You can take your own night star photos with a phone or a camera. You need a steady support, a dark place, a timer and a few seconds of exposure. This guide explains each step in order. It also covers how to do it with children, who often enjoy this more than adults expect.

TL;DR

• Keep the camera still. Use a tripod or a firm support, and trigger the shot with a timer or remote.
• Go somewhere dark, away from street lights, and avoid a bright Moon.
• Start with an exposure of about 15 to 20 seconds on a camera. Raise ISO if the image is too dark, and check for trailing stars.
• Lock focus on a bright star or a distant light. Do not leave autofocus on.
• Use a red light, not a white one, so your eyes stay adjusted to the dark. Dress warmly and watch your footing.

Table of Contents

• What you need
• Where and when to shoot
• Taking night star photos with a phone
• Taking night star photos with a camera
• How to focus on stars
• Star trails: a different kind of photo
• Doing it safely with children
• Our perspective
• A first camera for young photographers
• Common problems and fixes
• Editing your photos
• FAQ
• Sources

What you need

The list is short. Most families already own the main items.

• A smartphone or a camera with manual controls.
• A tripod, or an improvised support such as a wall, a rock or a bag.
• A timer or a remote release.
• A red torch.
• Warm clothes and sturdy shoes.

NASA says a smartphone, a tripod and a timer are enough to begin. A manual-control app helps, but it is not required. If you have no tripod, NASA notes that an improvised stable support can work.

The support matters more than the camera. BBC Sky at Night Magazine explains that exposures longer than 1/30 second are difficult to hold steady by hand. Star photos need many seconds. So the camera must not move at all.

Where and when to shoot

Light is the main enemy. Street lamps, town glow and a bright Moon all wash out faint stars.

Pick a dark place

The Natural History Museum advises looking for the darkest sky you can reach, away from city lights. A garden at the edge of a village can be enough for bright stars and constellations. A rural spot gives far more.

Choose a place with a wide view of the horizon. Virginia’s Department of Wildlife Resources suggests finding a clearing with a broad horizon. Trees and buildings block the sky and can ruin the frame.

Pick the right night

The Planetary Society recommends a new Moon period for faint subjects such as the Milky Way. It adds that the week before or after can also work. A bright Moon is lovely to photograph, but it hides the faint stars.

Check the weather. Clear skies matter more than anything. Cloud will stop the shoot, though a few clouds can add interest to the picture.

Scout in daylight

Visit the place before dark if you can. National Geographic recommends scouting your composition before darkness. Look for a tree, a roof line or a hill to put at the bottom of the frame. It gives the picture a sense of scale. Check the ground too, so you know where the steps, ditches and fences are.

Taking night star photos with a phone

Modern phones do much of the work. National Geographic notes that Night modes lower the barrier to entry. Planning, stability and composition still decide whether the image is good.

Follow these steps.

1. Fix the phone on a tripod or a firm support.
2. Open the camera and choose Night mode, or a manual-control app if you have one.
3. Use the main 1x lens. National Geographic advises avoiding digital zoom, which makes the image soft.
4. Set a delay timer of a few seconds, so your finger does not shake the phone.
5. Lock focus on a distant bright star or a far-off street light.
6. Take the shot, then check it and adjust.

NASA suggests starting with an exposure of a few seconds. Its guide gives an example of a five-second delay, a 10-second exposure and ISO 400. National Geographic suggests a phone shutter speed of roughly 15 to 30 seconds and ISO about 800 to 3200 under dark skies. Not every phone allows this, so use what your phone offers.

For focus, BBC Sky at Night Magazine recommends setting focus to infinity after checking it on a distant object. It also says the phone must be rigidly supported.

Taking night star photos with a camera

A camera with manual controls gives you more choice. Use manual mode and turn autofocus off. The Natural History Museum advises a wide aperture and some experimentation with aperture, exposure time and ISO.

Starting settings

The 15 to 20 second start comes from BBC Sky at Night Magazine. Virginia DWR suggests starting around ISO 3200 and shooting RAW. It adds that RAW files keep much more room for editing than JPEG.

The trailing limit

The Earth turns, so stars move across the frame. A long exposure turns them into short lines. Virginia DWR gives the 500 Rule as an approximate guide: divide 500 by the focal length of your lens. With a 25 mm lens, that gives about 20 seconds. The Natural History Museum says exposures longer than about 25 seconds may begin to show trails.

The rule is only a guide. BBC Sky at Night Magazine advises testing and trying shorter and longer exposures, because trailing depends on focal length and sensor size. Zoom in on the screen after each shot and check that the stars are points, not dashes.

A worked example

BBC Sky at Night Magazine gives an example for a moderately dark site. A 50 mm lens, ISO 400 and 15 seconds can capture a constellation such as Leo. Use this as a model. Pick one constellation, frame it, and shoot a few test frames. Then change one setting at a time. This is the approach the Natural History Museum recommends for beginners: learn how aperture, shutter speed and ISO work together, rather than copy one fixed recipe.

How to focus on stars

Focus is where most first attempts fail. Stars should be small, sharp points. If they look like soft blobs, the focus is off.

