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Explanation: High atop a dormant volcano in Hawaii, an eye 3.6-meters wide stares at a faint light on the night sky. Unlike a human eye, which collects light for only a fraction of a second at a time, a telescope such as the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope (CFHT) can collect light for hours. Faint sources become visible that were previously beyond human imagination. These meticulous observations usually take so long, though, that the Earth's spin causes the telescope to move under the sky. This spin is visible in the above photograph as star trails in the background. The CFHT itself must counter-spin to keep on target. The enormous size of the CFHT dome can be gauged by the car in the foreground. The CFHT is one of the smaller telescopes atop Mauna Kea.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: CFHT Telescope - star - star trail
Publications with words: CFHT Telescope - star - star trail
See also:
- APOD: 2026 March 18 Á Cygnus and the Solitary Tree
- APOD: 2026 March 6 Á The Astrosphere of HD 61005
- APOD: 2025 September 13 Á Star Trails over One Mile Radio Telescope
- APOD: 2025 June 11 Á 25 Brightest Stars in the Night Sky
- Savudrija Star Trails
- APOD: 2024 June 16 Á Animation: Black Hole Destroys Star
- Cosmos in Reflection