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Credit & Copyright: Branko Nadj
Explanation:
Savudrija lighthouse
shines along the coast
near the northern end of the Istrian peninsula
in this well-composed
night
skyscape.
A navigational aid for sailors on the Adriatic Sea,
the historic lighthouse was constructed in the early 19th century.
But an even older aid to navigation shines in the sky
above, Polaris,
alpha star of the constellation Ursa Minor and also known as the North Star.
In this scene Polaris forms the shortest
bright arc near the
North Celestial Pole, the extension of
Earth's axis of rotation into space.
Of course, the North Celestial Pole lies exactly at the center of
all the concentric startrails.
The composite
image
is a digital stack of 400 exposures, each 30 seconds
long, taken with camera and tripod fixed to a rotating planet.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: star trail
Publications with words: star trail
See also: