Photos: Exquisite Star Trails Captured by Astronaut Don Pettit

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS

Don Pettit

Expedition 31 Flight Engineer Don Pettit took photos of star trails, terrestrial lights, airglow and auroras while aboard the International Space Station. Image taken May 17, 2012.

Star Trails with the ATV-3

Don Pettit

Astronaut Don Pettit posted this image on his blog March 26, 2012. He wrote: "An Ariane 5 rocket carrying Europe's ATV cargo vehicle appears as a diagonal streak in this March 23 photo." Note the streak is very faint at the right side of the photo.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS #1

NASA

The star trails in this photo, taken by astronaut Don Pettit, appear as illuminated arcs of light. Full Story.

Star Trails Seen from the ISS #2

NASA

Caption: NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured the effect of star trails by taking multiple 30-second exposures and “stacking” them using a photo editing software.

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