Contents
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
- iPhone 13 Pro
- Samsung S22 Ultra
- Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
- Huawei P40 Pro
- FAQs: Best Phones for Astrophotography
- Smartphones vs DSLRs for astrophotography
- What phone has the best astrophotography camera?
- What phones have astrophotography modes?
- Can you do astrophotography with an iPhone?
- Which phone is best for moon photography?
- What phone is good for night photography?
- How do you take a perfect moon picture with your phone?
- What is stacking in astrophotography?
- Conclusion: Best Astrophotography Camera Phone
Smartphone cameras are getting better and better and taking amazing pictures of starry skies can now be done by anyone with the right phone.
This means that you can produce amazing photos of the Milky Way or spectacular moon without needing a specialist camera.
But what are the best phones for astrophotography?
We have investigated the top smartphones for their astrophotography credentials and outlined the pros and cons of each.
See below for quick links, or read on for more detailed information.
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Astro Mode
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Highest MP
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Best Budget
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Make & Model:
Google Pixel 6 Pro
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Make & Model:
Samsung S22 Ultra
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Make & Model:
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
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Resolution:
50 MP
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Resolution:
108 MP
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Resolution:
108 MP
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Aperture:
F/1.85
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Aperture:
F/1.8
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Aperture:
F/1.8
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Pixel Width:
1.2 μm
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Pixel Width:
0.8 μm
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Pixel Width:
0.7 μm
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Modes:
Astrophotography, Night
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Modes:
Night
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Modes:
Night, Super Moon
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Google Pixel 6 Pro
Best Smartphone for Astrophotography
The Google Pixel 6 Pro features one of the best cameras on the market and has a brilliant astrophotography mode.
The main camera itself has a massive 50 MP (megapixels), a fast F/1.85 aperture, and a pixel width of 1.2 μm (this is the physical size of the pixels on the camera sensor – the higher the better for astrophotography as it means that more light is gathered per pixel).
There is also a separate ultrawide camera that operates at 12 MP that can work great for wide field-of-view landscape astrophotography images.
Google Pixel 6 Pro Astrophotography
The in-built Pixel Astrophotography Mode is fantastic. It takes multiple 16-second images, stacks them, and processes them for you all in one go, usually taking about 4 minutes in total from one press of a button.
You can see the images below where I have tested the Pixel astrophotography mode on an older Pixel phone and compared it with an image taken with a good DSLR camera of the same scene on the same night.
The first image on the left below shows a picture taken of the Milky Way core with a Google Pixel 3a smartphone using the astrophotography mode, and in contrast, the second picture on the right was taken on the same night using a modern DSLR camera (a Nikon D750):
This is in a fairly light-polluted (Bortle 5) suburban area but there are two main conclusions to draw from these images:
- The Pixel Astrophotography image is pretty good. It has captured lots of sharp stars and the core of the Milky Way can be seen spread across the sky even with light pollution. No additional post-processing was done.
- The image with the DSLR is substantially better. However, this was taken with a fairly advanced camera and lens, and the image was tweaked in post-processing.
Another caveat is that this first image was taken with an older Pixel model (the 3a) with a lower-spec camera than the up-to-date Pixel 6 Pro.
You can see here an example of a great Milky Way image taken with the Google Pixel 6 Pro:
Here is also a good video you can watch where the Google Pixel 6 Astrophotography mode is put through its paces:
As you can see, the Google Pixel 6 Pro can really perform for astrophotography and we believe it is probably the best smartphone for astronomy photography overall.
In addition, it has an astrophotography timelapse function that was added in 2021 (it was also added via an update to the older Pixel 4, Pixel 4a, and Pixel 5 phones). It is limited to clips of two seconds though.
One thing to note is that the slightly cheaper Google Pixel 6 has the same 50MP rear camera and so is just as good as the Pro for astrophotography, however the Pro also has a built-in telephoto lens and so we are favoring it here as that gives you better capacity for moon photography without adding a separate telephoto lens.
Key Specifications
- Camera Resolution: 50 MP (12 MP when ultrawide)
- Aperture: F/1.85
- Field of View: 82 degrees (114 degrees when ultrawide)
- Pixel Width: 1.2 μm
- Astrophotography Mode: Yes
- Telephoto Lens: Yes
- Weight: 0.46 lbs (0.21 kg)
- Size Dimensions: 6.5 x 3 x 0.4 inches (163.9 x 75.9 x 8.9 mm)
- Screen Size: 6.7 inches
- Screen Resolution: 1440 x 3120
- RAM: 12 GB
iPhone 13 Pro
Best iPhone for Astrophotography
The latest Apple iPhones are the iPhone 13 Pro and the iPhone 13 Pro Max.
