Milky Way Over Badwater Basin: A Starry Night in Death Valley

Death Valley National Park, renowned for its extreme temperatures and dramatic desert landscapes, also offers an unparalleled canvas for capturing the wonders of the night sky. In this stunning astrophotograph, the majestic sweep of the Milky Way galaxy is showcased rising above the desolate beauty of Badwater Basin.

This incredible image was captured using a Canon 6D Mark II camera paired with a Sigma 14mm f/1.8 DG HSM ART lens. The photographer employed a meticulous approach to gather enough light and detail for both the celestial and terrestrial elements.

Capturing the Cosmos

The sky portion of the image was a composite of 12 individual exposures, each lasting 8 seconds, taken at a wide aperture of f/1.8 and a high ISO of 6400. Crucially, these were untracked, meaning the camera followed the Earth's rotation without a specialized mount, a testament to the quality of the lens and the short exposure times.

Illuminating the Foreground

For the foreground, 11 exposures of 30 seconds each were taken, also at f/1.8 and ISO 6400. This longer exposure time allowed for the subtle details of the Badwater Basin landscape to be captured, likely with minimal natural light or a very gentle foreground illumination.

Post-Processing Prowess

The raw data from these numerous exposures was brought to life using specialized software. The stacking process, handled by Sequator, combines multiple images to reduce noise and enhance detail. Further editing in Photoshop allowed for the fine-tuning of colors, contrast, and overall composition, resulting in this awe-inspiring final image.

The result is a captivating view that contrasts the vastness of the Milky Way with the stark, ancient terrain of Death Valley. The warm, golden hues hinted at in the foreground complement the cooler tones of the galactic core, creating a truly magical scene.

We welcome feedback on this remarkable capture!