WATCH: The Magic of an Everest Night Sky

While everyone was fast asleep at the Everest basecamp, Elia Saikaly was busy at work capturing the beautiful Himalayan nighttime sky. The camp is perched at 17,600 feet, which provides an unparalleled view of the Milky Way amongst the towering peaks. Astrophotography is no small task, especially at the foot of the tallest mountain in the world. Not only are you awake at the dead of night, but dealing with everything freezing: cameras, batteries, and extremities.

For the two-minute time lapse film, over 44,069 still images were created. Watch as the sun sets and the top of the world comes alive as you’ve never seen it before.