This composite image combines 400 consecutive 30-second exposures from a tripod-mounted camera, digitally stacked to reveal the stars’ circular paths. The lens captures Earth’s rotation, with each trail marking a star’s apparent motion over 33 minutes. The North Celestial Pole’s position—where Earth’s axis points in space—creates the symmetrical star 轨 pattern, a visual testament to celestial mechanics.
"Shooting star trails requires precise alignment with the pole," says astrophotographer Marko Peric. "The lighthouse adds a human element, bridging ancient and modern navigation." The lighthouse’s periodic flash (visible as alternating bright and dim bands) syncs with its 10-second cycle, adding rhythm to the static star trails.
The image juxtaposes two navigational pillars: the lighthouse’s tangible beam and Polaris’ timeless celestial guidance. For millennia, sailors used the North Star to find true north, while the Savudrija Lighthouse—one of Europe’s oldest operational beacons—embodies industrial-era navigation. Today, such photographs blend science and art, illustrating Earth’s place in the cosmos while honoring human ingenuity.
As light pollution threatens night-sky visibility, images like this serve as both aesthetic tributes and scientific records, capturing the rotational dance of stars that has guided humanity since antiquity—all framed by a lighthouse’s enduring glow on the Adriatic coast.
