Self-portrait at the Star Box

Our AirBnB host had slipped a page into the guest book saying "My favorite place to stargaze in the desert is a plot of land out in the middle of Wonder Valley. I call it the Star Box. It's far from light pollution and you'll be all alone out there. Venmo $25 for access to the land. I do not take responsibility for nails or glass in tires. Arrive before sunset or you'll never find the place." The tire thing worried us, but we paid up, got the coords, and checked it out in daylight - soft sand road, but seemed fine. It was indeed magical - I hadn't seen a sky this big before - free of obstructions in every direction, ringed by distant mountains all the way around, a totally enveloping experience. I'd expected the temps to drop with nightfall, but a warm wind persisted. We ate pizza and watched the North Star appear, then watched as cosmos lit up. The downside of the location for astro photography is that there were no landmarks, so there's nothing to include (skies with stars and nothing else are boring). But we had fun doing some light painting in the desert while we waited for the full star show. Amazing evening.
In People of Earth. Taken: April 3, 2024