Pleiades Through Cirrus Clouds Over Leh Ridge

Soft overcast light diffuses across a wind-sculpted ridge near Leh, where thin cirrus clouds drift like pale silk. The Pleiades cluster pierces the haze, glowing faintly against the gray morning sky. Below, colorful prayer flags snap in the breeze, their edges frayed by altitude and wind. Thick mist rests on the valley floor, obscuring the ground while the ridge remains sharp and textured with dry grass and loose shale. The flags stretch horizontally, creating a rhythmic pattern against the vertical drop. One white stone marker stands near the edge, its surface rough and weathered, casting a short, soft shadow on the gravel beside it.