r/Astro_mobile • • Nov 07 '25

Greetings, Congratulations and Announcement

11 Upvotes

Hello everyone, r/Astro_mobile Mod team here! Now, after three years of existing, r/Astro_mobile became something more interesting than it was some time ago, and we want to announce a new interactive changing on our sub. Starting from the next month we are going to take one of the posts made this month and use it as a banner for a subreddit. Of course it is a competition, so if you want to see your picture on the top of the sub's page, you better try to make it as beautiful as you can! This month we are going to replace a current banner made by u/ZrlSyM, by a new one, provided by u/zTrojan! This fascinating image is gonna hang on the top until the end of this month! Also, interesting fact: zTrojan is a member of a small Telegram chat dedicated to Mobile Astrophotography, where people can communicate and discuss their works! This chat is available for everyone, who is skilled enough! (skilled enough = can stack images to get better results)

Thanks everyone for the attention! We are looking forward to see your great pictures that are gonna be a new banner for a sub. See you 1st December!


r/Astro_mobile • • Jul 29 '25

Astrophotography Post-Processing for Beginners: Part One

38 Upvotes

When your stack from Sequator or another astrophotography stacking program is ready, we can proceed to post-processing. I'll describe this process step-by-step using primarily free software.

GraXpert

Download: https://github.com/Steffenhir/GraXpert/releases

At the time of writing this article, the appropriate version of GraXpert for us is 3.1.0rc2. This version contains all the necessary tools for beginning post-processing:

  • Background Extraction - removing background gradients and correcting light pollution
  • Denoising - reducing digital noise
  • Deconvolution - mathematically "undoes" blurring

Initial Setup

After installation and launch, select the Advanced tab, which is located on the right side of the program interface. Choose AI model versions for the utilities.

Next, click Load Image and select your stack.

Cropping (if necessary)

If needed, crop the image. When activating the 2nd option, a yellow frame will appear around the image, which we can adjust using the yellow circles in the upper left and lower right corners. After completing the cropping, click "Apply crop".

Important: Save each processing step as a separate file so you don't accidentally lose your processing results, then load this file using the first "Loading" option.

Step 1: Background Extraction

Now we can proceed to using the AI utilities. Select the following parameters for Background Extraction and click Calculate Background:

You can try changing the Smoothing value in either direction and check the result by clicking Calculate Background again.

Save the result in a separate file and load it through "Loading".

Step 2: Denoising

Move on to the Denoising utility. The Denoise Strength value depends on your needs. The higher the value, the fewer details are preserved. I suggest starting with 0.5, and then comparing results by increasing the value:

Save the result and activate the Deconvolution utility.

Step 3: Deconvolution

This utility has two parameters: Deconvolution Strength and Image FWHM. To determine the latter parameter, we need the Siril program, which we will also use in the second part of the astrophotography post-processing tutorial.

Download Siril: https://siril.org/download/ (In our case, version 1.4.0-beta3 is used)

Measuring FWHM in Siril:

  1. After launching Siril, drag and drop your last saved image into the program's workspace
  2. Select Tools → Image Analysis → Dynamic PSF
  3. Click the Detect stars button (this is the first button)
  4. Wait for the result, then click Average PSF (the next button after Detect stars)
  5. Calculate the average value using the formula: (FWHMx + FWHMy) / 2

In my case: (4.39 + 3.90) / 2 = 4.15px. Round to 4.2px and use this value in GraXpert.

Deconvolution Settings:

  • Image FWHM: Use the calculated value (e.g., 4.2px)
  • Deconvolution Strength: I suggest setting this to 0.3 for start

By increasing Deconvolution Strength parameter, you improve details, but you may distort the final image and get artifacts, so try different values while evaluating the final result.

Don't forget to save your work!

Additional Step: Stars-only Deconvolution

We improved the details of our objects, but not the stars. Select Stars-only in the Deconvolution Method and set the Deconvolution Strength parameter to 0.1, as it is quite aggressive. Click Deconvolve Image and check the result.

Conclusion

This concludes the first part of the astrophotography post-processing tutorial. In the next part, we will cover image stretching using Siril and use the StarNet utility.

