Panorama of Milky Way over Pahranagat Wildlife Refuge

Click here to see the virtual tour. This is a giga-panorama of the Milky Way over Phranagat Wildlife Refuge, Nevada. You can zoom in to see a high level of detail in the stars. Look to the north-east (to the left of the orange glow, just above the road) and you can see the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). The Big Dipper is almost lost in the pinkish glow of Alamo, but it’s there. The orange glow is actually Las Vegas, even though we were 90 miles away. You can see the distinct beam of Luxor in the middle of the orange light. This was a perfect night with no moon, no wind, and a cool temperature. What you see here is my representation of what it felt like to stand below this amazing sky. After allowing my eyes to adjust to the darkness, I could begin to see many of the details you see here, although the camera reveals even more that I could see with my eyes. I had the pleasure of great company, too, as my daughter Athena came along, as well as my good friend Dave McKee. I’m glad I could capture this moment so I can share it. I hope you enjoy this unique image.  See the virtual tour here.