Summer Stars and Milky Way Above the Matterhorn

Up in the Switzerland Alps east of Zermatt there is a pristine Alpine Lake, Stellisee, that reflects the majesty of the Matterhorn perfectly at this 2537 meter location. It is a photographer’s paradise for sunsets and a hiker’s destination for selfie shots with the Matterhorn reflected on most clear days. But at night there is a totally different perspective. On  August 28 at 3am we can see the majesty of the Northern Cross stars along with the remaining summer Milky Way setting over the Matterhorn as it reflects in the lake. The bright star just above the Matterhorn is Altair, part of the bright Summer Triangle along with Deneb and Vega clearly visible.