A stunning image of Mount Rainier with a trail of stars around it will soon be a postage stamp.
The photo, comprised of 200 images, will celebrate Mount Rainer as the 13th of 16 Forever Stamp images to be revealed as part of the National Park Service’s 100th Anniversary.
The image was created by Matt Dieterich of Pittsburgh, Pa. He worked at Mount Rainier as an intern when he took the photo last year.
“This night was one I will never forget,” Dieterich said. “After working with visitors at the Mount Rainier astronomy program on June 22, 2015, I noticed there was an aurora, so I drove down to Reflection Lake to capture it.”
Dieterich said the location contained a view of the mountain and water for reflections.
“To create this star trails image I took 200 photos in a two-hour window between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. with my Nikon D750 and 24mm lens set at F/1.4 and ISO 5000. Since the Earth is rotating, each 8-sec. exposure shows stars at slightly different locations. When the photos are combined into one image, the stars create a circular pattern around the North Star, which is just out of view at the top of the image. The pink aurora spread throughout the background sky. Mountaineers can be seen with their white headlamps climbing Mount Rainier on the right side of the volcano,” said Dieterich.
“To capture star trails photos just like this, all you need is a digital single lens reflex camera, a wide angle lens, tripod and shutter release cable,” he added.
The new Forever Stamps will be issued June 2.
Here is a look at other stamps already previewed:
- Acadia National Park
- Arches National Park
- Assateague Island National Seashore
- Bandelier National Monument
- Carlsbad Caverns National Park
- Everglades National Park
- Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve
- Grand Canyon National Park
- Gulf Islands National Seashore
- Haleakalā National Park
- Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens
- Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
