[ Rian Kasner ]

Parashant National Monument is known for it's visibly stunning night sky, as it is one of the most remote areas in the contiguous United States.  As light sources continue to increase throughout the world, dark night skies are rapidly decreasing all over the globe. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Las Vegas light pollution was minimal at a specific viewpoint in Parashant called Hell's Hole. I was sent to capture the night sky under these unique and rare circumstances. This was my first time taking night-sky photographs, so this became the perfect opportunity for trial and error as I learned the best way to explore the beauty above me and acquire the necessary skills it takes to obtain photographs of the stars.