Earlier this week, I mentioned the hike I took at the Niobrara Valley Preserve Monday afternoon and evening. I carried my camera on the walk but waited in vain for decent photography light. The heavy clouds started to thin as sunset time neared, but the sun dropped below the horizon before ever popping through. However, a short time later, as the clouds continued to thin, they suddenly lit up with beautiful pink and purple color.
This tree apparently supported a fallen tree or branch for quite a few years – long enough to have molded itself around it.
Tree silhouettes against the post-sunset sky.
Not long after the color faded from the sky, the first stars started to appear and the clouds continued to disperse. By the time I reached the car, most of the sky was clear and the stars were strikingly bright in the sky. It was only about 7:30 pm, so I decided to extend my hike a little and found a few trees to put in front of the stars.
Starry sky along the Niobrara River. This pine tree is the same one I featured a few posts ago as I compared three years of photos showing fire recovery.
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At the time, I thought the glow on the horizon was the nearby town of Valentine, but now I wonder if it was actually the very last of the glow from the sun.
Listening to coyotes and great horned owls while admiring more stars than anyone could count in a lifetime of lifetimes was a pretty great way to end the day.
The Prairie Ecologist 
Wow!
Inspiring photos!
I miss the stars. I know they are up there, but I have not seen them in a long time.
Glorious night scenes! And you clinched it with that last sentence, Chris: “Listening to coyotes and great horned owls while admiring more stars than anyone could count in a lifetime of lifetimes was a pretty great way to end the day.” Yes, indeed. :)
Magic! Thank you for sharing!
Exceptional! Lifetime of lifetimes…yes!
beautiful photos of the Niobrara River area. I agree that it is the sun descending leaving darkness in its place. I have fond memories of that River from childhood (I am now 89). Keep carri g your camera and sharing!
I am always amazed at your beautiful photos…but these are beyond words, so I’ll just sit quietly and admire.