By Pat Jenkins The Dispatch Mount Rainier has put its stamp on America and the Pacific Northwest in a lot of ways, but never quite like this. The mountain, one of the most-photographed and iconic peaks in the U.S. and perhaps worldwide, is on a new Postal Service stamp that will become available in June, including a splashy official debut in New York City. The stamp, featuring the mountain in silhouette as part of a star-trail photograph comprised from 200 images, is the 13th of 16 National Parks Forever Stamp series to be revealed over a three-week period in celebration of the National Park Service's 100th anniversary this year. Matt Dieterich of Pittsburg, Pa. is the photographer whose clicking at Mount Rainier National Park on the night of June 22, 2015 became the new stamp. "This night was one I will never forget,GÇ¥ said Dieterich, who was working at the park as an intern with the National Park Service's astronomy program and public education on the effect of light pollution near highly populated areas. After treating visitors to stargazing, "I noticed there was an aurora, so I drove down to Reflection Lake to capture it,GÇ¥ he said. He described the location as "perfectGÇ¥ for its view of the mountain and "water for reflections.GÇ¥ "I took 200 photos in a two-hour window between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.,GÇ¥ Dieterich said. "Since the Earth is rotating, each eight-second exposure shows stars at slightly different locations. When the photos are combined into one image, the stars create a circular pattern around the North Star, which is just out of view at the top of the image. The pink aurora spread throughout the background sky.GÇ¥ Along with the celestial visuals, "mountaineers can be seen with their white headlampsGÇ¥ climbing on the right side of the mountain, he noted. Anyone can capture star trails photos "just like this,GÇ¥ he added. "All you need is a digital single-lens reflex camera, a wide-angle lens, tripod and shutter release cable. Grab your gear and get out under the stars." Randy King, superintendent of Mount Rainier National Park, said the park is "honored that such a striking view" of then mountain and night sky is part of the stamp series. King said park and postal officials are planning a first-day-of-issue event for the stamp at the park on June 2. That same day on the other side of the country, the stamp and others in the National Parks will be formally unveiled during a ceremony at Javits Center in New York City. The seven-day show, a mecca for stamp collators, is held once once a decade. Other National Parks featured in the centennial stamps include Acadia National Park, Arches National Park, Assateague Island National Seashore, Bandelier National Monument, Carlsbad Caverns National Park , Everglades National Park, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Grand Canyon National Park, Gulf Islands National Seashore, Haleakal_ National Park, Kenilworth Park nd Aquatic Gardens, and Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park.
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