Astronomy Photography

Capture the night sky with whatever camera you already own — phone or DSLR.

Amateur astrophotography setup with camera and tripod

Getting started with your phone

1. Use Night mode or a dedicated astrophotography app (e.g. NightCap, Stellarium, or free apps like SkyView).
2. Mount your phone on a tripod or lean it against a stable surface.
3. Turn off flash and set exposure to the longest possible time.
4. Take multiple shots and stack them later using free apps like DeepSkyStacker or Snapseed.

First projects

  • • Moon photography (use zoom, short exposures)
  • • Star trails (30+ minute exposures)
  • • The Milky Way (dark locations, wide angle, 15–25s exposures)
  • • Meteor showers (use intervalometer or continuous shooting)
Important reminder

The most important factor is a dark sky location. No amount of equipment can overcome severe light pollution. Start with simple images of the Moon and bright constellations before investing in tracking mounts.