Thanks Houghy, yes Trevor, it WAS inspiring and I'll tell you why.
I have been around in some pretty dark places in Australia, New Zealand and Timor. This is the first time I have been to such an place where several things came together to make it a PERFECT night.
1. High altitude
2. New moon
3. No dew
4. No clouds
5. Right temperature
6. No strong winds
7. No light pollution
8. I was deliberately outside looking with no other commitments
For the first time in my life, everything I could have asked for in astrophotography was present. When I looked up as I was all night while the camera was doing it's thing, I could really make out the DEPTH.
The foreground stars were all around in every direction, it was obvious we are IN the mist, but I could see so clearly that the mist of stars got closer together toward the galactic plane, until the background light could be seen as a very fine mist, like the individual particles of water in a steamy bathroom or morning fog.
The real sense of spacial awareness hit me like a hammer. I stood all night without even a telescope, totally happy with the fact that I am a part of the cosmos. Knowing it is one thing, SEEING it so clear and sharp is something else entirely.
Baz.
