Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2024 August 17
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                              Sky Full of Arcs
                Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Rory Gannaway

   Explanation: On August 11 a [5]Rocket Lab Electron rocket launched from
   a rotating planet. With a small satellite on board its mission was
   dubbed [6]A Sky Full of SARs
   (Synthetic Aperture Radar satellites), departing for low Earth orbit
   from Mahia Peninsula on New Zealand's north island. The fiery trace of
   the Electron's graceful launch arc is toward the east in this southern
   sea and skyscape, a composite of 50 consecutive frames taken over 2.5
   hours. Fixed to a tripod, the camera was pointing directly at the South
   Celestial Pole, the extension of planet Earth's axis of rotation in to
   space. [7]But no bright star marks that location in the southern
   hemisphere's night sky. Still, the South [8]Celestial Pole is easy to
   spot. It lies at the center of the concentric star trail arcs that fill
   the skyward field of view.

             Gallery: [9]Perseid Meteor Shower 2024 and Aurorae
                        Tomorrow's picture: sunny day
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    Authors & editors: [21]Robert Nemiroff ([22]MTU) & [23]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([24]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [25]Specific rights apply.
               [26]NASA Web Privacy, [27]Accessibility Notices
                A service of: [28]ASD at [29]NASA / [30]GSFC,
                         [31]NASA Science Activation
                           & [32]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2408/RocketGannaway.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.instagram.com/rorygannaway/
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Electron_rocket_launches
   6. https://www.rocketlabusa.com/missions/missions-launched/a-sky-full-of-sars/
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap191130.html
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/learn/basics-of-space-flight/chapter2-2/
   9. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.488496753878907&type=3
  10. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240816.html
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  14. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  19. http://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=240817
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240818.html
  21. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  22. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  24. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  26. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  27. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  28. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  31. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  32. http://www.mtu.edu/