BRIN Researcher Captures Star Trails Over Timau, NTT, Showcasing Earth's Rotation
Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
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- BRIN researcher Thomas Djamaluddin captured a star trail phenomenon over Timau, NTT, showcasing the Earth's rotation.
- The 10-hour photographic effort, requiring stable clear weather, documented concentric circles around the southern celestial pole.
- The images highlight the high quality of Timau's night sky, free from light pollution, making it an ideal location for astronomical observation.
Researchers at Indonesia's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) have captured a stunning star trail phenomenon over the Timau National Observatory in Nusa Tenggara Timur (NTT). Astronomer Thomas Djamaluddin successfully documented star trails forming circles around the southern celestial pole during a 10-hour observation period.
The star trails show the phenomenon of Earth's rotation that is rarely realized by the public.
The images, taken on June 18-19, 2026, showcase the beauty of the night sky while illustrating a fundamental astronomical concept: Earth's rotation. Djamaluddin explained that star trails appear as circles because the Earth spins on its axis. When photographed towards the north or south, these trails form concentric circles centered on the celestial pole, which is an extension of Earth's rotational axis into space.
The view is not only visually beautiful but also scientifically meaningful.
Capturing this phenomenon requires exceptionally stable weather conditions, with a clear sky throughout the night and minimal light pollution or cloud interference. Djamaluddin noted that the Timau National Observatory provides an ideal setting due to its excellent night sky quality. This location is crucial for BRIN's efforts to establish a modern astronomical observation center in Indonesia.
Ten hours of photography requires stable weather throughout the night.
The star trails not only serve as a visually captivating display but also serve a scientific purpose by demonstrating the Earth's rotation, a phenomenon often overlooked by the public. The clarity of the resulting photographs underscores the Timau Observatory's significance as a prime location for astronomical research in Indonesia, benefiting from its dark skies and strategic position in the Southern Hemisphere.
One of the best locations to do this is the Timau National Observatory, which has very good night sky quality.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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