Mount Bromo is an active volcano and lest we forget that, it ejects fumes of gases daily. It’s last major eruption was in 2010 -11 when volcanic ash was ejected from the crater and reached 500 meters high. Several flights were cancelled due to this eruption.
Mount Bromo is part of the Tengger massif, in East Java, Indonesia and at 2,329 meters it’s not the highest peak of the massif, but is the most well known.
The name Bromo is derived from the Javanese pronunciation of Brahma, the Hindu god of creation.
There are four volcanoes inside the Tengger Caldera and Mount Bromo is the most famous. Mt. Bromo is on the left, Mt. Batok in the foreground, and Mt. Widodaren directly behind it. At the back is the big, bad boy Mount Semeru which has erupted approx. 55 times in the last 2 centuries. Semuru is not part of the Bromo Caldera.
Mount Bromo spews ash in January 2016
Lunarlike landscapes of epic proportions
The volcanoes within the caldera are surrounded by a vast area of sand called the Tengger Sea of Sand, and it is a protected nature reserve since 1919. The total area of the Bromo Tengger Caldera stretches 10 kilometres across.
Fog often descends into the Sea of Sand in the evening and lifts by sunrise. We were lucky to have these conditions on our visit as it helped us make some surreal photos.
Early morning view from Jemplang
A steep crater wall with a height differences of about 200–600 metres surrounds the Sea of Sand.
Vegetation along the steep cliffs of the caldera wall.
Mt Bromo is considered a holy place for Hindu Tenggerese people who visit the temple and climb up to the crater and make offerings to the volcano by throwing fruits, vegetables, money and even livestock inside the crater. It is their way of expressing appreciation to the gods.
A hindu temple located at the base of Mt.Bromo
For decades the Tengger have used their horses to help tourists carry bags up the steep mountains surrounding the volcano.
People flock to Bromo to soak in the majestic views and see spectacular sunrises. Our merry group of photographers did all that and also went hunting for the stars…astrophotography.
The flames in the photos are from a bush fire that burned for over 2 days. Our group was at that spot just hours before the fire started. The cause is still unknown…was it a cigarette butt disposed of carelessly?
Thanks a lot, Alfin Tofler for helping me set up this shot and also for teaching me how to edit the files to create the star trails.
Gratitude:
I am most grateful to DOSS for organising this amazing photo outing that was mentored by Master Photographer, Pak Harlim Lim. This was the first time that I attempted astrophotography and I couldn’t have asked for a better mentor and group to be with.
Thank you Nikon Indonesia and Sukimin Thio for lending me one of the best wide angle lenses ever made (Nikon 14-24 f/2.8) and the bazooka lens (200-500mm). I loved using them both. Thanks a ton, Arun Samak for lending me your roomy camera bag to accommodate my borrowed lenses.
I thank my fellow photo hunters for their wonderful company and friendship.
And, my dear friends, I am most humbled that u make the time to view and support my photography. Thank u!
Friends!
Me! Photo credit: Alfin Tofler.
