Startrails Above Gemini North

A photo composite of multiple exposures. Approximately 2 hours of stacked exposures of the summer sky over Gemini North. The setting moon provided light on right of dome and twilight provides a glow to the left side of dome, a small red light provides highlight on center of dome. A star field has been offset by about 30 minutes to show individual stars separated from trails revealing Scorpius and Sagittarius over the Gemini dome. Each exposure was 50 seconds using a Nikon D1X camera and a 14mm f/2.8 Nikkor lens at an ISO setting of 800 and “stacked” in Photoshop to create the single image from the over 100 individual images.

Gemini Observatory consists of two 8-meter telescopes in northern hemisphere (Hawaii) and southern hemisphere (Chile). Gemini North is located on Mauna Kea. Its location makes for excellent viewing conditions due to the superb atmospheric conditions on top of the over 4200 m high dormant volcano.