Washington State Hurricane Ridge - Big Dipper

 Washington State Olympic National Park during astronomy tour in  Hurricane Ridge. 

Canon EOS Ra, EF16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, f/2.8; 6 sec,  ISO 25600

Washington State Hurricane Ridge - Big Dipper

A few hours before the war began - Night Sky

Some nights feel different. On February 23–24, 2022, I was photographing the night sky in Grazalema, Spain. The air felt restless. Even small things went wrong — my tripod unexpectedly broke, clouds rolled in within minutes, and the sky that had been clear suddenly vanished.

At the time, it felt like just another difficult astrophotography session. But only a few hours later, the world changed. The war began.

Looking back at this image now, it carries a different weight. What was simply a quiet night under the stars has become a moment suspended in time — the last peaceful sky before global events shifted history.

A few hours before the war began - Night Sky

Location: Grazalema, Cañada Grande-Los Alamillos S/N, 11610, Spain
Date: February 23–24, 2022

Equipment & Technical Details:
Canon EOS Ra
Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L II USM
ISO 12800
15 seconds exposure
Composition of three images
Processed in Adobe Photoshop and Topaz DeNoise AI

Astrophotography often captures more than stars. Sometimes it unknowingly records the final calm before a storm — a reminder that while events on Earth may change suddenly, the night sky above remains constant.

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