Galaxy Flower

The Milky Way in a clear night of the Austrian Alps in Tyrol. From the photographer: “The foreground is a famous high Alpine Edelweiss plant or Leontopodium alpinum. It prefers rocky places at about 1800–3000 m altitude. As a scarce short-lived flower, protected by environmental law, found in remote mountain areas, the plant has been used as a symbol for Alpinism, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps, and as a national symbol specially for Austria and Switzerland. The Edelweiss Plant prefers rocky limestone places at about 1800–3000 m altitude. It is also known as the “Ultimate love charm of the alps”. Historically young men ignored their personal safety to retrieve one of the rare flowers, often resulting in the loss of their lives. He would then present it to a young woman to illustrate the devotion he carried for his special girl. She would then dry and press it and turn it into a pendant. Also in this view is a yellow band at the horizon, it is light pollution coming from the Po Valley, Northern Italy, one of the brightest spots in Europe.”