Boulder Field (Hickory Run State Park Pennsylvania) Night Sky

I am continuing series of Pennsylvania astrophotography. Last year I did night photos in Cherry Springs State Park – one of most popular space for amateur astrophotographers. This year I did photo in Hickory Run State  Park - Boulder Field in the Poconos of Pennsylvania. 

Canon EOS Ra, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/2.8, 25600, Panorama of 3 images 30 sec, 5 sec, 5 sec. Post Processing: Photoshop, Topaz DeNoise AI.

Boulder Field (Hickory Run State Park Pennsylvania) Night Sky

Boulder Field is a very popular and a pretty cool place. It is hidden gem deep within the woods and really an awesome place. The Hickory Run Boulder Field was designated by the National Park Service as a natural national landmark in 1967. It’s a huge field of rocks in the middle of the forest.  It is said to be the largest boulder field of its kind in all of the Appalachian Mountains. The rocks range in size from under 18 inches to more than 25 feet in length. The tops of the rocks are nearly at the same height over the approximately 400-by-1,800-foot field that slopes at a one-degree pitch. Why did an 18-acre field of rocks form in the Poconos? There are several theories on how exactly this boulder field formed.

Poconos Boulder Field Night Landscape

Milky Way over Poconos Boulder Field - Summer Triangle - Stars Altair, Deneb, and Vega  - Constellations Aquila, Cygnus, and Lyra

Map Boulder Field

The Boulder Field at Hickory Run State Park is unlike any other place for night photography. Stretching nearly 1,800 feet long and blanketed with ancient glacial rocks, this flat expanse becomes a surreal landscape under the stars. On clear nights, the Milky Way rises above the stones like a river of light flowing across a frozen sea. I chose this spot not only for its geological beauty but also for its dark skies — a rare find in eastern Pennsylvania. Photographing here means working with sharp contrasts: the cold texture of granite in the foreground and the soft glow of the galactic core overhead. Using my Canon EOS Ra and a fast wide-angle lens, I composed multiple frames to balance the stones’ subtle reflections with the deep sky above. The result is a quiet image of time and endurance — the ancient Earth meeting the eternal night.

Washington State Hurricane Ridge - Night Sky and Snow Mountains

 

Astrophotography from Washington State Olympic National Park, July 11, New Moon, during astronomy tour in  Hurricane Ridge. 

Canon EOS Ra, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/2.8;   ISO 12800, Combination of two photos 4 sec and 30 sec, Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington State.

Washington State Hurricane Ridge - Night Sky and Snow Mountains

Standing above the clouds at Hurricane Ridge, I experienced one of the clearest and darkest skies in the Pacific Northwest. The snow-covered Olympic Mountains reflected faint starlight, while a greenish hue shimmered across the horizon — not from city lights, but from natural airglow high in Earth’s atmosphere. The Big Dipper hung over the peaks, guiding the viewer toward the heart of the night sky.

Big Dipper above the Olympic Mountains — captured from Hurricane Ridge, Washington. The greenish hue is natural airglow, a faint atmospheric emission visible only under truly dark skies.

I enjoy the night sky view.

New York City Solar Eclipse - June 10, 2021 - Astrophotography

Solar eclipse - New York City  Staten Island  - June 10, 2021. Approximately 70% of the sun is eclipsed by the moon. Photos were done about 5:30 am in the morning on sunrise. This is view from Staten Island boardwalk to Brooklyn near Verrazzano Bridge.

Canon Ra, Canon  EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM Telephoto Lens

Solar Eclipse NYC - June 10, 2021 - Astrophotography

Partial Solar Eclipse Staten Island, New York, USA 06-10-2021

People, Birds and Solar Eclipse - NYC view from Staten Island to Brooklyn - June 10, 2021