nevada Yosemite

Serenity Now: Yosemite’s Quietest Summer?

I recently spent four days hiking in Yosemite National Park. It was strange to be in Yosemite after being cooped up at home for four months, but Yosemite with no crowds is a gift at anytime of the year and I took advantage of it. Alone. Following are some of…

Phil CollaJuly 6, 2020

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Blood Red Moon Madness! A Tetrad of Total Lunar Eclipses

Lunar eclipse sequence, showing total eclipse (left) through full moon (right). While the moon lies in the full shadow of the earth (umbra) it receives only faint, red-tinged light refracted through the Earth's atmosphere. As the moon passes into the penumbra it receives increasing amounts of direct sunlight, eventually leaving…

Phil CollaDecember 23, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Perseid Meteor Shower over Joshua Tree National Park, August 2015

Each August the Perseid meteor shower takes place. This year it peaked during a new moon, which offered prime conditions for seeing many meteors. I photographed the Perseid meteor shower in Joshua Tree National Park using two compositions/locations: with Arch Rock as one feature and with a single joshua tree…

Phil CollaAugust 16, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Perseid Meteor Shower over Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, 2015

The Perseid meteor shower occurs each August, peaking on the evenings of August 12 and 13. It happens because the Earth is plowing through the trail of dust left behind by comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseid meteors are named for the constellation Perseus in the northern sky, from which the meteors…

Phil CollaAugust 14, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse April 4 2015 from Joshua Tree National Park

I went up to Joshua Tree National Park to watch the lunar eclipse of April 4, 2015. Photographically, I was not sure what I was going to do. I've made a series of lunar eclipse sequence images (lunar eclipse October 8, 2014 and April 14, 2014 version 2 version 3).…

Phil CollaApril 5, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Elephant Seal Valley of Fire Wildlife

Elephants (Three Different Ones)

I am starting to post my images from a fantastic safari experience in Kenya in September, and searched on the term "elephant" in my own stock files and found these three came to the top. I immediately thought "Elephants (Three Different Ones)". Yes, I am a Pink Floyd fan, naturally.…

Phil CollaFebruary 24, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California San Diego

Stars, A Galaxy and … Wind Turbines?

On a lark one evening in 2014, my buddy Garry McCarthy and I headed out to the desert to do some night photography with only one caveat: try someplace new (in other words, not Joshua Tree again). We headed east and somewhat south with sort of a plan but really…

Phil CollaJanuary 28, 2015

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California San Diego

Lunar Eclipse Photo Sequence, October 8 2014

Lunar Eclipse Sequence Over Broken Hill, Torrey Pines State Reserve. While the moon lies in the full shadow of the earth (umbra) it receives only faint, red-tinged light refracted through the Earth's atmosphere. As the moon passes into the penumbra it receives increasing amounts of direct sunlight, eventually leaving the…

Phil CollaNovember 10, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse Sequence, Juniper and Standing Rock, Joshua Tree, 2014

For the eclipse of April 14/15, 2014, I wanted to depict the course of the eclipse across the sky with some recognizable landscape features in the foreground to anchor the composition. As the day of the eclipse went by, I watched the weather reports and decided Joshua Tree National Park…

Phil CollaJune 9, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California

Searching the Skies – Palomar Observatory at Night

My father took my brother and I camping at Mount Palomar a few times when I was a kid. We would fish at Doane Pond (back then it seemed like a lake but now I realize its little more than a puddle), and always visit the Palomar Observatory just up…

Phil CollaMay 29, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Panoramas San Diego

Panorama of the Full Moon over San Diego City Skyline

I shoot a lot of images of the San Diego City Skyline, to keep them fresh and because I am always looking for a reason to be down along the San Diego Bay at dawn or dusk -- it is such a beautiful city. A few months ago I made…

Phil CollaMay 27, 2014

Arches Astrophotography and Night Scapes The American Southwest Utah

The Eyes of Utah – Natural Arches and the Milky Way

The Eyes of Utah? I think these two images look like "eyes", at least to my eyes they do. The first one sort of looks like an evil serpent's eye, while the second resembles a whale's eye. (If you have never seen a whale up close, you'll just have to…

Phil CollaMay 23, 2014

Arches Astrophotography and Night Scapes The American Southwest

Light Painting Delicate Arch, Utah

The first few times I photographed Delicate Arch in Utah's Arches National Park, most of my compositions were close to the arch. After editing the results of my last visit to the park I resolved to make more distant compositions, for variety's sake and to put the arch into its…

Phil CollaMay 14, 2014

Arches Astrophotography and Night Scapes The American Southwest Utah

Delicate Arch, Milky Way and Iridium Flare at Night, Arches National Park, Utah

I have shot Arches National Park a number of times, including a very fruitful trip some years ago to shoot astrophotography landscapes. I returned earlier this month for more, and found that I have reached a point where I need to find alternatives to the usual compositions. This one was…

