This museum grade fine art photograph is available in a fine art limited edition of 200, signed and numbered with a signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance.
Glimmering Magic - Milky Way Reflecting in Cleetwood Cove and Crater Lake with Vivid Diffuse Aurora
Cleetwood Cove, Crater Lake National Park, Oregon
Milky Way Reflections and Green Low-Latitude Diffuse Aurora in Cleetwood Cove and Crater Lake in Crater Lake National Park
The sky illuminates with green with vibrant low-latitude diffuse aurora enveloping the sky 360 degrees in all directions during the legendary G4 geomagnetic storm in June 2015, something which is among the rarest aurora phenomena visible at mid-latitudes. The Milky Way core rises over Cleetwood Cove and Crater Lake, stretching 5.3 miles across the waters of Crater Lake from Chaski Bay to Cleetwood Cove. The green low-latitude diffuse aurora blankets the night sky in a brilliant emerald green as the Milky Way rises over Sun Notch between Dutton Cliff and Applegate Peak. Sagittarius shines brightly above clouds on the horizon lit with the warm colors of light pollution, as blue color from the stars reflects in the waters right next to the Milky Way reflection.
Mount Scott rises up above Cloudcap on the East Rim, as Applegate Peak and Garfield Peak dominate the South Rim 5.5 miles across the lake. It's a beautiful view of the Milky Way rising above the waters of Cleetwood Cove and Crater Lake, with the Milky Way and stars shining brightly in the night sky in a manner you'd expect from a location with Bortle Class 1 skies. Class 1 is the darkest rating possible, signifying the location is among the darkest skies on Earth. It's rare to witness low-latitude diffuse aurora stretch across the night sky in every direction. It requires a severe G-rated storm and it's something that happened here, during the May 2024 geomagnetic storm and the October 2024 geomagnetic storm.
I've spent 40 years visiting Crater Lake, having first laid eyes on it as a young child. I've seen many beautiful things here, and from stunning sunrises and sunsets to STEVE, the SAR Arc, aurora pillars, the aurora dancing and the Zodiacal Light. These are all some of my favorite memories from Crater Lake across my decades long career. Witnessing this intense low-latitude diffuse aurora envelope the sky 360 degrees in all directions as the Milky Way rose above while simultaneously reflecting in the waters of the lake is something that is among my favorite memories here. This was a magical night, one I'll never forget, and one that will live on forever through the wonders of Photography.
Fine art landscape stitched vertical panoramic photograph of the Milky Way and green diffuse aurora over Crater Lake and Cleetwood Cove in Crater Lake National Park. This image captures the stunning cosmic glow of the Milky Way with diffuse airglow above Oregon's only National Park, available as a luxury museum-grade limited edition print by James Mead.
The Glow of Night: Milky Way and Low-Latitude Diffuse Aurora Reflections in Cleetwood Cove and Crater Lake
Crater Lake has long been one of my favorite places in Oregon, and I've been there more times than I can count. I still remember the first time I peered over the rim and saw that deep cobalt blue water. It really is a sight you have to see to believe. The waters which fill the collapsed caldera of Mount Mazama are always a stunning sight, and when the stars fill the skies overhead it's something magical. There's something about the cool, crisp air up there that has always relaxed me.
The intense low-latitude diffuse aurora this night looked like airglow and was absolutely amazing to witness, though it wasn't true airglow. Airglow is very similar to the auroras, in that the molecules in the atmosphere get excited and produce color in the night sky. The main difference is with airglow, the cause of your glow is completely different than the geomagnetic storms that cause auroras, and airglow is present in some form almost every night. Some nights it's more vivid than others, but it's always there even at a low level. We may not be able to see it due to our eyes being primarily monochromatic at night, but thankfully camera sensors don't have that problem. That said, this wasn't airglow, it was actually low-latitude diffuse aurora wrapping around the sky from the north.
There were Auroras going on behind me this night as it was during the legendary June 2015 G4 aurora geomagnetic storm, and the geomagnetic storm was exciting the molecules in the atmosphere enough the colors of the aurora enveloped almost the entire sky, which produced a beautiful scene outside of the auroras going on themselves to the north. It's the same geomagnetic storm which produced a stunning moonlit Milky Way scene earlier in the night before the moon had set. Auroras are only visible this far south during a super strong geomagnetic storm, and even then you don't always see dancing or pillars. Those require a significantly negative BZ level, and in the lack of the strong negative BZ the aurora displays a gorgeous, diffuse, beautiful deep glow on the northern Horizon.
Clouds actually covered the sky for a good while this night, but I know from experience that clouds come and go very fast at Crater Lake, so I waited it out hoping they'd dissipate. The result was a stunning mix of the night sky, beautiful diffuse aurora enveloping the sky and the calm and serene waters of Crater Lake far below the Crater Rim. It's vintage Crater Lake at night, as it captures the beauty of the lake, the caldera and the dark night skies above. The icing on the cake however this night was how still the waters of Crater Lake itself were. Sometimes the waters are still enough you can see a reflection in the lake, and sometimes the wind kicks up enough you cannot see a reflection. It was incredible to see and photograph the Milky Way faintly reflecting in the almost 6 mile wide waters of Crater Lake, with all the colors of the night sky faintly reflecting in the water as well. It was one of those perfect nights. There might have been clouds for awhile, but patience was definitely rewarded.
