40 Nebraskaland • March 2020
Those
Alluring
Orbs
Photos and Story by Justin Haag
hether it be the fast-beating wings of a zigzagging teal
or the earth -hammering legs of a sprinting pronghorn,
a quick "trigger fi nger" is often necessary for capturing
imagery of the region's natural resources.
Perhaps no photo subjects, though, get me in hot pursuit
more than two that are the farthest from the camera. One is
about 239,000 miles away. The other, almost 93 million miles.
When you're trying to catch them, even at that distance,
each seems to move incredibly fast. What's more, they never
pause for the photographer.
I'm referring, of course, to the moon and the sun. As a
photographer, or just a person who loves to marvel at nature's
creations, I thrive on those fl eeting moments when one of
the two most prominent features of the sky is juxtaposed
with a beautiful Nebraska landmark. Our magnifi cent
landscapes are just a little bit more magnifi cent with a big
sphere hanging low above them.
Those who have experienced it surely agree: Western
Nebraska, with its wide-open spaces and remarkable
topography, is tough to beat for pairing celestial objects with
terrestrial scenes.
W
When photographing
Nebraska's great places, the
moon and the sun are always
welcome to the scene.