Phil CollaMay 13, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree Panoramas The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse Sequence over Arch Rock, Joshua Tree National Park, April 2014

The lunar eclipse of April 14 and 15, 2014 was a wonderful event to see. I went up to Joshua Tree National Park to photograph it for two reasons. First, the weather forecast in the high desert was for clear skies and, for the most part, the skies were indeed…

Phil CollaApril 29, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Desert Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Lunar Eclipse Blood Red Moon Sequence over Joshua Tree National Park

This is the first of my photographic efforts shooting the lunar eclipse the evening of April 14/15 2014. I spent the entire night out under the stars in Joshua Tree National Park, where I often shoot when looking for clear skies and stars at night. I photographed several compositions and…

Phil CollaApril 17, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Venus, Milky Way and Arch Rock at Astronomical Twilight, Joshua Tree National Park

Things are always better at astronomical twilight. Venus was often referred to as the “Morning Star” by ancient civilizations (and as the “Evening Star” as well). On this day, it was indeed the morning star, rising just moments before astronomical twilight began. This allowed for a very brief window of…

Phil CollaApril 11, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Sierra Nevada

Milky Way over Sky Rock Petroglyph, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California

Milky Way over Sky Rock Petroglyph, Volcanic Tablelands, Bishop, California. I made this image several years ago but neglected to share any images from that evening's photographic efforts on my blog. I have made many visits to the Volcanic Tablelands, at all times of day, to explore the rocks, admire…

Phil CollaFebruary 27, 2014

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Beautiful Views of San Diego Seascapes

Moonlight Waves

I once shot photographs of waves by the light of phytoplankton during a major red tide event. That worked out pretty well, although it was pushing the cameras to the limits of what they could record. However, this time I'm not sure what I was thinking: I got up at…

Phil CollaDecember 18, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Seascapes

Starlight and Moonlight on Little Corona, Newport Beach

When I was a kid growing up in Newport Beach, we would often visit Little Corona beach and see tons of black abalone. They would be clinging to the rocks, and empty ab shells would be hidden in the all the tidepools and pockets of water. The abalone are long…

Phil CollaDecember 17, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Seascapes

Moonlight on Seal Rock, Laguna Beach, California

Seal Rock, a short distance offshore of Crescent Bay in Laguna Beach, is typically covered with many cormorants and at least a few California sea lions. I've made a number of dives at Seal Rock but had never made any effort to photograph it topside. Garry McCarthy and I did…

Phil CollaDecember 16, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Seascapes

Big Corona Beach at Night, Corona Del Mar State Beach, Newport Beach

When I grew up in Newport Beach, I spent a lot of time at "Big Corona", aka, Corona Del Mar State Beach. Because this is a great place to take the kids, bodyboard and kick back in the sun, this beach gets crowded. Yachts sail by in and out of…

Phil CollaDecember 15, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Beautiful Views of San Diego La Jolla Seascapes

La Jolla Cove at Dawn, La Jolla, California

One of my favorite times to photograph in La Jolla is when night is just transitioning to dawn. Sunrise is till 45 minutes or an hour away. In December it can be chilly at this hour, but it is also quiet and, usually, still. The only people I see are…

Phil CollaDecember 11, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes

VLBA Radio Telescope at Night under the Milky Way Galaxy, Owens Valley, California

The Owens Valley is home to a variety of radio telescopes. This particular radio telescope, photographed with the Milky Way galaxy rising above it in the night sky, is part of the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), a system of ten widely spaced radio telescopes that make certain forms of…

Phil CollaDecember 9, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Sierra Nevada

Sky Rock Petroglyph with the Milky Way Rising over the Sierra Nevada

The Milky Way Galaxy rises in the night sky over the Sierra Nevada, with the Sky Rock Petroglyph panel in the foreground. I'm sure the original creator of this remarkable set of petroglyphs -- considered by some to be the finest petroglyph panel in the world -- had even darker…

Phil CollaDecember 6, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Beautiful Views of San Diego Panoramas

Full Moon over Pauma Valley, Panoramic Photograph

Pauma Valley at night, viewed from atop Mount Palomar, with the full moon and stars high above. This high resolution panoramic image will print up to 100" wide -- Prints available! Cheers and thanks for looking! Moon and Stars over Pauma Valley, viewed from Palomar Mountain State Park Image ID:…

Phil CollaOctober 31, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Mount Rainier Washington

Milky Way and Stars at Night Over Mount Rainier

In this single image (not a composite), made with a special combination of low-light camera and extremely fast lens to best capture the details and colors of the gas areas of the Milky Way, our galaxy rises in the night sky over Mount Rainier. A few specks of light can…

Phil CollaSeptember 5, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier, the Milky Way galaxy, Star Trails and Climbers’ Lights at Night