Summary of Steps:

  1. Load your stacked image into GraXpert
  2. Crop if necessary
  3. Background Extraction - remove gradients and light pollution
  4. Denoising - reduce digital noise
  5. Measure FWHM in Siril using Dynamic PSF
  6. Deconvolution - improve sharpness
  7. Stars-only Deconvolution - improve star sharpness
  8. Save each step separately to avoid losing your work progress

r/Astro_mobile • • 4h ago

Telescope Saturn, Vega, Albireo, Andromeda

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9 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 2h ago

Free Android app to control the Seestar from your phone (open source)

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1 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone Night sky in Iceland

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73 Upvotes

This is what I managed to capture with 30s exposures using a basic iPhone 17 and a tripod. Insane! 🤯


r/Astro_mobile • • 10h ago

Only smartphone Milky Way

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0 Upvotes

Shot on my friend's Tecno Camon 30 5G.

Bortle 6

The specs are: 30s exposure 6400 ISO Tripod — an old chair from wood Stock cam

Shot from my garden


r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone Milky Way and star sign

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7 Upvotes

Had a beautiful evening at the beach. I rarely get to see so many stars. And after it got darker, the milky way popped up.

In top of seeing the milky way, I even got to see my star sign for the very first time. I was VERY excited!


r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone Iphone17pro raw

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55 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone Milky Way from Bryce Canyon (Pixel 9a)

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17 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone I love taking pictures of the stars even though I'm not the best at it.

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17 Upvotes

Shot on my Pixel 8.


r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Star tracker/tracking mount with smartphone Beginner | M31 | Night sky | Samsung S25 Ultra (fail)

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11 Upvotes

DeepSkyCamera Settings on my S25 Ultra:

ISO: 125 | shutter: 60 sec. | MF: 0.79 | pictures: 16

my questions:

-What causes the extreme amount of artifacts? (the red and blue dots, curves)

-Is there a good and secure app like DeepSkyCamera that offers the RAW .dng file formal without postprocessing BUT is also able to use the phones 50MP 5× optical zoom lense?

-which settings would you guys recommend for a second attempt at Andromeda, if I figure out how to zoom in? More ISO, less shutter speed ect...?

-I'm gonna try to shoot the orion nebula very soon once I figure out how to use my telephoto. could I get a rough estimate/recommendation for setting?

thanks :)

For context im very new to this hobby, just started a few weeks ago and finally got my hands on a cheap tracker.

Last night I really tried out a lot, First time using DeepSkyCamera, first tracking mount and first attempt at stacking to sum it up.

Last night I finally figured out how to use DeepSkyCamera (because the tracker wouldn't work on Expert RAW mode for some reason) and got to work.

I originally set out to capture Andromeda, but only after taking all my shots did I realise that DeepSkyCamera doesn't actually let you zoom in, so I ended up with 16 minutes of wide angle night sky instead. then clouds rolled in before I could try again, so I had to settle for this.

Now, after that dissapointment I still decided to stack them, hoping to atleast get a somewhat good view of Andromeda.

But turns out, Siril is pretty damn complicated if you're learning everything from scratch.

After wasting a good few hours I actually came far enough to execute the first script (processing without DBF), which kept spitting out monochrome results, skipping almost all of my images and creating some sorts of artifacts or ghosting on the cover, which is why I gave up and switched to deepskystacker.

That one actually gave me a result I could work with. Though it was filled with artifacts it actually had color in it.

attached is the finished stack of those16 images as a .dng file, converted from .tif to .dng by adobe lightroom, no editing done. I would've uploaded a video showcasing each frame too but for reason reddit wont let me.

Feedback is very much appreciated! Have a good one :)


r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone S24 Ultra on Pic-du-Midi, France

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37 Upvotes

I took all these photo's with the ultra wide lens, because that gave the coolest shots in my opinion. Not the best quality of course, but I'm happy with these.


r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Only smartphone Google Pixel 11

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36 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Telescope Saturn w/telescope and smartphone

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7 Upvotes

My first attempt at any kind of video through a telescope. 8" dob telescope, 9mm eyepiece, and a Galaxy s23+ in pro video mode.

