How do you take night and star photos with a phone?

What does a phone's night mode actually do?

A small phone sensor gathers little light, and in the dark that shows as grain. Google's engineers explain that Night Sight captures a burst of frames, aligns them to cancel out hand shake and movement, and merges them, which reduces noise.⁸

The phone adapts to how still it is. In one example Google gives, a handheld shot of the sky was captured as 15 frames of 333 milliseconds each, while the same phone on a tripod chose 6 frames of 1.0 second, giving a cleaner sky with more stars.⁸

For the night sky, Google limited each frame to 16 seconds, because stars blurred into short lines look wrong, and a single picture to at most 15 frames; its Pixel 4 allowed exposures of up to 4 minutes.⁷

Apple says that, depending on how dark the scene is, iPhone Night mode may take a photo quickly or take several seconds, and shows a number beside the Night mode icon for how long the shot will take.¹

Researched, not travelled. We have not tested any phone; this page summarises the makers' own documentation. Features and supported models change with software updates, so check your phone maker's current help page. We do not recommend any phone.

How do you use Night mode on an iPhone?

• Which phones. Apple says Night mode works on iPhone 11 and later, and turns on by itself when the camera detects low light; its icon turns yellow when it is active.¹
• Hold still or set it down. Hold the phone steady until the capture finishes, or place it on a solid, secure surface or a tripod.¹ Apple's user guide adds that a tripod gives even more detailed Night mode photos.²
• Longer captures. Choose Max on the Night mode slider to extend the capture time; the slider then counts down to the end of the capture.¹
• Crosshairs. If crosshairs appear, the phone has detected movement; line them up to reduce motion.²
• Time-lapse. On supported models, Night mode Time-lapse with a tripod records videos with longer interval frames in low light.¹

How do you use Night Sight and Astrophotography on a Pixel?

• Night Sight. Google says it turns on automatically in low light when Photo or Portrait mode is on; hold still for a few seconds while it captures.⁵
• Astrophotography. Point the phone at the sky and set it down on a stand or tripod; when the phone is still, the shutter switches to Astrophotography mode and a countdown runs.⁵
• Without a tripod. You can switch the Night Sight control to Astro yourself; the phone then gives a 5 second timer so you can set it down facing the sky.⁵
• Focus. Setting focus to far makes the camera focus on anything more than 4 metres away, such as the night sky.⁵
• Help in very dim light. Google Research explains that when the preview is too dark to compose, Night Sight shows each long frame on screen as it is captured, so you can adjust the framing and shoot again.⁷

What about other Android phones?

Other makers document their own modes. Samsung's UK support page says the Expert RAW app offers an Astrophotography mode on its Galaxy S23 and S22 series, where you adjust focus, white balance and exposure time, with an optional Sky Guide that overlays constellations.⁹ Look for your own maker's help page; the principles below apply to any phone.

When is it dark enough for stars?

Google's advice for Pixel is to take star photos at least 45 - 90 minutes after sunset.⁵

The official twilight definitions explain why. Civil twilight ends when the centre of the Sun is 6 degrees below the horizon, nautical twilight at 12 degrees and astronomical twilight at 18 degrees.¹⁰¹¹ After astronomical twilight ends, scattered light from the Sun is fainter than starlight.¹⁰ Japan's national observatory describes the 18 degree point as the limit at which 6th-magnitude stars can be seen with the naked eye.¹²

How long that takes after sunset depends on where you are and the time of year. For twilight times calculated by place and month, see Golden hour by place and month.

Does the Moon help or hurt?

• For the Milky Way it hurts. The Planetary Society says the Milky Way is best photographed around new Moon, or up to a week either side, because moonlight washes it out.¹³
• For landscapes it helps. Google Research says that with a phone on a tripod, as long as there is at least a little moonlight, landscapes come out clear and colourful; lit only by stars, the landscape shows as a silhouette.⁷
• Moon and landscape together. The brightness range between the Moon and a moonlit landscape can exceed 500,000:1, which Google's engineers said had so far prevented them from capturing both in one image.⁷

How do you keep the phone still enough?

• Set it down. Google says to prop the phone against a steady surface or use a tripod, and not to touch it or hold it up with your hand.⁵ Google's engineers mention a tripod, a rock or whatever else is available.⁷
• Wind. In wind, move the phone closer to the ground or shield it.⁵
• Self-timer. A 3 second self-timer lets the phone settle after you tap the shutter.⁵

Where should you go?

• Away from lights. Light pollution makes stars less visible; Google suggests travelling away from city lights and checking a light pollution map.⁵
• Higher ground. The Planetary Society suggests higher elevations where possible, where there are fewer particles in the air to scatter light.¹³
• Clear skies. Check the forecast; cloud makes the Moon and stars harder to find.⁵

What else helps at night?

• Dim your screen. Google suggests lowering screen brightness and using a dark theme, so your eyes can adjust to the dark.⁵
• Light trails. On iPhone, a Live Photo records 1.5 seconds before and after the shot, and the Long Exposure effect can be added afterwards.³
• Expect edited-looking skies. Google Research says Night Sight deliberately darkens the sky in low-light photos, using a trained model to find sky areas, so night pictures do not look like daytime.⁷

Does cold affect a phone at night?

Apple says iPhone and iPad are designed for ambient temperatures between 0 and 35 degrees Celsius; very cold conditions outside that range may temporarily shorten battery life and could turn the device off.⁴ Google says a Pixel below 0 degrees Celsius may shut down suddenly, and advises letting it warm up gradually.⁶

More on batteries and condensation in Snow and cold-weather photography.

What are the common mistakes?

• Holding the phone for star shots. Google's instruction is to set it down: do not use your hands.⁵
• Turning on flash. On iPhone, turning on the flash or Live Photos switches Night mode off.¹ On Pixel, automatic Night Sight does not work while the flash is on.⁵
• Shooting too soon. Google advises waiting at least 45 - 90 minutes after sunset for stars.⁵
• Picking a bright-Moon night for the Milky Way. Aim for around new Moon instead.¹³

What this page cannot tell you

• Features change. Phone modes, supported models and settings change with software updates. Check your maker's current help page.
• Not tested by us. We have not taken these photos; this page summarises the makers' own documentation.
• Darkness is not only twilight. Twilight times say when sunlight fades; light pollution, cloud and the Moon also decide what you can see.
• No endorsement. Naming a phone's feature is not a recommendation to buy that phone.

Related: Off-season Iceland · Off-season Norway · Off-season Finland.