In early April, clear skies coincided with a new moon in Southern California - perfect conditions for astrophotography. It had been several years since I’d done any astrophotography work. So I packed up the car for an overnight car-camping trip to the Anza-Borrego. The 2-hour drive from San Diego was pleasant and as I headed east the skies grew clearer and clearer. Good news for when the stars came out.

I drove through the town of Borrego Springs to Clark Dry Lake, my chosen site to take in the night sky. The last mile or two of the drive was on the washboard dirt road. It is slower going, sometimes a bit bone-jarring, yet not a difficult or precarious drive. I arrived with enough daylight to scout a little bit and capture a couple of photos of the lingering clouds catching the colors of sunset.

Sunset came and went by about 7:30pm and I had several hours before the galactic core of the Milky Way would be visible. At this time of year, the core would arch over the horizon in a more horizontal orientation. I was excited. I’d never captured the Milky Way at this time of year. I spent the time refining my manual focus on the night sky, taking test shots, so I’d be ready when the core rose into view.

The hours clicked by slowly. I was serenaded by howling coyotes and the yips and yelps of their pups. An occasional traveler passed by on the washboard road leading in and out of Clark Dry Lake. The evening was cool but not cold, crisp enough that I wore a hat, but not cold to be point of a heavy jacket or gloves. I nibbled on the snacks I brought, took a little nap. Around 1:30am my alarm went off. A stretch and a slug of coffee later, I walked out to where I’d set up my tripod and looked for the Milky Way core.

It was hard to see the Milky Way with the naked eye. Was it there? Did I make a mistake in my planning? There was some light pollution to the southeast. I fired off a frame with my 20mm lens. I reviewed the f/2.8, ISO 3200 capture of the scene. There it is! The Milky Way draping itself across the landscape. Once I saw it in the camera, it was hard not to see in the night sky. Dimmer than I’d anticipated, yet clearly present.

I spent the next several hours capturing different framings of the Milky Way. By 4:30am, I was finished and ready for a rest before driving back to San Diego to start another day. It was a lot of fun, and I’ll be on the lookout for more opportunities for astrophotography. I’m lucky to live reasonably close to some very dark sky territory. I should take advantage of it more often.