Milky Way over Lake Ellesmere

Need I say more?

Early moonset today meant near perfect sky conditions over Banks Peninsula for gazing into the Milky Way.

As I parked up on the Cutting Corner, dressed in dark clothes with a beany covering most of my head, a Police Dog Van (with something akin to the hound from hell in the back) pulled up to ask me what I was up to. After all who's mad enough to be on the lake shore at nearly midnight? He then saw the Gitzo and Nikon and soon guessed. We then had a bit of a chat about what a stunning night for photos etc, before he left - probably to get a late night cuppa I'd imagine back at a station somewhere....

As I took this shot, once more the silence was overpowering. Except for the light booming of a bittern somewhere closeby, and the cackle of geese of course.