Yosemite National Park is one of the most iconic locations in the United States for night-sky photography. With its dramatic granite cliffs, deep valleys, and high-elevation viewpoints, Yosemite offers exceptional dark skies that reveal the Milky Way in stunning detail. These photographs were taken at night during an astronomical lecture, when a brief window of clear sky allowed for perfect conditions to capture the stars above the landscape.
All images on this page were made with a Canon 40D and the Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM ultra-wide angle lens. Exposures were ISO 1600 and 30 seconds, a balance that gathers enough light while keeping stars sharp at wide focal lengths. Despite the older camera body, the combination of dark skies and a fast f/2.8 lens delivered detailed views of the Milky Way, forest silhouettes, mountains, and even the Andromeda Galaxy in a single frame.
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| Milky Way Yosemite Park Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II, Night Landscape, Astrophotography |
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| Yosemite Park Milky Way Night Landscape Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II, , Astrophotography |
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| Yosemite National Park Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxy Canon 40D, Night Landscape, Astrophotography |
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| Milky Way Yosemite Park Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II Ultra Wide Angle Lens Canon 40D, Night Landscape, Astrophotography |
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| Milky Way Yosemite Park Canon EF 16-35mm f 2.8L II Ultra Wide Angle Lens Canon 40D Panorama Night Landscape, Astrophotography |
Yosemite is far from major cities, and its high-altitude viewpoints can offer remarkably clear and dark conditions. On nights like this, the Milky Way becomes fully visible—from the bright, dramatic region near the center of our galaxy to the faint dust lanes stretching across the sky. These photographs capture that rare clarity, including a straight-band Milky Way panorama and multiple compositions showing how the galaxy interacts with Yosemite’s unique landscape.
This Yosemite session shows how much can be done with a DSLR like the Canon 40D and a fast ultra-wide lens when the sky is dark and clear. The combination of dramatic landscape and a bright Milky Way makes Yosemite National Park one of my favorite places for night-sky photography.
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