When earth and sky meet the result is electric as this photo taken at Salmon Creek Beach shows. Bioluminescent plankton, which emit light through a chemical reaction, cast a blue glow underneath a night sky dominated by a view of the Milky Way Galaxy.

 

At Salmon Creek Beach north, the Milky Way and ocean bioluminescence make for a visual feast for a visitor, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Sea Surface Temperatures are running above normal giving glowing dinoflagellate plankton a canvas in which to glow. The phenomenen is most common during fall months in the Bay Area ocean waters. (Kent Porter / The Press Democrat)At Salmon Creek Beach north, the Milky Way and ocean bioluminescence make for a visual feast for a visitor, Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Sea Surface Temperatures are running above normal giving glowing dinoflagellate plankton a canvas in which to glow. The phenomenon is most common during fall months in the Bay Area ocean waters.

Originally Published: September 25, 2025 at 3:27 PM PDT