ABSTRACT
This chapter explains how to create spectacular, state-of-the art composite star trail images. They involve two main steps: acquiring and blending the constituent images. The look and feel of the resultant star trail image depends critically on the choices photographers make during each of these two steps. Star trail images beautifully capture and convey the movement and symmetry of the night sky. Reflections from lakes, oceans and other bodies of water add wonderful foreground interest to star trail images; even puddles of water that may remain after a rain shower or at low tide. Once stacked into star trail images, note that while the stars are the most plentiful in the 20-second interval star trail image, they are less colorful than in the 5-second shutter speed star trail image, just as photographers would expect. To create a comet mode star trail image, simply click on the cog icon in the upper right corner of the main StarStax window.
