Cosmos in Reflection
Explanation:
During the
day,
over 12,000 large mirrors reflect
sunlight at the 100-megawatt, molten-salt, solar thermal power plant at the
western edge of the Gobi desert near
Dunhuang, Gansu Province, China.
Individual mirror panels turn to track the sun like sunflowers.
They conspire to act as a single super mirror reflecting
the sunlight toward a fixed position,
the power station's central tower.
During the night
the mirrors stand motionless though.
They reflect the light of the countless distant stars,
clusters and nebulae of the Milky Way
and beyond.
This
sci-fi
night skyscape was created with a camera fixed
to a tripod near the edge of the giant mirror matrix on
September 15.
The camera's combined sequence of digital exposures captures
concentric arcs of celestial
star trails through the night
with star trails in
surreal mirrored reflection.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
