Double Cluster: A Smartphone's Journey Through the Cosmos

It's always a thrill to share a new capture, and this one is particularly special. Despite the limitations of my Dianfan 40070 (70/400mm) telescope and its accompanying eyepieces, I'm incredibly proud of the result.

This image of the Double Cluster was achieved with 20 light frames, each exposed for 6 seconds. For this endeavor, I opted not to use calibration frames. The stacking process was handled by Eagle Image Stacker on Android, bringing the total exposure time to a modest 2 minutes. My attempt to use Siril for stacking proved challenging, as the high density of stars led to registration errors, resulting in an undesirable 'astrophotography' in areas lacking stars, which ultimately made the stacked image a bit of a catastrophe.

While some slight trailing can be observed at the edges, the overall detail is quite pleasing. The capture took place under Bortle 5-6 skies, utilizing a Samsung Galaxy S20 FE during the new moon phase, providing optimal dark sky conditions.

This project highlights that you don't need the most expensive equipment to start exploring the wonders of the night sky. With a bit of patience and the right techniques, even a modest setup can yield rewarding results.