Patroklos and the Milky Way

803_2235 [Patroklos]

 

I had just taken a series of photos of a lunar eclipse over the Temple of Apollo on Cape Sounio [You can see the eclipse here.] and was about to return home when the boats near the little island of Patroklos and their reflections on the water looked tempting to my sleepy eyes at 1:30 in the morning. I confess, I am not strong enough to resist photographic temptations, so I decided to take 1-2 more photos - the last ones - for the night. The stars above were not visible to the human eye but PhotoPills - my mobile photo-advising App - ensured me that part of the Milky Way was still over the little island of Patroklos at that time.

So, I turned my camera towards a new direction and once again yielded to the temptation.

The outcome on the computer screen on the following day reminded me of David’s Psalm that reads:

“The heavens declare the glory of God; The skies proclaim the work of his hands.”

 

Photographed at Sounio on July 27, 2018 

 

Please click on the picture for a better view

 

 

Ursa constellations

803_3342 [Ursa constellations]

Inspired by my High-School teacher of Physics some decades ago, I have developed the habit of looking at the stars at night whenever possible and enjoy finding constellations in the way he had shown us. On a short vacation in a small hotel on Mt. Vardousia and when everybody had left the roof garden opting for the warm bed around midnight, I was left alone to enjoy the starry sky. No lights anywhere. Only dark mountains around and the starry sky above. Shooting the stars seemed to me a good way to go.

Constellation stars were highlighted in processing to make Ursa Minor and Major prominent.
 
Please click on the pictures for a better view.

803_3351 [Milky way]

I was hardly done with shooting the constellations above when I turned South and noticed the Galaxy waiting patiently for me behind Mt. Vardousia. I moved my equipment for a few meters and took another shot. I love vacations on the mountains!
 
Both photographed on Mt. Vardousia on September 9, 2018

Night sky over Sounio

_8011124 [Night sky over Sounio]

Photographed at Sounio on August 16, 2015

Sounio calling Galaxy

8010122 [Sounio calling Galaxy]

 The Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounio seems to be light-signaling to the heart of our galaxy 
in an attempt to ... establish communication!


Photographed at Sounio on June 20, 2015

The "Park of Souls" under the whirling stars

801_5921 [The "Park of Souls" under the whirling stars]

 The "Park of Souls" is a composition of human figures sculpted on logs of burnt trees by the artist Spyros Dasiotis. 
It stands on Mt. Parnitha at a height of 1018 m opposite a deserted sanatorium which had been the artist's key source of inspiration for the park.
It was inaugurated on Oct. 20, 2012

Photographed on Mt. Parnitha on July 27, 2014

[See also here.]