Home / Editor's Pick /

Astrophotography: How to capture the sky with your phone

12:00
22 January 2023

Astrophotography
How to capture the sky with your phone

iPhone photography by Weather & Radar Meteorologist Tamsin Green.iPhone photography by Weather & Radar Meteorologist Tamsin Green.

Star constellations, meteors, auroras... we all love stunning space shots but did you know you can take just as great astrophotography on your smartphone?

You might assume that it is only possible to capture stars in the night sky through professional camera equipment.

We're here to tell you that you can take just as great shots with your smartphones!

It's simple, all you have to do is follow these steps:

  • Grab your smartphone! It'll need a fairly decent camera
  • Use a phone tripod if you have one handy, if not, it is possible to rest your phone on a sturdy surface instead
  • On your camera;
    • On iPhones, select the Night Mode icon and slide all the way to the longest capture time of around 10 seconds
    • On Samsung Galaxy, swipe to tape More, then Night
    • On Google Pixel, tap Night Sight, there is even a specific Astrophotography mode too
    • On Sony, tap the Night Shooting icon
    • On Xiaomi, enable Night Mode, you can also manually adjust features yourself via 'More' > 'Exposition Prolonged'
    • On Huawei, select Night Mode
  • After, you can edit the photo to bring the stars out more, especially if there is any light pollution interfering. This can be done by increasing the Black Point and lifting Shadows.

If you do grab any spectacular shots of the sky, be sure to send them in to our dedicated uploader for us to feature!

Weather & Radar editorial team
More on the topic
Split image showing a low-tide estuary at sunset on the left with concrete blocks, boats, and pastel sky, and a bright full moon on the right glowing through thin clouds above dark tree silhouettes, divided by a curved white line.
Sunday 7 December 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Winter weather snaps and a supermoon too
Map comparison showing 44 degrees in Indulkana and minus 51 degrees in Olenyok. Coloured temperature ranges show stark global contrasts.
Tuesday 9 December 2025

Global extremes

Almost 100 degrees difference in temperature
Split image showing a towering storm cloud with rain shafts over the sea on the left and a vivid red aurora illuminating the night sky above residential rooftops on the right, divided by a curved white line.
Tuesday 9 December 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Autumn captured by you
All weather news
This might also interest you
Split weather map showing the UK and Ireland. The left side illustrates strong winds circulating around a low-pressure system, with gusts of 20–30 mph highlighted in orange and yellow. The right side shows radar imagery with widespread blue rain bands and patches of thunderstorms, especially over northern England and Scotland.
Thursday 28 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Remaining widely unsettled
Sunday 17 August 2025

Your weather - Your shots

Summer shots from a warm week
Friday 22 August 2025

Breakfast brief

Sunny start for some, overcast later
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwitteryouTubelinkList