Is it possible to do astrophotography with a smartphone?

[DMH]

Evening! I'm just wondering if anyone has done anykind of astrophotography using their smartphones? I fully appreciate it'll never be as good as a DSLR, I'm just interested for those who aren't in the position to use a DSLR?

I believe it's all about stacking multiple images together. Could you mount your smartphone to your scope take multiple images and then run them through a stacker?

Does a stacker account for changes in the position of the subject? If using a non- tracking scope for example.

Cheers!

[happy-kat]

Hi, you might like this section

https://stargazerslounge.com/forum/279-imaging-smartphone-tablets/

If you take longer shots of landscape you could stack and create a star trails image

If using a telescope and static mount then it would be stack lots of short exposures 1-2 seconds as the target will drift pretty fast through the field of view

 

[DMH]

Thank you! I didn't see that section! Doh

[Stu]

@DMH yes you certainly can! You can apply the same techniques to smartphone imaging as with other forms of astrophotography ie stacking and processing video clips for lunar and planetary, or longer exposures for DSOs.

There is an android app called DeepSkyCamwra which helps you tAke long exposure frames for stacking with traditional software like DeepSkyStackee.

Or just do simple single frames like I do! Not as good but much quicker

 

[DMH]

6 hours ago, Stu said:

@DMH yes you certainly can! You can apply the same techniques to smartphone imaging as with other forms of astrophotography ie stacking and processing video clips for lunar and planetary, or longer exposures for DSOs.

There is an android app called DeepSkyCamwra which helps you tAke long exposure frames for stacking with traditional software like DeepSkyStackee.

Or just do simple single frames like I do! Not as good but much quicker

 

Wow @Stuthese are amazing!! 

So these are just single shots then out through a stacker software like DeepDkyStacker or just single photos?

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, DMH said:

Wow @Stuthese are amazing!! 

So these are just single shots then out through a stacker software like DeepDkyStacker or just single photos?

Thanks 🙏 

These are just single images with a bit of tweaking done on my phone using PS Express. I use an iPhone now but have used Samsung S9 in the past. If anything I think the Samsung or Huawei phones are a little better but I personally like iOS devices.

I often use an app called ProCam 8 to capture images as it allows good control of exposure. Many people use NightCap for longer exposures. To be honest, the native app on the iPhone uses image stabilisation so can give amazing longer exposures up to 30 seconds with very little trailing.

[DMH]

18 minutes ago, Stu said:

Thanks 🙏 

These are just single images with a bit of tweaking done on my phone using PS Express. I use an iPhone now but have used Samsung S9 in the past. If anything I think the Samsung or Huawei phones are a little better but I personally like iOS devices.

I often use an app called ProCam 8 to capture images as it allows good control of exposure. Many people use NightCap for longer exposures. To be honest, the native app on the iPhone uses image stabilisation so can give amazing longer exposures up to 30 seconds with very little trailing.

Amazing! Thank you for the information! I just need these clouds to disappear 😂

[Stu]

4 minutes ago, DMH said:

Amazing! Thank you for the information! I just need these clouds to disappear 😂

Thanks. There are quite a few more on my club site that I uploaded some time ago as examples of what I managed.

http://www.waltonastrogroup.co.uk/smartphone-imaging.html

[DMH]

7 hours ago, Stu said:

Thanks. There are quite a few more on my club site that I uploaded some time ago as examples of what I managed.

http://www.waltonastrogroup.co.uk/smartphone-imaging.html

These are so good! The DSO's are mindblowing  I'd love to try and get anything near this!

[Stu]

3 hours ago, DMH said:

These are so good! The DSO's are mindblowing  I'd love to try and get anything near this!

I’m sure you can with a little practise. Which scope do you have?

[DMH]

47 minutes ago, Stu said:

I’m sure you can with a little practise. Which scope do you have?

I picked up a 6" f/8 StellaLyra dob this week! 

Edited September 14, 2021 by DMH

[Stu]

Just now, DMH said:

I picked up a 6" f/8 StellaLyra dob this week! 

Should be a great scope!

[DMH]

23 minutes ago, Stu said:

Should be a great scope!

I hope so! My first. I've been trying to line my the phone cam with the lens piece and get it centered, that's a fiddly job! I've got a mount to try too