@Night: Joshua Tree National Park #2 !!!

During this weekend, had the opportunity to participate and enjoy a Night Sky Photography session at Joshua Tree National Park ( JT website ) with Dennis Mammana (Dennis' website ). This is the third time I am attending Dennis' session and second time at Joshua Tree NP. Pretty much everything I know about Night Sky Photography, I have learned from Dennis.

Living closer to a big city with plenty of light pollution, almost all of us don't get the chance to feel and experience the real and true night sky. Whenever I get a chance, I don't miss opportunities like this. Usually, all visitors must exit the national parks by sunset (unless staying overnight in camp sites). For these special night sky sessions,  the park rangers escort us in and out and they stay with us all the time.

Some of my favorite shots from this weekend. Click on the photo and watch it on full screen.

The path to Mars,  shining between the the branches of the Joshua Tree.

The leaning Joshua Tree is  pointing towards Big Dipper (aka Subtharishi).
The two stars at the bowl of the Big Dipper (pointer stars) point towards the Polaris (aka Stella Maris)

Dennis informed us that around 8:47 pm, the International Space Station (ISS) is going to pass over head
from Southwest to North. All of us turned our cameras towards North and were waiting for the ISS.
I took this shot right at that moment when ISS blocked Polaris / Stella Maris.

The ISS doesn't have any lights as the planes do :) It is basically reflecting the Sunlight.
At its highest elevation, it reflects the maximum Sunlight and then fades away, as in this shot.
The  Polaris / Stella Maris is unblocked now!