Monday, October 17, 2016

Balanced Rock Arches National Park Utah Night Landscape Astrophotography

Balanced Rock is one of the most famous examples of natural erosion in Arches National Park. Even in daylight it looks unbelievable — a massive boulder balancing on a narrow pedestal of rock. But at night, under the Milky Way, it becomes absolutely magical.

These photos were taken during my trip to Arches National Park. The combination of Balanced Rock, the bright summer Milky Way, dramatic clouds, and natural airglow created a truly unforgettable nightscape.

Canon 60Da • EF16–35mm f/2.8L II USM • 25 sec • f/2.8 • ISO 6400

Balanced Rock under the Milky Way at Arches National Park — night landscape astrophotography with Canon 60Da

Balanced Rock and Milky Way Arches National Park Utah Night Landscape Astrophotography

Balanced Rock, the Milky Way, and the “drama” of clouds moving across the sky all come together in this first image. I added a small amount of light to the Rock itself, allowing its details to be visible without overwhelming the natural night sky.

What makes this scene even more special is the presence of airglow — faint natural light produced by Earth’s upper atmosphere. A moonless night sky is dark, but not black; it shines in subtle green, red, yellow, and orange tones created by atmospheric atoms and molecules.

This is one of the many reasons Arches National Park is one of the best places on Earth for nightscape astrophotography.

Canon 60Da • EF16–35mm f/2.8L II USM • 25 sec • f/2.8 • ISO 6400

Balanced Rock silhouette with bright airglow — Arches National Park night sky photography

Airglow and Balanced Rock - Arches National Park Utah Night Landscape Astrophotography

This second photo is a silhouette of Balanced Rock illuminated only by natural sky light — no artificial lighting at all. Here the airglow is even stronger, painting the horizon with soft green and yellow tones. The dark clouds appear almost black because there is no light pollution and no moonlight — the images were taken during new moon, one of my favorite astrophotography techniques.

Balanced Rock already looks surreal in daylight, but at night — combined with the Milky Way, airglow, dark clouds, and the silent desert around it — it becomes a truly fantastic natural sculpture.