04/03/2014 10:05 AM EDT
Milky Way near Butterfield Pass in the BLM-managed Sonoran Desert National Monument.
This area is probably only 30-40 air miles from Phoenix, and the glow from the city is visible to the north. However, the overhead stars and southern horizon are dark enough to clearly see the Milky Way, which makes a great backdrop to the charismatic saguaros.
Photo: Bob Wick, BLM Wilderness Specialist