On my recent trip to Mount Rainier National Park, I had one particular image in mind, and I managed to achieve something very close to what I envisioned with this photograph. Seen here is the northeast side of Mount Rainier, with star trails in the sky and climbers' lights tracing…

Phil CollaAugust 23, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Beautiful Views of San Diego San Diego

Blue Moon over San Diego City Skyline

San Diego City Skyline at Sunset with a Rare Blue Moon Tonight I was fortunate to photograph a rare "blue moon" rising at sunset over San Diego's beautiful city skyline. This view is from Harbor Island looking across San Diego Bay toward the downtown waterfront. Tonight's full moon is indeed…

Phil CollaAugust 20, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Yosemite

Perseid Meteor Shower, Milky Way, Half Dome and Yosemite National Park

Perseid Meteor Shower, Milky Way, Half Dome and Yosemite National Park I spent two evenings at Glacier Point during the peak of the 2013 Perseid Meteor Shower, hoping to capture my first photographs of meteors. I have a few landscape astrophotography images that have chance meteors recorded in them, but…

Phil CollaAugust 14, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Yosemite

Zodiacal Light, Milky Way and Jupiter over Yosemite National Park

Photographing Zodiacal Light over Yosemite National Park August 11-12 was near peak viewing for the 2013 Perseid meteor shower, and many people including myself were viewing the show from Yosemite's Glacier Point all evening long. However, because the moon was nearly new and it was late summer, I knew there…

Phil CollaAugust 13, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Natural Bridges The American Southwest Utah

Owachomo Bridge and Milky Way at Night, Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah

Night Photo of Owachomo Bridge and the Milky Way After making the long drive to Natural Bridges National Monument, we arrived in time to enjoy a colorful sunset and eat some dinner while waiting for the sky to become dark enough for us to begin our photography. The weather was…

Phil CollaJuly 22, 2013

Arizona Astrophotography and Night Scapes The American Southwest The Wave

The Wave Under Stars at Night, North Coyote Buttes, Paria Canyon-Vermilion Cliffs Wilderness

Astrophotography and Night Photography at the Wave, North Coyote Buttes The Wave, a fantastic area of ancient, stone-frozen sand dunes and tortured rock, is a real favorite of mine. Among photographers it is both something of a Mecca as well as a cliche. There are quite a few photographers who…

Phil CollaJuly 16, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Sierra Nevada

Sky Rock and Full Moon, Chalfant Petroglyphs, Volcanic Tablelands

Sky Rock and Moonlight, Bishop, California. (See also my photograph of Sky Rock at Dawn, Bishop, California and a gallery of other Sky Rock Petroglyph photos.) The Sky Rock Petroglyphs sit atop of an enormous volcanic block. The petroglyphs — dozens of them in many shapes and forms — face…

Phil CollaJune 26, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes California Trees White Mountains

Ancient Bristlecone Pines, Full Moon and Starry Night, Patriarch Grove

This is the best image I made during a May trip through the White Mountains and Tioga Pass. I set out to find new, photogenic ancient bristlecone pine trees, something other than the two iconic brutes along the Discovery Trail near Schulman Grove and the oft-photographed leaner near the Patriarch…

Phil CollaJune 25, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes The American Southwest Utah Zion

Milky Way and Star Trails Over the Watchman, Zion National Park

The Watchman is one of the iconic landmarks in Zion National Park, such that throngs of photographers line the bridge each fall at sunset to photograph the Watchman with the Virgin River and autumn trees in front of it. We elected for a much different image, one with the Milky…

Phil CollaJune 23, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Joshua Tree The American Southwest

Live Oak and Rocks, Milky Way Galaxy, Joshua Tree National Park

Milky Way Galaxy, Live Oak and Rocks, Joshua Tree National Park at Night I have spent many evenings photographing the landscape and night sky at Joshua Tree National Park. The terrain is harsh and there are few trees other than Yucca and Joshua Tree. I did find one attractive live…

Phil CollaMay 9, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes The American Southwest Valley of Fire

The Fire Wave at Night, Milky Way and Stars, Valley of Fire State Park

The Milky Way and Stars at Night over the Fire Wave in Valley of Fire State Park, Nevada The Fire Wave in Valley of Fire: an interesting striped expanse of sandstone, now commonly photographed. I wanted to make some uncommon images of the Fire Wave, so I set up my…

Phil CollaApril 30, 2013

Astrophotography and Night Scapes Joshua Tree Panoramas The American Southwest

Milky Way and Moon at Night, Shooting Star, Comet Panstarrs, Panorama, Joshua Tree National Park

Joshua Tree National Park, Milky Way and Moon, Shooting Star, Comet Panstarrs, Impending Dawn. This panorama of Joshua Tree National Park was made at astronomical twilight during International Dark Sky Week recently (last week). Some slight blue color from the impending dawn appears behind and to the left of the…

Phil CollaApril 18, 2013

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