Circular Star Trails

Sep 2, 2025 - 19:00
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Circular Star Trails
Stars photographed over 31 minutes make a concentric pattern of white circles. At the bottom edge of the photo, there is a soft orange glow. A portion of the International Space Station can be seen in the foreground. This photo was taken through a window on the space station.
NASA/Nichole Ayers

On July 26, 2025, NASA astronaut Nichole Ayers took this long-exposure photograph – taken over 31 minutes from a window inside the International Space Station’s Kibo laboratory module – capturing the circular arcs of star trails.

In its third decade of continuous human presence, the space station has a far-reaching impact as a microgravity lab hosting technology, demonstrations, and scientific investigations from a range of fields. The research done on the orbiting laboratory will inform long-duration missions like Artemis and future human expeditions to Mars.

Image credit: NASA/Nichole Ayers

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