It is 27 June and I have decided to take advantage of the upcoming Madonie Star Party to capture a long-sought moment: the setting of the crescent moon above Castelbuono Castle.
Built in 1317 by Francesco I Ventimiglia, the castle rose as a medieval manor on a hill on the slopes of Colle Milocca. It soon became the political and cultural heart of the County of Geraci. In 1454, the court was moved there together with the precious relic of St Anne's skull, now kept in the splendid Palatine Chapel, a Baroque masterpiece decorated in 1684 by the Serpotta brothers, and considered a unique example in Sicilian art.
In 1595, the castle was elevated to a principality, and in 1632 Castelbuono obtained the title of city, enriching itself with churches, theatres and literary academies that made it a lively and cultured centre.
In this image, the moon seems to glide slowly along the profile of the mountains with the sky still lit by the last gleams of astronomical twilight. The castle stands proudly, dominating the town, and the lights that illuminate its towers and square shape seem to stand out in contrast to the dark profile of the Madonie mountains.
Canon 7d, SIgma 150-600, f/5.6, iso 100 HDR 30 sec - 4 sec,
Moon: 1.3 sec, iso 800