Astronomy Picture of the Day · December 1, 1996

Star Trails in Northern Skies

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for December 1, 1996 is “Star Trails in Northern Skies,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Star Trails in Northern Skies Credit and Copyright: David Malin). The original explanation runs about 89 words.

From the explanation

“Explanation : As the Earth spins on its axis, the sky seems to rotate around us . This motion produces the beautiful concentric arcs traced out by the stars in this time exposure of the night sky.”

— APOD editors, December 1, 1996

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: December 1, 1996
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: Star Trails in Northern Skies Credit and Copyright: David Malin
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 89 words

All of December 1996 → · 1996 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

On this day: December 1 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, December 1, 1996 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-1996-december-01-star-trails-in-northern-skies

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.