In late October 2024, the Mackenzie basin received its heaviest snowfall in more than 10 years, with Mount Cook Village measuring nearly a metre of snow. At this time of year, the pre-dawn sky is full of bright stars and constellations usually not seen until summer, hence this region of the sky is often called the summer sky. Here you can find the famous constellation of Orion, also known as ‘the pot’ down south, a region rich in hydrogen emissions.
A few planets are also visible in this image, notably Jupiter just beneath Orion, and Mars seen rising above the sharp mountains peaks and reflected in the water below.
