The Universe in Your Pocket: Capturing the Milky Way with a Smartphone

It's often thought that capturing the vastness of the cosmos requires expensive, professional-grade equipment. While those tools certainly have their place, sometimes the most incredible results come from unexpected sources.

Recently, I set out to capture the awe-inspiring band of our own galaxy, the Milky Way, and I did it with a tool many of us carry every day: a smartphone. Specifically, my Nothing Phone (3a) was the instrument of choice.

The Technical Details Behind the Shot

Achieving a decent shot of the Milky Way with a smartphone involves a bit of technical know-how and careful processing. Here's a breakdown of the settings I used:

Camera: Nothing Phone (3a)
Lens: 24mm
Exposure Compensation: 0.0 EV
ISO: 1250
White Balance: 3600k
Exposure Time: 32 seconds

These settings were crucial for gathering enough light in a relatively short period, while keeping noise manageable. The 32-second exposure allowed the faint light of distant stars and nebulae to register on the sensor.

Location, Location, Location!

Timing and location are paramount in astrophotography. For this particular shot, I was in Waikato, New Zealand, at 20:30 pm. The dark skies, far from significant light pollution, provided the ideal canvas for the Milky Way to truly shine.

Processing with Lightroom

Once the raw image was captured, the magic of post-processing began. Using Adobe Lightroom, I was able to enhance the details, bring out the subtle colours of the galactic core, and ensure the overall balance of the image. This step is often where a good raw file truly transforms into a breathtaking photograph.

Behold the Milky Way!

Here's the result of this effort:

Milky Way captured with Nothing Phone

It's a humbling reminder that even with everyday technology, we can connect with the universe in profound ways. The sheer scale and beauty of the Milky Way, visible from our own planet, is a constant source of wonder and inspiration.

A Moment of Reflection

Looking at such images can evoke powerful emotions and thoughts about our place in the cosmos. It's a testament to the enduring human desire to explore and understand the universe around us, even if that exploration starts with a simple glance upwards at the night sky.