They have the same camera and so we have featured the cheaper iPhone 13 Pro here. The difference with the Pro Max is the handset size and display screen. If you value a bigger screen and are happy to pay a little more then the Pro Max might be right for you.
iPhone 13 Pro Astrophotography
The camera does not have an astrophotography mode but does have a night mode that works for astrophotography.
You can see how it works and what results you can get in this video:
Here’s a Milky Way image shot with an iPhone 13 Pro Max:
As you can see it can really deliver. In addition, it can be improved further by using the free Nocturne app, instead of the in-built camera app.
Overall, the iPhone 13 Pro camera is excellent and can definitely perform for astrophotography using the night mode.
Although it has a lower megapixel count than some of the other cameras on this page, it does have a faster aperture and the highest pixel width on its camera sensor and this helps it deliver for night photography by better gathering light in dark conditions.
Key Specifications
- Camera Resolution: 12 MP
- Aperture: F/1.5
- Field of View: 69 degrees (120 degrees when ultrawide)
- Pixel Width: 1.9 μm
- Astrophotography Mode: Night Mode
- Telephoto Lens: Yes
- Weight: 0.45 lbs (0.2 kg)
- Size Dimensions: 5.8 x 2.8 x 0.3 inches (146.7 x 71.5 x 7.7 mm)
- Screen Size: 6.1 inches
- Screen Resolution: 2778 x 1284
- RAM: 6 GB
Google Pixel 6 vs iPhone 13 for Astrophotography
The astrophotography mode on the Pixel 6 and the night mode on the iPhone 13 do very similar things:
- The Pixel astrophotography mode takes multiple 16-second images, stacks and processes them
- The iPhone night mode takes three 10 second images, stacks, and processes them
Both are excellent, but in tests the Google Pixel is better for astrophotography overall as you can see in this video:
The only real downside to the Google Pixel Astrophotography mode is that it only pops up as an option to use once your phone is pointed at skies that the phone deems dark enough.
Therefore if the phone detects too much light then it won’t even let you try, even if you want to.
Samsung S22 Ultra
Highest Megapixel Smartphone Camera
Boasting a whopping 108 megapixels, the Samsung S22 Ultra has the highest resolution smartphone camera on the market.
It does not have an astrophotography mode but does have a night mode. But how does this work for shooting the night sky?
Samsung S22 Ultra Astrophotography
If you watch this video you can see some pretty amazing astrophotography images taken with the S22 Ultra:
In addition, here’s a Milky Way image shot with a Samsung S22 Ultra:
As you can see, the Samsung S22 Ultra is excellent for astrophotography when a little post-processing is done.
It has the highest megapixel count of any smartphone and while on some other specs (pixel width, aperture, astrophotography modes) it might seem behind the iPhone 13 Pro and Google Pixel 6 Pro, it has been shown to produce results every bit as good.
Key Specifications
- Camera Resolution: 108 MP (12 MP ultra-wide and 10 MP telephoto)
- Aperture: F/1.8
- Field of View: 85 degrees (120 degrees when ultrawide)
- Pixel Width: 0.8 μm
- Astrophotography Mode: Night Mode
- Telephoto Lens: Yes
- Weight: 0.5 lbs (0.2 kg)
- Size Dimensions: 6.4 x 3.1 x 0.4 inches (163.3 x 77.9 x 8.9 mm)
- Screen Size: 6.8 inches
- Screen Resolution: 3088 x 1440
- RAM: 12 GB
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro
Cheapest Smartphone for Astrophotography
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro boasts a 108 megapixel camera combined with Night Mode and a Super Moon Mode that work excellently for astrophotography.
Add to this the fact that it is substantially cheaper than most of the other phones in this article, then it becomes a real bargain if you are looking for a good budget phone for astrophotography.
Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro Astrophotography
In this video you can see a great account of the Xiaomi 11 being taken out into the field at night and having its night mode tested for astrophotography and producing great results:
See also here where the phone is put through its paces for moon photography using the ultra-zoom function and Super Moon mode:
See also this image taken with a Xiaomi 10 (it was taken with a star tracker and stacked and processed):
See also this example where a Xiaomi phone has been used to take 470 separate images and then manually stacked them in software (PixInsight):
As you can see, this phone can really deliver for astrophotography and is a bargain for the price.
