Before a new node joins the rotation, we ask the observer to submit a long-exposure star trail frame — partly to document how dark the site actually is against light-pollution estimates, and partly as a basic health check on their mount’s tracking stability.
This frame came from our newest desert node, added to the rotation in late 2023. The trail arcs are clean and consistent, with no visible drift or vibration artifacts, which cleared the site for full inclusion in the shared target schedule.