Colorado offers some unique opportunities to both witness and photograph the Milky Way and night sky. With light pollution everywhere, escaping to the Rocky Mountains and rural areas allows the stars within our sight to really shine. Whether high atop Trail Ridge Road or at the base of the Maroon Bells, the Milky Way is full of wonder and mystery. Best seen in the summer months, the Milky Way rises from a nearly horizontal position in the late evening to a vertical position by early morning, moving from south to southeast.

To photograph the Milky Way, I use a star tracker. This little device holds my camera and is attached to a tripod. After aligning the device with the night sky and focusing the camera on the twinkling of stars, the tracker allows me to take long exposures of the stars. This long exposure translates into very sharp and very large prints and files (no trailing from stars).

Taken in various locations around the state of Colorado, these Milky Way images still inspire me with a sense of amazement. I hope you enjoy my views of the deep dark skies!