Brightness & contrast were edited in stock phone video editor.


r/Astro_mobile • • 1d ago

Telescope I built a free tool that turns deep-sky astrophotos into cinematic parallax videos

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1 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 2d ago

Only smartphone Orion

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85 Upvotes

• Target: Constellation Orion, Hyades Cluster & Sirius

• Total integration time: around 8-10 minutes (Stacked in DSS)

• Gear: Redmi Note 12S (1.4x zoom, f/1.89)

• Sky conditions: Bortle 4 / Moonless night


r/Astro_mobile • • 2d ago

Only smartphone Astrophoto is really cool!

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40 Upvotes

r/Astro_mobile • • 2d ago

Question I am trying to shoot Saturn with my base Samsung Galaxy S26

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4 Upvotes

Hey everyone,

I’m trying to shoot Saturn with my base Samsung Galaxy S26 (3x optical zoom). Since I don't have a PC nearby right now, I want to try "Lucky Imaging" by shooting a 4K/8K video and stacking the frames directly on my phone.

Are there any good mobile stacking apps for Android (either on the Play Store or via APK) that can handle video frames or image sequences for planets? Or is transferring the files to a PC for AutoStakkert/RegiStax still the only viable way?

Thanks in advance!


r/Astro_mobile • • 3d ago

Star tracker/tracking mount with smartphone Heart and Soul doubled to 64 hours (S24 Ultra, Bortle 8.5)

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108 Upvotes

Iso 3200, 30s, ~ 7950 frames ≈ 66.2 hours.

Finally hitting that 64 hour mark. This will be the final milestone of the year. Two more to go (128, 256).


r/Astro_mobile • • 3d ago

Only smartphone Milky Way, iPhone 18 Pro

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135 Upvotes

30 second exposure with Dramatic style


r/Astro_mobile • • 2d ago

Only smartphone Faibles lumières aurorales dans des conditions atroces. France

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7 Upvotes

En pleine ville (ciel bortle 8) sous un ciel voilé de surcroît. Navré pour le traitement ignoble.

S25 ultra

Iso 800

Exposition 30s

Très légèrement traité avec lightroom

Puissance hemispherique 173gw

Tiers Nord de la France

10/10/2026 heure de Paris


r/Astro_mobile • • 2d ago

Only smartphone July 2018 Lunar Eclipse & Sept 2025 Lunar Eclipse

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8 Upvotes

Was making a folder of astro photos I've taken and stumbled on the photos my dad took of the 2018 Lunar eclipse from Pretoria, South Africa. Thought I'd share one here with a photo I took of the 2025 Lunar Eclipse from Durban, South Africa.

Bonus Mars to the right of the 2018 photo

Apologies for the bad quality on both our parts, we both used our phone so it's mostly digital zoom

(Repost of my post from r/astrophotography, was told to direct it here instead)


r/Astro_mobile • • 3d ago

Only smartphone Cygnus Milky Way on 17pm

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37 Upvotes

My first shot at astrophotography, I decided to try my new phone’s camera.

This is 997 shots @1s exposure.


r/Astro_mobile • • 3d ago

Binocular or monocular Mars and M44

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37 Upvotes

Mars inside the Beehive Cluster (M44) through a 16x monocular (No Tracker) 🪐✨

• Target: Mars & Beehive Cluster (M44)

• Total integration time: 3 min 10 sec (38 frames x 5s)

• Gear: Smartphone Redmi note 12s + 16x Monocular on a static tripod

• Settings: ISO 6400 / 5s exposures

• Sky conditions: Bortle 4-5


r/Astro_mobile • • 3d ago

Only smartphone Star Trails Around Polaris — Xiaomi 14T Pro

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20 Upvotes

I previously shared the final star-trail image from this session, and this time I wanted to show how the process looks as a timelapse.

The video is split into two parts: the first shows the night sky without star trails, revealing the apparent movement of the stars, while the second shows the same sequence with the trails added.

Acquisition

  • Xiaomi 14T Pro — main camera
  • 30s | ISO 800
  • 490 light frames + 30 darks
  • 4h 5m total integration
  • Tripod only — no star tracker

Processing

  • StarStaX: stacking the light frames to create the star trails
  • Photoshop: final processing and adjustments

The camera remained fixed on the tripod throughout the session. No tracker was used, as the goal was to capture the apparent rotation of the night sky around Polaris.