star trails

Star trails are the streaks or circular patterns of light seen in photographs of the night sky. They occur because Earth rotates on its axis, causing stars to appear to move across the sky over time. When a camera captures a long exposure, the movement of stars results in continuous lines rather than point sources of light. The shape of these trails depends on the camera’s orientation and the Earth's rotation, often creating circular patterns around the celestial poles. Star trail photography visually illustrates Earth's rotational motion and the apparent movement of stars in the night sky.