13th Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Natural World
Backlit Joshua Tree on a moonlit night

This was my first visit to Joshua Tree National Park known for its amazing geology and, of course, Joshua Trees. I wanted to somehow capture the famed yucca plant in its desert landscape with a starry sky. Joshua Tree NP has some of the darkest night skies in the US and is actively trying to curb "light pollution" to preserve this night time experience that the modern world has literally washed from the sky

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 11.2015
Date Uploaded: 11.2015
Photo Location: California, United States of America
Camera: NIKON D610
Copyright: © Scott Martinez