DeepSkyCamera is an app for Android. You can take pictures of the stars including a plan. You take the pictures in RAW. Android uses the format DNG which can be processed with the well-known stacking software (DSS, Sequator, PI).

You can take also flats, bias and dark frames. Its very similar to take pictures witha DSLR oder CCD/CMOS camera. After that you can do the post-processing with the stacking software as well as with Photoshop, Gimp or PI.

DeepSkyCamera takes only the pictures. The app is not designed for the post-processing.

Features

  • extended max shutter speed on lots of smartphones (f.i. Samsung A70: 106 sec, Xiaomi Redmi 9: 59 sec)
  • taking pictures with a plan for lights, darks, bias and flat frames
  • takes pictures in DNG (RAW) and JPEG
  • you can set ISO, exposure time, a pause between each frame, a delay before the first image and number of pictures
  • manual focus
  • Focus lock/unlock
  • app can focus automatically to infinity and hyperfocal
  • Preview with manual exposure time. You can see the brightest stars and you can set the phone in the right direction.
  • Settings of Preview area are totally independent from the settings of the images
  • zoom function for the preview. Zoom to a bright star and you can easily adjust the manual focus
  • app can be set in night mode (black background, red text color) or in dalight mode (white background, black text color). Night mode is good when you are under the stars.
  • storing the images in your individual path
  • sd card is automatically detected
  • saves the settings to the phone and loads it during startup
  • Grid
  • Zoom
  • Histogram
  • Hot pixel removal
  • customizable filename pattern
  • Support of dark frames, bias frames and flat frames
  • App available in English, German, Spanish and Italian
  • Manual available, also in PDF, in English, German, Spanish and Italian
  • Support via dedicated Facebook group, Instagram hashtag, Twitter and YouTube channel

Requirements

Android 6.0 or higher

Your phone must support DNG / RAW and manual settings (ISO, exposure time). The app checks the support of these functions upon startup.

How to track the stars

You can use a simple mount for travel purposes like iOptron SkyTracker, AstroTrac or StarAdventurer. You put a ballhead on the top and add a clip from a small phone tripod. With the preview function (which is automatically visible after start) you can adjust the ballhead according to the brightest stars.