02/23/13 Featured Arkansas Photography–Night skies over Area 51 in Western Pulaski County Arkansas

Stars and moonlight over Area 51–click on the image for a larger view

Taken with a Canon 5D MKII with a 16-35mm lens @ F4.5 for approximately 4o minutes. Area 51, in Little Rock, not out in the desert.  Yes, Arkansas has it’s are 51!  It’s a great spot to view Pinnacle mountain as there is big field in front of the mountain and the area 51 sign just adds to the effect of the shot.  This is a harder spot to work than one might think as the constant stream of cars coming by.  The headlights can really blow out a stacked exposure and to get this shot I had to work in the foreground from several different image since the lights were totally blowing out the image.  I liked the way the sky came out, with a amber color towards the horizon and then a nice fade into a deep blue.  I was barely able to catch the north star in the upper left corner.  I was working against a very bright moon but I was able to finally get into a spot where I could use the large tree on the right to block most of the moonlight.  I love this spot and go out to it many time during the year.