Starry Nights

Night Sky and Milky Way Photography

As a photographer, one thing I enjoy is being alone at night with nothing but the stars for company. It always amazes that the light from the stars has traveled from across the galaxy or from even further away. This is a journey that could be thousands or millions of light years and I often wonder type of worlds are at the other end and if someone is there looking back at us.

This gallery is a collection of my night sky photographs, where I juxtapose the landscape in front of me with the starry night sky. In many of my images you can see the central core of the Milky Way galaxy (yes this is visible to the naked eye if you let your eyes adjust) or star trails caused by the earth's rotation. This always seemed like a fitting contrast: our small world versus the vastness of the universe. Being out at night always helps me put things into perspective.

A small tree grows on a rocky boulder in an arid grassland. It’s night and the milky way galaxy is rising above the tree in the sky. Hard Place
Train tracks in the center of the frame lead off into the desert and distant mountains. The night sky is full of stars. Going Nowhere in Particular
A vertical panorama of the coastline at Windansea Beach in La Jolla at night. The foreground has a number of sandstone rocks with the ocean water swirling around. The sky shows the stars of the Milky Way galaxy and the central core. Night Harmony
The Norfolk Pine Christmas tree at Liberty Station decorated with holiday lights. A long exposure captures star trails as the earth rotates Snow
An abandoned home in east San Diego county under the night sky. All that remains is a chimney and a partially standing wall. Good Times Past
Elephant knees butte in Anza-Borrego desert state park with the Milky Way appears above in the night sky. This is a vertical panorama. Elephant Knees Butte
Meteors above the Mt Soledad Cross. Fallen Stars
Valley of the moon in Jacumba. This photo is taken at night and above the rock formations you can see the core of the Milky Way. Hidden Valley
The remains of an abandoned house with only wall left standing with an opening for a window. In the center of the window the core of the Milky Way can be seen. Window to the Stars
This is a panorama showing the full arch of the Milky Way over a meadow in the Cleveland National Forest. Starbow
A night photo of a Juniper tree and boulder (monolith) in Joshua Tree national Park. The milky way appears under the branches of the tree and between the rock. Juniper and Monolith
Star trails make concentric circles in the sky over the Botanical Building in Balboa Park. Time Warp
Star trails over the downtown skyline. The view is from Coronado. My City Under the Stars
The milky way core above eagle rock in Warner Springs. Leave this World
The core of the milky way above the radar dome in Mt Laguna. First Contact
The remains of an abandoned building with just a chimney remaining under the night sky. Impermanence

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