Dark Skies and Dinosaurs: Time-Lapse Video Captures One Unique California Town

Three hours from the bright lights of Los Angeles, Borrego Springs can lay claim to something other communities cannot: its nighttime wonder. In 2009, the town became the second in the world to be certified as a dark sky community by the International Dark-Sky Association. Not bad for an already beautiful desert town, which is totally surrounded by Anza-Borrego, the biggest state park in California.

No wonder filmmaker Gavin Heffernan, fresh of the success of his two dark sky time-lapse videos of Death Valley (a certified dark sky park), was attracted to this San Diego County town. But Borrego Springs, once again, offers something other communities can't: serpents, scorpions, dinosaurs, and so much more.

Over 100 large metal sculptures created by artist Ricardo Breceda live on the edge of town in Galleta Meadows. Commissioned in 2008 by philanthropist Dennis Avery, who bought 3,000 acres of land to spare it from development, the so-called Sky Art has brought a different life to the community -- and to how Heffernan captured this virgin sky.

"This crazy combination of amazing steel sculptures and protected sky led to some pretty cool results, as the giant creatures awoke for a midnight 'Stardance,'" wrote Heffernan in the description of his video, which was shot on a Canon 6D. Watch "Borrego Stardance" above and make sure to catch the behind the scenes here:

More Cool Time-Lapse Videos
- Yosemite Beautifully Time-Lapsed in HD
- Amazing Southwest Scenery Captured in Time-Lapse Video
- Filmmaker Spends 2 Years Chasing S.F. Fog, Creates Magical Video

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