Star Trails Above the Mazzallakkar Castle

A photo composite of multiple exposures. From the photographer: “There are many wonders that Sicily offers thanks to its important historical stratification. One in particular I had struck me over the years: the submerged fortress of Mazzallakkar. Of Arab origin, the fort is located near the shores of Lake Arancio near the town of Sambuca di Sicilia, formerly a village in the villages of Italy. The main feature of this structure is that for most of the year it is almost totally submerged by the lake. During the summer, due to the scarce rains, the level of the lake lowers showing the fortress. It has a quadrangular shape at whose vertices there are 4 circular towers. In the west-facing wall an access door is still visible from which the village of Sambuca can be seen in the distance. The first tower you meet is still partially intact thanks probably to the fact that it is located at the top less exposed to the water. On the opposite side, towards the lake, you can see the remains of the second tower which looks almost like a small pyramid. Entering the internal courtyard it is possible to approach the third tower which rises on the shores of the lake and which, despite the drought, is still submerged by the waters. From here I resumed the movement of the stars looking for a geometric affinity between the circular plan of the tower immersed in the water and the circular traces described by the stars around the Polar star. On the right you can see the town of Sambuca di Sicilia whose lights reflect on the mirror of the lake. Despite the appearance I was amazed by how the lighting of the town is controlled and absolutely respectful of the darkness of the sky. The flashes that can be seen above Sambuca are instead due to two fires in the vicinity.”

Technical details: Canon 6d, Canon 8-15mm, Iso 800, f/4, 40 sec, 461 shots