Orion Falling over Lake Clifton
My goal for this trip to Lake Clifton was to capture a reflected image of Orion in the dark and still waters as it descends on the western horizon. Alas, the forecast predicted a decent breeze during the night (which was the case) and therefore I went with the updated intent of just getting some shots of Orion and the lake, and of course some more nightscape shots of the thrombolites along the shore.
One good thing about Lake Clifton, it’s a very easy drive straight down the double lane freeway for the majority of the way – and the trip down was uneventful. I arrived in the late evening just as the odd one or two visitors were leaving the small and secluded car park. I quickly walked out to the jetty on the lake to check out the conditions (water was low and brown) and the wind was light but enough to cause undulations on the surface of the water. Then it was back to the car to wait until night (I’ve been to the lake a number of times, so little need to scout anymore).
With the fall of night I headed back out to the jetty. Knowing also from previous visits, I carried a long stick to bat down the odd strands of spider webs that the spiders spin along the path from the car park to the jetty.
Once at the jetty I set up my camera with a 50mm to look south along the shore. The thrombolites crowded the shore line for quite a distance, and the low water levels revealed them to great extent – their grey domes silent and waiting in the dark waters. Being early on in the night, the plane of the Milkyway was just “tipping over” from zenith, therefore the Carina nebula and Southern Cross where high in the southern sky and overlooking the length of the shore and the thrombolites.
After completing the mosaic looking south, I shifted the view to the west. Within the confines of the thrombolites the waters were mostly still, and I could just see the reflection of the Orion nebula in the mostly still waters. I did a mosaic with Orion high in the sky, the jetty, and looking down to the water where the reflection of Orion is opportunely placed between the thromobolites.
I then moved my equipment further back on shore to take a large panorama / mosaic of the entire jetty, the lake, and the night sky with Orion still prominent as the centre of focus.
As the night went on, the Orion constellation got lower and lower in the sky. At this point I switched to an 85mm lens to do the following images that provide a closer up view of the constellation low on the horizon.
And then I was done. Stick in hand to clear out some spider webs on the way back to the car I walked pondering my next target.
