Want to capture a starry night sky from your smartphone? Here’s how to do it

Have you ever seen those starry pictures on your social media? Aren’t they just mesmerizing? However, the big question here is- have you ever tried capturing similar pictures? The stars, the Milky Way, and more from your smartphone? I know for some of you this was a disappointing moment. Why? Because the smartphone’s camera on default settings can’t capture the same beautiful night sky that you have seen in pictures. But yes, with the right settings, it can. We don’t need a very professional camera now to capture the stars and star trails at night.

Today, I am going to tell you how you can ace your night sky photography with some simple tips. Let’s bring it on.

How to capture the night sky on a smartphone?

Photography is an art and art comes with time and practice. First and foremost, you need to have the basic photography sense such as the frame, objects in the frame, symmetry, and most importantly the settings. This will help you in simple daylight photography as well.

Also read: How to take good photographs under low-light using your smartphone

Now, coming to the main part, astrophotography. For astrophotography, you have to use manual mode aka ‘Pro Mode’ in smartphones. However, brands nowadays have started offering ‘Astro Mode’ with their smartphones as they offer ‘Night Mode’. The Astro mode comes with preset settings that can capture beautiful starry pictures at night. So if you have that in your smartphone, you are sorted! But if you don’t have the Astro Mode on your smartphone, here’s how you can shoot the night sky.

Choose a dark location

To capture the night sky, you need a good dark spot. Try to avoid places with light pollution because the camera captures light as much as it can. If there is any light in the frame, the picture will get too bright and you might not get good results.

Use ‘Pro Mode’ or a third-party app

All the Android smartphones come with the Pro Mode in the Camera app. The Pro Mode will help you play with settings so that you can capture the stars. However, in iOS, you don’t get an option to change the settings of your camera. This means you are gonna have to use a third-party app such as Adobe Lightroom,  Slow Shutter Cam, or Average Camera Pro.

Also read: Realme GT5 Pro teaser reveals improved low-light telephoto performance & super-fast charging

Tripod is mandatory

While capturing these pictures, you have to set the shutter speed to at least 15 seconds or above. Now in these 15 seconds, the smartphone should be very stable. Even the slightest movement can ruin the picture. So, make sure you have a tripod as your arms are not that stable.

Adjust camera settings

Now follow these settings to capture the night sky:

• ISO: 100-800 (as low as you can to reduce noise in your pictures).
• Shutter Speed: 15-30 seconds (as per my opinion, the longer it takes the better it will look).
• Camera Aperture: You might see this in the camera app as ‘f’. Take it down to the lowest for better light intake.
• Focus: Switch the focus to manual from auto and focus the stars until they appear crystal clear in the frame.

Use the timer

Set a 3-10-second timer before capturing the picture. This is because a single tap can give the smartphone a little bit of shake. This could result in blurry and unclear pictures.

A little bit of touch-up

It’s never a bad idea to edit images after capturing them. Not all smartphones capture good-coloured and vibrant pictures. You can adjust the brightness, contrast, and color balance of the pictures using apps such as Snapseed, Adobe Lightroom, and more.

That’s all you need to capture the beautiful night sky. However, two pro tips for you:

1. Budget and mid-range smartphones might not capture the night sky as beautifully as you imagine. The quality and sensor size also matter and you don’t get high quality and big sensors in sub-25k smartphones. So, try Astro photography on high-end smartphones for better pictures.

2. As I mentioned above photography is an art and it takes patience and experience. Astrophotography is also a learning process. To be good at it, I suggest you try astrophotography in different conditions, locations, and settings. 

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Mustafa Khan

Mustafa is new on the block and is a tech geek who is currently working with Digit as a News Writer. He tests the new gadgets that come on board and writes for the news desk. He has found his way with words and you can count on him when in need of tech advice. No judgement. He is based out of Delhi, he’s your person for good photos, good food recommendations, and to know about anything GenZ. View Full Profile