NASA astronaut Chris Williams took this long-duration photograph while aboard the International Space Station as it flew some 261 miles (420 kilometers) above the India-Pakistan border. (Image credit: NASA/JSC) Cities far below the International Space Station (ISS) and stars far in the cosmic distance create ghostly trails of light in this long-exposure photograph from NASA astronaut Chris Williams. Williams took the photo as the ISS was orbiting above the India-Pakistan border in the middle of the night local time, while the station was flying at an altitude of around 261 miles (420 kilometers). What is it? In the background of the image, city lights far below streak by rapidly as the ISS flies over Earth at an orbital velocity of around 17,500 mph (28,000 km/h). Farther behind, stars in the distance create circular star trails. As the ISS orbits Earth, it also rotates to keep the same side facing the planet. This creates the circular trails we see in photos taken aboard the orbital laboratory.…