Scorpio Rises in the Alberta Badlands

Last July, a journey to Dinosaur Provincial Park in Alberta, Canada, offered an unforgettable experience not just among fossils and bone beds, but also beneath a breathtaking night sky. The unique, almost alien landscape of the Badlands provided a dramatic backdrop for some truly special astrophotography.

While growing up in Manitoba offered glimpses of desert-like areas, nothing prepared me for the stark beauty of this Alberta terrain. The geological formations and the knowledge of local inhabitants like scorpions, black widows, and rattlesnakes added an extra layer of caution and excitement to the night's shoot.

This image is a stunning multi-panel capture, part of a larger 360° panorama, showcasing the majestic constellation Scorpio as it dominated the celestial sphere. Each exposure, set at 60 seconds with an ISO of 2500 and an aperture of f2.2, beautifully captured the intensity of the stars and the subtle glow of the atmosphere.

It was a night filled with a palpable sense of wonder, with the sky alive with countless stars and a captivating airglow. The result is a testament to the powerful combination of a unique terrestrial location and the universe's grandeur.