Orion in Zion

Last rays of the setting moon was shining on the cliffs in Zion National Park of Utah as the night sky was becoming darker every minute. A thin layer of high clouds, scattering starlight, diffused bright stars of constellation Orion and revealed more of their striking colors in this 10-second exposure photograph. “Orion, the Hunter, is the most prominent celestial figure in the northern hemisphere winter nights. Marking a shoulder of Orion is bright star Betelgeuse. This red giant, 1,000 times larger in diameter than the sun, is at the very end of its life, waiting to stun the galaxy with its supernova explosion. At about 600 light years away we are at a safe distance from this closest supernova candidate. When that happens, anytime in the next several thousand years, it may outshine the full moon in the Earth sky.” Text from The World at Night book.

Fine Art Print