Star Trails in the Tropics
At 6°N you are between poles, choose north for low Polaris circles or south for the other pivot.
Stars appear to rotate about the celestial poles at ~15° per hour. Trail length in the frame depends on exposure time, focal length, and angular distance from the pole. Guyana sees both northern and southern sky, compose deliberately.
Planning
- Open Star Trail Planner with your latitude.
- Decide aesthetic: tight arcs near a pole vs long east-west streaks.
- Prefer dark, Moon-poor nights (Dark Sky Window).
- Fight dew: warmers, shields, spare cloths, tropical nights fog glass fast.
Capture styles
- Single long exposure: simple, more noise/amp glow on some cameras.
- Many short frames + stack: flexible, easier airplane/cloud rejection.
Composition notes
- North: Polaris is low; leave room above the horizon.
- South: richer star fields; pole is below the southern horizon from Guyana, trails still curve.
- Include a still foreground (tree, bridge) locked on a sturdy tripod.
Processing
Align on stars or use trail-stacking tools; blend a static foreground from a shorter exposure if needed. Keep white balance consistent across the stack.
Interactive below
The dual-pole trail demo under this article compares north vs south aim at ~6°N (and mid-latitude). Then open the Star Trail Planner for arc length, frames, and intervals.