The night sky over Pangong Lake, or Pangong Tso is an astrophotographer's dream.
This dark-sky region in the Himalayas is well known for its starry nightscapes, far from the light pollution of major towns and cities.
One astrophotographer, Amrinderjit 'AJ' Singh, was going through old images captured during a trip to photograph the starry night sky over Pangong Lake, and composed these images of star trails above the crystal clear water.
Star trails are long-exposure images that show the apparent motion of the stars in the night sky.
Of course, when we see or record the stars moving across the night sky, it's really an optical illusion.
Perspective is everything.
What we're really seeing is Earth's rotation on its axis, as our planet orbits the Sun. From our viewpoint, it looks like the stars are moving across the sky.
In a long-exposure star trail image, the effect is sweeping, curved lines of colour, culminating in whole circles around the northern or southern celestial poles.
"I found something interesting in my saved data," AJ says. "The mesmerizing dance of stars over Pangong Lake.
"Pangong Lake is one of the highest saltwater lakes in the world, nestled at an altitude of 4,350 meters in the Himalayas.
"As the night falls, it transforms into a celestial canvas, painted with streaks of yellow, blue, and pink, courtesy of the star trails swirling above.
"Each streak represents the movement of Earth beneath the starlit sky, a silent yet profound reminder of our place in the cosmos.
"Capturing this moment was a blend of patience and wonder, as I marvelled at nature's masterpiece unfolding before my eyes.
"Let this image remind us of the beauty and majesty that surrounds us, waiting to be explored."
See more of AJ's work via his Instagram account amrinderjit31.
Details
- Camera: Canon R mirrorless
- Lens: Canon EF 50mm
- Exposure: 260x30s
- ISO: 800 f/2.8
Are you an astrophotographer? Whether experienced or complete beginner, send us your images and they could end up in a future issue of BBC Sky at Night Magazine.
