The Milky Way over Zabriskie Point, Death Valley, California

© Matt Anderson Photography/Getty Image

A sky full of stars. Milky Way over Zabriskie Point, California

The iconic view from Zabriskie Point is one of the reasons why photographers and tourists flock to this spot all year round. Weather and water carved out these badlands for eons resulting in this stunning striped rock formation with an array of colours. The darker material on several peaks was formed by lava from an ancient volcanic eruption, making some of these ridges higher than others. Nestled in Death Valley National Park, California, Zabriskie point has been the backdrop of countless movies like ‘Spartacus’ and ‘Stars Wars’. The scenic overlook is featured on the cover of Irish rock band U2's music album, ‘The Joshua Tree”. It is no wonder the Death Valley Dark Skies Festival is a hugely popular event in the US. Zabriskie Point was named after Christian Zabriskie, a distinguished member of the Pacific Coast Borax Company from 1885 to 1933.