Capturing the Cosmos with a Smartphone: The Vulpecula Region Under Bortle 6 Skies
Astrophotography often conjures images of sophisticated telescopes and expensive equatorial mounts. However, the boundaries of capturing the universe are constantly being pushed, even by everyday devices. This post showcases a remarkable achievement: the stunning Vulpecula region of the Milky Way captured using a smartphone, untracked, from a Bortle 6 location.
The Challenge: Light Pollution and Untracked Imaging
Photographing deep-sky objects from urban or suburban environments presents a significant hurdle: light pollution. Bortle 6 skies, characterized by considerable street lighting and skyglow, can easily wash out the fainter details of nebulae and galaxies. Furthermore, untracked imaging, relying on a simple tripod, limits exposure times to prevent star trailing. This means gathering faint light becomes an even greater challenge.
The Gear and the Grits
Against these odds, this image was made possible with:
- Camera: Xiaomi 14T Pro (Smartphone)
- Mount: Standard tripod (Untracked)
This setup highlights the accessibility of modern smartphone technology for astronomical pursuits.
Acquisition Details
The image was captured with the following settings:
- Lights: 25 seconds x 30 frames
- Darks: 30 seconds x 30 frames
- ISO: 1600
These settings demonstrate a careful balance between gathering enough light and managing noise and star trailing, even without tracking.
Processing: Bringing Out the Details
Post-processing is crucial for extracting the maximum detail from raw astrophotography data, especially under challenging conditions. The workflow involved:
- Stacking: All 30 light frames were stacked using Sequator. This process combines multiple exposures to reduce noise and enhance signal.
- Gradient Removal: GraXpert was employed for initial background extraction, a vital step in mitigating the color cast from light pollution.
- Main Processing (Luminar Neo):
- Stretching: The image was stretched using the Develop tool, adjusting Exposure, Highlights, Shadows, and Curves to reveal faint details.
- White Balance Correction: Critical for neutralizing the dominant color of light pollution.
- Structure AI & Sharpening: Applied with a mask to enhance the visibility of stars and nebulae.
- Noise Reduction: To clean up any remaining noise.
- Final Adjustments: Contrast and color were fine-tuned to produce the final result.
The Result: A Glimpse of Vulpecula
Here is the resulting image:
This image is a testament to the power of persistence and skillful processing. It shows that with the right approach, even the limitations of light-polluted skies and untracked mounts can be overcome to capture the wonders of the universe. It’s inspiring to see what can be achieved with readily available technology.
Location: Garden of a School with lots of street lights, In Türkiye / Bortle 6
