Galaxies over Cilaos - Reunion Island

The Milky Way, the Clouds of Magellan and the zodiacal light in the cirque de Cilaos on Reunion Island. To reach the summit of the Piton des Neiges, the highest point on the island, as well as the highest point in the Indian Ocean (3070 m), I left from the cirque de Cilaos, situated at a height of 1200 meters. After a climb of 1100 meters traversing the barrier bordering the cirque, I am greeted by a splendid view overlooking the sea of clouds which form each day. But it is at night that the show becomes truly grandiose. As the hours pass, the blanket of clouds thins, disappearing completely before the break of day. For one short hour, one can see the lights of Cilaos, shining like so much sparkling magma. The sky overhead completes the scene admirably. The Milky Way resembles a plume of smoke, impressive even to the naked eye. I see the Southern Cross and the Coalsack Nebula on the horizon, a bright dot to the right of the cluster Centauri, and, higher up, Scorpio, Saturn, and Mars, which together form a triangle with the star Antares. Above the summit of the Grand Bénare (2898m) on the right, the zodiacal light climbs towards the planets, while to the left of the image, the Small Magellanic Cloud is waiting to be joined by its older brother, just peeking over the horizon. I like being on this island.