Galactic Trio Above a Volcanic Crater

Starry southern sky and a streaking meteor are captured above Rano Kau Volcanic Crater in the Easter Island. This remote Pacific island is the land of mysterious moai statues erased from the island’s yet-to-understand history. Notable along the Milky Way is the large dark nebula known as the Coalsack (center) and above it is a red cosmic cloud known as Carina Nebula. The two patchy clouds on the right side are Milky Way’s satellite galaxies the Large and Small Galactic Clouds. As noted by the photographer “This World Heritage Site is stunning at day but at night it is most magical with the stars reflecting in the fresh water ponds below and the unreal trio of galaxies (Milky Way and Magellanic Clouds) rotating across the sky above at night.”