On a camera:

1. Turn autofocus off.
2. Point at a bright star or planet.
3. Use Live View and magnify the image on screen.
4. Turn the focus ring in tiny steps until the star is as small as it gets.
5. Take a test shot and zoom in to check.

Virginia DWR also notes that focus peaking may help if your camera has it. Once focus is right, do not touch the ring again. Tape it in place if you must.

On a phone, NASA suggests locking focus on a distant bright star or a street light.

Star trails: a different kind of photo

Some people want long lines of light, not points. Do not try to get them with one very long exposure. The Planetary Society recommends stacking many shorter exposures. This reduces sensor heat and noise. It also means a shake or a flat battery only spoils one frame, not the whole night.

For composition in the Northern Hemisphere, the same article says Polaris can be a guide. The two outer stars of the Big Dipper point towards it. Stars appear to circle around Polaris, so it makes a natural centre for the trails.

Doing it safely with children

Night photography is a good family activity, but the dark brings risks. Plan for them.

• Use red light. White light ruins your night vision. BBC Sky at Night Magazine says dark adaptation takes at least 30 minutes to build, and recommends red light instead. NASA’s guide also suggests a red flashlight so you can see your footing and avoid knocking over equipment or falling.
• Dress for the cold. National Geographic advises warm clothing and suitable footwear, and safe travel to remote or high places. Children get cold faster than adults, so bring spare layers and a warm drink.
• Choose an easy location. A garden, a field edge or a car park with a clear sky is better than a steep path. If you go somewhere remote, tell someone where you are going, and stay together.
• Keep the session short. Younger children lose interest quickly. Aim for a short outing and let them press the timer button.

If a child has a medical condition that affects them in the cold or the dark, ask your doctor before a long night outing.

Our perspective

We make cameras, walkie-talkies and binoculars for children aged 3 and up. We designed our products with animal themes to spark a child’s interest in nature. The night sky is part of that nature, and it is free.

In our view, the best way to start is to let the child take part. Give them a job. One child holds the red torch. One presses the timer. One finds the brightest star. Take turns. A star photo that is a little blurred but taken together is worth more than a perfect one taken alone.

We also think children learn more from their own camera than from a borrowed phone. Our guide to photographing the night sky covers more steps for families. For every camera we sell, we plant one tree. We hope the children who use our cameras will want to protect what they photograph.

— ALAIN

A first camera for young photographers

If your child wants to take their own photos, a camera of their own is a good start. Our range includes digital cameras, an instant print camera and a video camera, all made for children aged 3 and up.

The current prices on our shop are:

• Zoo Friends: €69.95
• Urban Zoo: €89.95
• Zoo video: €79.95
• Zoo Print: €109.95
• Zoo Walkie-Talkie: €54.95
• Zoo light: €39.95
• Zoo eyes: €39.95
• Zoo bags: €19.95
• Zoo sleeves: €9.95

You can see the full kids camera collection on our site, or browse all Zoofamily products. Binoculars are also useful on a clear night, to look at the Moon and the brighter stars before you start photographing.

Common problems and fixes

Take several frames, not one. Each test teaches you something. Delete the poor ones later.

Editing your photos

Editing is part of night photography. A RAW file lets you lift shadows, adjust white balance and reduce noise without losing as much quality as you would with a JPEG. Make small changes. Too much brightening adds noise and makes the sky look unnatural.

NASA also lists later processing as one of the ways to improve a smartphone star photo, alongside steadiness, locked focus and long exposure. A simple editing app on your phone is enough to begin.

FAQ

What is the easiest way to take a photo of a star in the sky?

Use a phone on a tripod or a firm support, with Night mode on and a timer set. Point it at the sky away from street lights. Lock focus on a bright star or a distant light, then take the shot. Bright stars and planets show up best at first.

What settings should I use for night star photos?

On a camera, start in manual mode with a wide aperture, an exposure of about 15 to 20 seconds and ISO around 3200. Shoot RAW. Check the image for trailing and adjust. On a phone, use Night mode or a manual app with an exposure of roughly 15 to 30 seconds if it allows.

Can I photograph stars from a town or city?

Yes, but you will see fewer stars. Bright stars, the Moon and planets still show up. For faint stars, go to a darker place away from city lights and avoid nights with a bright Moon.

Why are my stars blurry or streaky?

Blurry stars usually mean the camera moved or the focus is off. Streaky stars mean the exposure was too long. Use a timer, a firm support, manual focus on a bright star and a shorter exposure.

Is it safe to take children out to photograph the night sky?

It can be, with planning. Choose an easy, familiar place, bring warm clothes and use a red torch to see where you step. Keep the outing short and stay together.

Sources

• How to photograph the stars, BBC Sky at Night Magazine
• Smartphone astrophotography, BBC Sky at Night Magazine
• Night Sky Photography for Beginners, The Planetary Society
• How to photograph the stars, National Geographic
• How to photograph the stars using your phone, National Geographic
• Astrophotography With Your Smartphone, NASA Science
• A Guide to Smartphone Astrophotography, NASA
• Photo Tips: Photographing the Night Sky, Virginia DWR
• Shooting stars: How to photograph the night sky, Natural History Museum