Sequoia Starry Morning

In a clear mid-summer early morning, as the zodiacal light stretches from the eastern horizon along the ecliptic, stars of Gemini, Orion, and the dazzling planet Venus rise above the Hume Lake in Sequoia National Park. The area is most famous for its Giant Sequoia trees, including the General Sherman tree, one of the largest trees on Earth. Sequoias are visible around the lake in the above image. They grow to an average height of 50-85 m and 6-8 m in diameter. Record trees have been measured to be 94.8 m (311 ft) in height and 17 m (57 ft) in diameter. The oldest known Giant Sequoia is 3,500 years old.