Monument Valley Rising Stars

Monument Valley under bright moonlight. The 90-minute total exposure, made from a timelapse sequence in the early morning, reveals the Earth rotation with the rising stars trailing above the picturesque massive rock formations. Known as buttes, they are composed of hard rock left behind after water has eroded away the surrounding soft rock.

An interesting fact is visible in the sky. In the center stars are on the celestial equator and the trails are parallel. To the left stars are in the northern celestial sphere and curved around the north celestial pole (which is outside of the frame). To the right, stars in the southeastern horizon begin to curve as well, around the south celestial pole which is sits well under the horizon. The brightest trail on the right is Venus, rising before dawn.

Monument Valley has been the backdrop for many American western movies, but more important it is an iconic ancestral land of Navajo Nation, sacred to the local tribes. The area is now a tribal park, open to visitors, and managed by Navajo Nation.

Fine Art Print