VLA with Night Sky

See photo below.
Last Saturday night, after a full day of bird photos in the Bosque, Sraddha and I drove out 50 miles to the VLA, or Very Large Array where the 27 big radio telescopes live. I mean BIG! (click on photo to enlarge).

One of the 27  telescope from the Very Large Array at night
(24 mm, F4, 30 sec, 4000 ISO)

Anyway, it was pitch dark, as the moon had not yet risen. As we approached the huge plain, we crossed the railroad tracks and found a little pullout, stopped and got out of the car. Low and behold, across the north side of the highway, we saw the silhouette of one of the big telescopes looming. I grabbed my camera and tripod and we crossed the road. A barbwire fence greeted along with a locked gate. Undetterred, we figured out a way through the fence, walked across the dry desert floor and approached the monster. It began to move. yikes! will it see us? Will some federal guard show up and haul us off to jail for entering the property?
We stood in awe of the immensity of this man-made object then broadened out focus to the sky around it. We spent the next hour photographing this scene from various angles and exposures. Last night was the first chance at reviewing the images. I processed several then opened them up. This is the best one and, it is pretty amazing, if you ask me. I wanted to share it with you.
It is best opened on an ipad or a big screen rather than merely your email program. i now have it as my desktop.
Hope you find it as expansive and humbling as I do.

another angle