Andromeda Reached: A Mobile-First Astrophotography Journey
Embarking on a holiday and looking to push the boundaries of mobile technology, I decided to try stacking astro photos for the very first time. Without dedicated astrophotography gear, I relied on my standard photography equipment, and the results were surprisingly impressive, especially considering the fully mobile workflow.
The Gear and The Setup
My toolkit for this galactic adventure included:
- Camera: Sony a7iv
- Lens: Tamron 70-180mm f/2.8
- Tripod Head: A geared tripod head proved invaluable for accurately tracking Andromeda, offering far superior control compared to a standard ball head.
I captured a total of 258 photos, each at 2 seconds exposure, f/2.8 aperture, ISO 12800, and at a focal length of 180mm.
The Mobile Stacking Challenge
The real test came with stacking. Since I didn't have a laptop with me, I turned to Eagle Images Stacker, which I discovered is one of the few options available for stacking astro photos directly on an Android device. This was a significant undertaking, as the raw files alone represented around 10GB of data – a substantial load for a smartphone!
After the stacking process, the resulting image was then refined using Lightroom Mobile, completing the entire workflow on my phone.
First-Time Results and Reflections
While I'm aware this might not be the most technically perfect Andromeda image out there, I am incredibly pleased with what I was able to achieve given the limitations. It was my first attempt at stacked astrophotography, and doing it entirely on a mobile device was a fantastic learning experience.
For anyone looking to try a similar mobile-first approach, here are a few practical tips:
- Utilize your camera's continuous bracket or interval mode. On a Sony camera, this can prevent you from having to manually press the shutter button hundreds of times, which is both tedious and can introduce vibrations.
- Enable bright monitoring on your camera. This feature significantly aids in locating faint objects like Andromeda, especially when it's not easily visible to the naked eye.
- Leverage planetarium apps. Software like Stellarium is essential for identifying celestial targets and planning your shots.
This project has certainly opened my eyes to the possibilities of mobile astrophotography!
