Star Trails Over the Crown of the Continent
Glacier National Park, often called the "Crown of the Continent," offers unparalleled vistas, and as night falls, its beauty transforms into something truly magical. This captivating image captures the ethereal movement of stars over the iconic landscape near Logan Pass, a testament to the power of astrophotography.
A Night of Celestial Art
The creation of this stunning star trail image involved about an hour and a half of shooting. While the photographer originally planned for a longer session, navigating traffic on the Going-to-the-Sun Road required some adjustments. However, the effort was well worth it, as this location is a personal favorite for nighttime photography.
There's an incredible sense of peace found here, with only the sound of surrounding waterfalls and the gentle clicks of the camera every 23 seconds breaking the silence. Of course, one must try not to think too much about the local wildlife, like the resident grizzlies, while immersed in such profound natural beauty!
Technical Details
For those curious about the settings that brought this celestial display to life:
- Exposure: 170 images, each 8 seconds long
- Aperture: f/1.8
- ISO: 5000
The photographer notes that these settings are not their usual. The high ISO of 5000 was a necessary adaptation to combat the initial moonlight, which was overexposing the landscape. Typically, longer exposure times of 15-30 seconds are preferred, but in this instance, a shorter exposure at a higher ISO proved to be the key to capturing the scene perfectly.