Key Specifications
- Camera Resolution: 108 MP (8 MP ultra-wide)
- Aperture: F/1.8
- Field of View: 118 degrees when ultra-wide
- Pixel Width: 0.7 μm
- Astrophotography Mode: Night mode and Super Moon mode
- Telephoto Lens: No
- Weight: 0.45 lbs (0.2 kg)
- Size Dimensions: 6.5 x 3 x 0.3 inches (164.2 x 76.1 x 8.1 mm)
- Screen Size: 6.7 inches
- Screen Resolution: 1080 x 2400
- RAM: 8 GB
Huawei P40 Pro
Best Huawei Phone for Night Photography
Our final phone to recommend for astrophotography is the Huawei P40 Pro.
It has a 50-megapixel camera and impressive specs.
Huawei P40 Pro Astrophotography
For astrophotography, there is a night mode and a timelapse function that can produce amazing Milky Way timelapse videos as you can see here:
Here is an example image taken with a Huawei:
It also has a moon mode specifically for lunar imaging.
Overall, the Huawei P40 Pro has impressive photography credentials and many mobile astrophotographers have had great results with its camera.
Key Specifications
- Camera Resolution: 50 MP (40 MP ultrawide)
- Aperture: F/1.9
- Pixel Width: 1.2 μm
- Astrophotography Mode: Night Mode, Moon Mode
- Telephoto Lens: Yes
- Weight: 0.46 lbs (0.2 kg)
- Size Dimensions: 6.2 x 2.9 x 0.4 inches (158.2 x 72.6 x 9 mm)
- Screen Size: 6.6 inches
- Screen Resolution: 1200 x 2640
- RAM: 8 GB
FAQs: Best Phones for Astrophotography
Smartphones vs DSLRs for astrophotography
Smartphone cameras are getting better and better and the megapixel count is rising but the sensors in camera phones are much smaller than those in modern DSLR or mirrorless cameras and so will not be able to perform as well.
Therefore, DSLR/mirrorless cameras are still better but the gap is closing and obviously just using a phone has a serious convenience advantage.
See above in the Google Pixel 6 Pro section an example comparison of smartphone vs DSLR astrophotography.
What phone has the best astrophotography camera?
The Google Pixel 6 Pro is the best phone for astrophotography, but other phones like the iPhone 13 Pro, Samsung S22 Ultra, Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro, and Huawei P40 Pro have cameras that are excellent and have been used to stunning effect for astrophotography.
What phones have astrophotography modes?
The Google Pixel range are the only smartphones that have dedicated astrophotography modes.
However, other cameras have great night modes (and moon modes) that can be utilized effectively for astrophotography.
Can you do astrophotography with an iPhone?
Yes, iPhones have great cameras and night modes that can be used for astrophotography.
See our guide on how to do iPhone Astrophotography.
Which phone is best for moon photography?
Many phones are great for moon photography but the Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro and the Huawei P40 Pro have moon modes specifically for lunar imaging.
Note, there has been some skepticism about how the Huawei moon mode works (some believe it actually inserts a separate moon image into your photo, rather than using your capture – see here).
What phone is good for night photography?
Phone that are good for night photography are the Google Pixel 6 Pro, iPhone 13 Pro, Samsung S22 Ultra, Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro, and Huawei P40 Pro.
How do you take a perfect moon picture with your phone?
You will need a telescope or telephoto lens to take a good photo of the moon with your smartphone.
You will likely need to take multiple images and stack and stitch them together as well as other post-processing.
See here, this picture was taken with a Xiaomi phone and Celestron telescope:
What is stacking in astrophotography?
Stacking is a process where multiple images of the same scene are taken and then layered on top of each other. This removes the noise and produces a better image.
Conclusion: Best Astrophotography Camera Phone
Overall, we recommend the Google Pixel 6 Pro as the best overall smartphone for astrophotography due to its excellent in-built astrophotography mode.
The Xiaomi Redmi Note 11 Pro is the best budget pick with a great camera.
If you prefer Apple/Samsung/Huawei products then mobile astrophotographers have had demonstrable success with the iPhone 13 Pro, Samsung S22 Ultra, and Huawei P40 Pro.
Please let us know in the comments below if you have any questions.
You can stack the images to reduce the noise using an android app called Eagle image stacker which is align and stack the astronomical images.
Cool! Thanks for the tip.
Why don’t mobile phone cameras have a bulb function so that you can keep the aperture open for as long as you like. Seems like it would be an easy thing to do.
I don’t know, but that’s a great question!