The Milky Way above the Lake of Fire – Azores

The great central region of Milky Way, full of nebulae emissions, star clusters, gas and dust, above the cloudy yellow band in the Lake of Fire – Lagoa do Fogo. Doubtlessly, one of the grandest nature attractions of this S. Miguel island, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This huge blue lake 575 meters above the sea level – it is about 2 km long and 1 km wide – fills the ground of an extinct crater, whose caldera was formed during an eruption in 1563. Surrounded by high mountains and luxuriant endemic vegetation, this mystical lake, surrounded by an ambiance of divine tranquility and beauty, seems to be the perfect scenario – declared as natural reserve- to enjoy a fantastic free open window to our Universe.

Canon 60Da – ISO2500; 24mm at f/2; Exp. 20 secs. in 04/05/2014 at 4:30  AM.