The Magnificent View of The Milky Way Over the Pinnacles

This might look like a computer-generated photo of the Milky Way over a strange planet, but this actually is a real photo taken from the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park, Australia.

In the background, just past the end of the central Pinnacle, is a bright crescent Moon. The eerie glow around the Moon is mostly zodiacal light, sunlight reflected by dust grains orbiting between the planets in the Solar System… The featured 29-panel panorama was taken and composed in 2015 September after detailed planning that involved the Moon, the rock spires, and their corresponding shadows. Even so, the strong zodiacal light was a pleasant surprise.

Awesome.

(Image Credit: Michael Goh)