We’re witnessing a rise in the popularity of astrophotography, with Gen Z and beyond embracing the hobby like never before, but it comes with a steep learning curve. When the sun goes down and the stars come out, the known rules of photography change radically. Those who are comfortable staying on auto in daylight are suddenly faced with manual settings and long exposures, an obsession with staying in focus and a subject – the night sky – that is in constant motion.
Astrophotography is not a single technique, but many, ranging from simple tripod-mounted nightscapes – where at least the usual rules of composition apply – to highly technical deep-cloud imaging rigs using telescopes. Some approaches to astrophotography emphasize simplicity and portability, while others reward patience and precision. Knowing which approach is best for you depends on what you want to shoot, how much gear you’re willing to carry, and how much time you want to spend learning.
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1. Smartphones
If you want to dip your toe into the world of wide-field astrophotography, start with the device you already have. Flagship smartphones have quietly become capable of astrophotography, with “night modes” that often excel at revealing stars, the Milky Way and the Northern Lights. For the latter, often seen in icy conditions, a smartphone can produce excellent results without the painful setup of more complex photography equipment.
If you’re using one of the best camera phones for nighttime astrophotography, always shoot in RAW if that’s an option, knowing that you’ll be limited by a relatively small sensor and a fixed lens. It is also highly recommended to find a universal smartphone clamp and stand, which will greatly improve the results, although few smartphone users ever do this. Smartphones offer a surprisingly capable starting point for astrophotography, and serve as a reminder that the hobby is at least as much about technique as it is about equipment.
2. Mirrorless or DSLR camera on a tripod
This is where most astrophotographers begin, and it remains one of the most versatile and rewarding approaches. With one of the best cameras for astrophotography, whether it’s a mirrorless or DSLR, a wide-angle lens at its widest aperture and a sturdy tripod, you can photograph the starry sky and, if you get the timing right, the Milky Way (usually April to September).
Since the Earth rotates, the time you can expose is limited to 25-30 seconds (the wider the lens, the longer), but it is possible to get some exquisite images. It’s a good idea to focus on composition, pairing the sky with a landscape, foreground interest, or city skyline—and always shoot in RAW to make post-processing easier—but once you’ve mastered the basics, the same techniques will allow you to capture aurora borealis and even meteor showers.
3. Mirrorless or DSLR camera on a star tracker
Once you’ve learned the basics of night sky photography, you can start experimenting with specialized equipment—and it’s one of the best star trackers that’s often the first significant upgrade for astrophotographers.
Compact motorized mounts that rotate synchronously with the sky to compensate for Earth’s rotation, star trackers allow much longer exposures without the star tracking. That means brighter, more colorful stars and much more light and detail from faint objects, such as the Milky Way and nearby nebulae. Exposure times can stretch to minutes, and ISO can be lowered to create cleaner images that allow for much more post-processing. Sound easy? Unfortunately it’s not, with polar alignment required before you start shooting, which can be challenging in the Northern Hemisphere if you don’t know where Polaris, the North Star, is (and even more difficult in the Southern Hemisphere, where there is no South Star). But with a little practice, these fairly portable (but often heavy) devices bridge the gap between casual night photography and more serious astrophotography.
4. Smart telescope
These all-in-one systems – which can be as small and portable as a camera body – combine a small telescope, an image sensor, filters, a motorized mount and image processing software into a single device controlled by a smartphone or tablet.
Instead of taking a single long exposure, smart telescopes capture many short exposures and automatically stack them to reduce noise and increase detail and color, gradually revealing a color image of a galaxy, a nebula, a star cluster, or the moon and sun (planets are largely beyond their skill set).
Alignment, tracking and processing are automatic, which makes them so easy to use. Some are so small that they are ideal travel gadgets. But their stacking and filters make them perfect for revealing deep sky objects from light-polluted cities and suburbs, where astrophotographers often find themselves frustrated.
For beginners who want results quickly, or observers who are short on time, smart telescopes can be an effective solution – but creative control is largely sacrificed.
5. Deep-sky imaging with a telescope
If you want complete creative control and the ability to capture exquisite images of deep-sky objects, arm yourself with a telescope, an astronomy camera, and a laptop — find dark skies and hope for favorable weather. With a camera attached directly to a telescope, small, faint objects – such as distant galaxies and planetary nebulae – come into view, although the equipment required can be daunting. In addition to choosing a telescope, these setups usually involve an equatorial mount, control systems, filters, and special software. They reward patience and careful planning with highly detailed images, but require considerable time, money and technical know-how.
Camera, lens and launch camera settings for use in astrophotography
With the right settings and a little patience, almost any mirrorless camera can capture the night sky – but mastering the basics takes a little patience. Start by switching to manual mode and shooting in RAW.
Armed with one of the best cameras for astrophotography and that best lenses for astro (14mm to 24mm is preferred), mount the camera on one stand (use the camera’s self-timer, a shutter cable, or an intervalometer to reduce vibration) and set the lens to the widest possible aperture — usually between f/1.4 and f/2.8 — and manually focus on a star or distant light using live view, zooming in until it looks as small and sharp as possible.
Now comes the fun part – finding a balance between ISO and shutter speed. A good place to start is ISO 800 (for the cleanest possible images), but depending on your camera you can go much higher, beyond ISO 6400 on newer models. Shutter speeds typically range from 10 to 25 seconds when using wide-angle lenses, depending on focal length (longer lenses require shorter exposures to avoid the stars).
Once you’ve found the ideal settings, move your rig around as you search for the perfect composition, remembering that shooting stars is pretty boring – it’s a fabulous foreground that you need for a great shot. Think of a starry sky around a building, a mountain or a tree.
A good, alternative hybrid setup
Astrophotography doesn’t have to mean a complex, expensive setup that’s only good for one thing. For photographers who want one kit that works day and night, a mirrorless camera, a fast wide-angle lens, and a tripod make an excellent hybrid setup that’s cheap and portable. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can move on to a star tracker and gradually move on to deeper astrophotography without abandoning everyday photography.
Whether you start with a smartphone, a camera on a tripod or a smart telescope, the ingredients of great astrophotography never change – dark skies, patience, composition and time spent practicing under the stars.
