NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

This animation illustrates the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer's 11-second data-taking exposure cycle. The cycle is synchronized with the orbit to generate total sky coverage with overlap between orbits in six months following launch. There will be eight or more exposures at every position for more than 99 percent of the sky.

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

See animation (1.9Mb)