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Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Of Stars and Sand

Of Stars and Sand
Of Stars and Sand Planetary Society member Zaakary Barnes photographed the Milky Way over Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. Zaakary Barnes

"There are few places I feel more connected to the night sky than Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, an International Dark Sky Place," said Zaakary. "I wanted to capture the beauty and wonder of being one small part of a greater place, caught between waves of sand below and a sea of stars above. This blended shot depicts me standing on the ridge of a dune, backlit by the core of the Milky Way. Ripples and grasses in the sand are illuminated by my headlamp, and passing clouds catch the glow of Alamosa – over 25 miles away."