The Heart Tree on Argimusco

This picture is taken from the Argimusco, a high plateau situated just north of Mt. Etna. It is considered the Stonehenge of Sicily due to its rocks that resemble animals or human figures. Even if most of these seem as megaliths in quartz arenite modeled by a prehistoric population, it is generally considered that these are, in fact, completely natural, being produced by wind erosion. Argimusco is also called “The Mirror of the Stars” because there are ten stone statues which represent the constellations present in the summer sky.
Apart from the historical notes, I found a heart-shaped tree just embedded in those rocks, a heart that had the center of the Milky Way above it. A magnificent coincidence that perfectly reflects the love for the sky and the stars. In the wide-field image the cloud takes the form of an eagle directed towards the rock under a splendid mantle of stars.

Photo composite, a blend of two exposures: 35mm ISO 1600, f/1.8, 52 sec. for the ground – 35mm ISO 500, f/1.8, 170 sec. for the sky (using a startracker).