Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Grand Canyon Star Trails

NASA ^ | March 03, 2013 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: One of the natural wonders of planet Earth, the Grand Canyon in the American southwest stretches across this early evening skyscape. The digitally stacked sequence reveals the canyon's layers of sedimentary rock in bright moonlight. Exposed sedimentary rock layers range in age from about 200 million to 2 billion years old, a window to history on a geological timescale. A recent study has found evidence that the canyon itself may have been carved by erosion as much as 70 million years ago. With the camera fixed to a tripod while Earth rotates, each star above carves a graceful arc through the night sky. The concentric arcs are centered on the north celestial pole, the extension of Earth's rotation axis into space, presently near the bright star Polaris.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Babak Tafreshi (TWAN)]

[SunkenCiv]

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[SunkenCiv]

join or quit list APoD 'blog post new APoD topic Astronomy Picture of the Day topic & keyword Astronomy Chat, Bloggers & keyword Science Chat, Bloggers & keyword NASA's APoD archive Calendar 1995-present APoD on your desktop

[mylife]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCM8u-YlGQE

[no-to-illegals]

Morning SunkenCiv and mylife. The picture and video reminds me of time and the mention of time viewed as millions and billions years old within the explanation. Each of us lives in a perceived present while all viewed by our eyes is in the past.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks no-to-illegals, more to come.

[mylife]