Technical Specifications
- Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark III
- Lens: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM
- Settings: 16mm | f/2.8 | 36 Seconds | ISO 6400
- Process: 3-Image Panoramic | Successive Back-to-Back Exposures using a Nodal Rail to Prevent Parallax Error | All Panoramic Images at Same Settings | In-Camera Long Exposure (The Mead Method) | Bespoke Multi-Layer Noise Management (Manual Masking to preserve details and raw data integrity)
Technical Note - Panoramic Image of Diffuse Aurora and the Milky Way Core over Cleetwood Cove
A high-resolution panoramic stitch [4:5 aspect ratio] of 3 single horizontal exposure images panned vertically using a nodal rail and L-bracket on a 3-way pan and tilt panoramic head for nodal point accuracy, ensuring the final photo preserves museum-grade detail and resolution across the entire frame without parallax error, from Crater Lake to the Milky Way in the night sky.
Note on Provenance - Diffuse Aurora and the Milky Way over Cleetwood Cove and Crater Lake
This image is a certified Panoramic of Single Exposures. Captured using the "Mead Method" developed over 15 years of nightscape experience. No trackers, no sky-swaps, and no generative AI. Just a single moment in time, preserved.
Photo © copyright by James Mead.
Chromaluxe® Metal Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
Vibrant. Modern. Impactful.
My Chromaluxe® Metal Fine Art Prints offer a sleek, modern presentation that’s both bold and beautiful. Using a high-heat dye sublimation process, each image is infused directly into a specially coated aluminum panel resulting in vibrant colors, ultra-sharp detail, and a striking glossy finish. The dye sublimation process infuses the image directly into the metal, creating a scratch resistant surface while helping provide permanent protection.
These prints feature:
• Vivid, color-rich surfaces ideal for modern spaces
• High contrast and incredible sharpness: perfect for clean compositions and bold landscapes
• Durable and lightweight aluminum construction
• Float mount backing for a frameless, floating display. Ready to hang out of the box
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
These metal prints are ideal for collectors seeking a contemporary look with museum-quality output. Resistant to scratch, moisture and UV fading, they work beautifully in both home and office settings.
Select a print size:
Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Gallery Float Ready to Hang
Museum-Grade Brilliance. Gallery-Worthy Depth.
Bring home the brilliance of nature with the industry’s finest print medium. My Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints are crafted using a state-of-the-art process that infuses archival pigments into a transparency layer, backed by a clear acrylic backer and mounted under crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic. This creates a luminous, almost 3D effect. Colors appear to glow from within.
These gallery-grade prints feature:
• Incredible depth and clarity, fine details leap off the wall
• Exceptional color fidelity with deep saturation and smooth tonal gradations
• Anti-reflective, scratch-resistant museum grade 1/8” TruLife® acrylic offering unmatched viewing clarity under all lighting
• UV Resistant: TruLife® acrylic blocks up to 99% of UV rays
• 1/8" clear acrylic backer mounted using an archival adhesive layer
• 1.25” Roma wooden rear float mount frame inset 2” from the edge for a clean, frameless display that is ready to hang
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 3-4 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether you're designing a luxury interior or curating a personal gallery, these prints are built to impress and designed to last a lifetime.
Select a print size:
Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints | Museum-Quality Ready to Hang
Timeless elegance. Unrivaled depth. A true centerpiece.
My Roma Framed Lumachrome TruLife® Acrylic HD Fine Art Prints represent the pinnacle of archival display. These statement pieces combine the award-winning brilliance of Lumachrome HD with the craftsmanship of custom Roma wood mouldings, transforming your chosen image into an heirloom-worthy work of art.
Each piece is handcrafted by master printmakers and framers in the USA using museum-grade materials. The print itself is infused with archival pigments into a transparency layer, mounted to an archival acrylic backer and face-mounted and sealed under a 1/8" layer of crystal-clear TruLife® acrylic: a premium optically-coated surface that eliminates reflections and enhances depth, vibrance, and clarity.
Surrounding this luminous presentation is your choice of genuine Roma Moulding, hand-built with a choice of 3.5" or 4" Italian made wooden Roma frame with a 3" black linen liner for a refined, framed, museum grade appearance. This adds approximately 13 to 14 inches to both the height and width of the final piece. This level of finish is rarely seen outside of luxury interiors and gallery exhibitions.
After placing your order, I’ll reach out personally to confirm your ideal frame and liner pairing from my curated Roma collection. If you’d prefer to finalize your framing choice in advance, feel free to reach out any time for a custom recommendation.
These museum grade works of art feature:
• Gallery-grade presentation with luminous depth and 3D effect
• TruLife® acrylic: anti-reflective, scratch-resistant, and blocks 99% of UV
• Archival quality construction with pH-neutral adhesive and backer
• Available in your choice of 3.5" or 4" Roma wood mouldings with a black linen liner for a framed, museum-grade appearance
• Museum-grade 3" black linen liner for added depth and visual separation
• Signed and Numbered Limited Editions of 200
• Signed Certificate of Authenticity (COA) provided for additional provenance
• Hand Crafted in the USA by our master printmakers
• Ready to hang out of the box: no glass or framing required
Please contact me for Alaska, Hawaii, and international shipping rates. Please allow 4-5 weeks for production and delivery.
Whether displayed in a luxury residence, corporate lobby, or fine art collection, these framed prints command attention and offer a sense of permanence few art mediums can match.
Select a print size:
These are investment-grade art pieces designed to last generations. If you have any questions, need any mock-ups or if you need anything else before purchase, please reach out and I will be in contact shortly.