Spellbinding Star Trails Dazzle Over India's Devasthal Peak (Photo)

Star Trails Over Devasthal Peak India Talwar

Veteran astrophotographer Ajay Talwar of the photography group The World at Night took this photo of star trails above Devasthal Peak in Uttarakhand, India on March 11, 2013. (Image credit: Ajay Talwar / The World at Night)

Star trails shine above Devasthal Peak in Northern India in this captivating night sky photo.

Veteran astrophotographer Ajay Talwar of the photography group The World at Night captured this image from Uttarakhand, India, on March 11.

This image captures star trails over the newly-constructed Devasthal Optical Telescope. Located high atop the Devasthal peak in Uttarakhand, India, the telescope will become the largest in the country when it officially opens. It is expected to be operational by late 2013.

Star trails are created by long exposure times that cause the stars to appear as if they are trailing in arcs similar to the rotation of the Earth.

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Nina Sen is a freelance writer and producer who covered night sky photography and astronomy for Space.com. She began writing and producing content for Space.com in 2011 with a focus on story and image production, as well as amazing space photos captured by NASA telescopes and other missions. Her work also includes coverage of amazing images by astrophotographers that showcase the night sky's beauty.