Cougar Lakes Basin, Episode 2, Frank Church Wilderness, Idaho

We were at our base camp at Ursa Minor for two nights and I was up both nights shooting the incredibly dark skys. It was the perfect time to be in the Frank Church for star photography as it was a relatively warm clear evening and we were in a new moon phase. If you check out this dark skies map, you will see that I was shooting in probably the darkest skies found in the continental US. https://darksitefinder.com/maps/world.html#4/39.00/-98.00

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As I turned my lens to the south, I found a brilliant Milky Way. One which I don’t remember seeing this clear since I was a kid camping in the Little Lost River Valley. Keep in mind that we were camped at about 8200′ of elevation so we were above much of the atmosphere.

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The only way to describe the reflection on the dead calm lake was surreal!!!! I believe the bright star just to the left of the Milky Way is Jupiter. Additionally, I believe the bright light left of Jupiter is another planet, I’m not sure which one, maybe one of my readers can help me out.

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I was like a kid in a candy store! Click Click Click. Each image has about a 15 to 20 second exposure so in all, I was out shooting for over an hour.

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This next image is shooting towards the north and away from the galactic center so the stars are not quite as dense.

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This image is shot due west which is pointed directly out of the Milky Way. Still so many stars and the reflection was stunning.

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Finally, as I arrive back at my tent, I took one final shot through the trees.

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The second night at base camp, I was back at it. However, on this night, we had a touch of cloud cover which made all the stars seem a little creamy.

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Jupiter again on the left but a little fuzzy due to the thin clouds. Notice the planet on the left of Jupiter has changed position relative to Jupiter…… a clue!

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This image is shot due North and you can just detect the hint of sunlight spilling over the north pole.

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Check in tomorrow for the day 2 edition of Cougar Lakes Basin! I’m working to process more than 400 images so it takes a little time.