Nighttime in Yellowstone

A recent family vacation took us to the national parks of Yellowstone and the Grand Tetons in Wyoming, a seemingly safe haven from light polluted skies at night. As I found out though, several factors conspired against the crystal-clear vistas I had expected. First, the areas where I captured the Milky Way were not "dark-dark" (like the Badlands of last year). Location "A" on the map above is at the north entrance gate to the park and inhibited slightly by the lights of the small town of Gardiner, Montana. Location "B" is at the popular Old Faithful Geyser site, which included several lodges--and window lights. Other negative factors included humidity and the presence of high altitude smoke from nearby wild fires, creating haze.

Fortunately for me, my Nikon D7200 DSLR camera and Tokina f/2.8 11-16mm lens could discern faint light much better than could my eyes. Above is a test shot looking west from near the Roosevelt Arch at the northern entrance of Yellowstone at the edge of the town of Gardiner, Montana. The foreground is lit brilliantly from shop and store lights to my back. It was very difficult here to even see the Milky Way with the naked eye. This image, captured at 1:32 am MDT on Monday, August 20, 2018,  is a 15-second exposure at f/2.8, ISO 6400 and 11 mm focal length.

Ever wary of wild things that go "bump in the night," this image looks northwest from inside the Roosevelt Arch (US Highway 89) at 1:37 am. Settings are identical to the test image above it. Ambient light from Gardiner is seen at right.

Now at the Old Faithful Geyser the following early morning, and even more cognizant of possible bear or bison unseen presence in the dark. Image looks west and was captured from the geyser's viewing boardwalk at 3:07 am MDT, Tuesday, August 21, 2018. Old Faithful is venting steam, which along with the foreground is illuminated from light emanating from a building behind me. Image is a 15-second exposure at f/3.2, ISO 4000 and 12mm focal length. In the background at left are lights from the Old Faithful Inn.