Images of the night sky that will leave you starry-eyed: Park ranger captures stunning beauty of the Milky Way a world away in rural Alaska

World 28 March, 2014 9:35

Images of the night sky that will leave you starry-eyed: Park ranger captures stunning beauty of the Milky Way a world away in rural Alaska

A park ranger took advantage of the solitude his job provides by photographing the night sky away from light pollution.

Jacob Frank first became interested in night photography while working as a ranger in Alaska.

He took his first photographs there of an aurora and became hooked on his new hobby but had to stop when his posting ended.

Old Faithful geyser erupting at -10ºF in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming photographed under the Milky Way

As he was moved around the States he decided to focus on the Milky Way – photographing the sky's many constellations from whichever national parks he was based at.

Ranger Frank currently lives in the Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado, but has taken pictures in remote parks in Alaska, Colorado, Hawaii and Utah.

He includes people – sometimes himself – to add a sense of scale and so viewers of his work can believe they are in the moment.

The Aurora Borealis in the Dune Field. Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, taken by Park Ranger Jacob Frank

Big Stick campground along the San Juan River, Near Bluff, Utah

Halemaumau crater in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, Big Island, Hawaii

He said: ‘My pictures usually get one of two reactions – people are either speechless or immediately think they're fake.

‘Most people have forgotten how vibrant a truly dark sky can be because we live in cities with too much light pollution – we have lost our connection to the night sky.

‘So they are either blown away because they have seen it before and this is a reminder or they have never seen it before and therefore don't believe it can be real.

‘I like to make the images seem even more real than they are by showing someone it's possible to get there by including people in the shot.’

Island Park campground along the green river. Dinosaur National Monument (left) and Turret Arch of the Windows area, Arches National Park (right) both photographed under the Milky Way by Ranger Jacob Frank

Park Ranger Jacob Frank often includes himself in his photography to give viewers an idea of scale; Escalante National Monument, Utah (left) and Mount McKinley (right)