Stars Above and BelowStars Above and Below

STARS ABOVE AND BELOW

 

In the chill of a Colorado summer night at 12,000 feet, the core of the Milky Way cascades across the sky over a field of Rocky Mountain Columbine.  A gentle breeze stirs the grasses and blooms and as midnight draws near on a moonless July 4, the best fireworks display is right here in this spectacular alpine meadow.  

 

 

Cottonwood PassCottonwood Pass

COTTONWOOD PASS

 

 

On the final weekend of May, Cottonwood Pass is free of ice and snow and opens to vehicle traffic.  It is frigid at the summit and snow is still piled up 4 feet on either side of the road, but with no moon to blot out the stars, the Milky Way is on full display in the southeastern sky.

 

Aurora and Star TrailsAurora and Star Trails

COLORFUL SPLENDOR

 

 

On a March evening in 2023, a surprise solar storm triggered a dazzling show of the Northern Lights that could be seen as far south as New Mexico.  In this vista from the Comanche Grasslands in eastern Colorado, the stars of the northwestern sky add their own flash to the magentas and blues of the Aurora Borealis.

Great Sand Dunes NPGreat Sand Dunes NP

GREAT SAND DUNES 

 

 

In the day time, the sun bakes the sand dunes to blistering temperatures, but when night falls, that same sand chills as it radiates the warmth back out into the night air, offering a pleasant soft bed for stargazers to recline and enjoy the glory of the heavens.  Atmospheric conditions often provide the aqua and green haze we call "air glow," a phenomenon created by a process similar to that which creates the Northern Lights.  

Westcliffe CabinWestcliffe Cabin

WESTCLIFFE HISTORY

 

 

In Westcliffe, Colorado an historic cabin is nestled in a field at the foot of the mountains.  On an autumn night, the core of the Milky Way crowns the valley in shimmering stars. 

Eleven Mile ReservoirEleven Mile Reservoir

ELEVEN MILE RESERVOIR

 

 

In late spring the core of the Milky Way appears as a diagonal swath just after midnight.  

Cascading from the HeavensCascading from the HeavensA snowmelt creek flows beneath a starry sky; American Basin, Colorado; July 2024

STAR CASCADE

 

 

Stars seem to spill directly from the heavens to the American Basin below.

White PocketWhite Pocket

WHITE POCKET FORMATION

 

 

In October the core of the Milky Way galaxy puts on a final show before it drops below the horizon until spring.

Milky Way and Comet at DunesMilky Way and Comet at Dunes

MILKY WAY AND COMET TSUCHINSAN-ATLAS

 

 

In the autumn of 2024, Comet Tsuchinsan-ATLAS visited our solar system.  This is the time of year when the core of the Milky Way galaxy begins to dip below the horizon, and the comet also bid its farewell to Earth, not expected to return for another 8000 years.