Tips for Long-Exposure Night Sky Photography from an Astrophotographer

While many camp for sunlit adventures like hiking and kayaking, in my world, it’s all about night sky photography. I’ve traveled the globe searching for picture-perfect nighttime frescoes (and even wrote a book about it), from recording aurora timelapses on sheep farms in Greenland to snapping Milky Way portraits from Chile’s far-flung Atacama Desert.

Mastering the art of long-exposure night sky photos may sound intimidating, but in this article, I’ll break down the nuts and bolts of how to photograph the stars. We’ll talk astrophotography settings; tips on photographing the Milky Way, northern lights, and other astro highlights; as well as must-have night sky photography gear, how to find the year’s top night-sky events, and tips for choosing a location with minimal light pollution—something Hipcamp’s dark sky map makes easy.

Equipment tips for astrophotography

Before we explore how to photograph the stars, let’s talk gear. I photograph the stars and auroras with a mirrorless camera (the Sony A7RIV or A7III), wide-angle lenses with apertures between f/1.8 to f/2.8 (to allow for more light), and lightweight travel tripods. I rely on the Sony Alpha mirrorless line because it works exceptionally well in low-light conditions, but mirrorless systems from other brands like Canon and Nikon offer similar results. 

No mirrorless camera? No problem. Smartphones have made serious photography advances in recent years; I’ve been astonished by how well my iPhone 15 Pro Max can pick up the stars and, even more so, auroras. (We’ll discuss more about how to take pictures of stars on iPhone cameras below.)

If you’re worried a tripod may add too much bulk to your kit, especially for backpacking, I recommend a small travel option like the lightweight and portable Joby Gorillapod. Or, go the extra lightweight route by make-shifting a tripod out of a packing cube full of shirts or socks—which is exactly what I did when filming this timelapse of the northern lights from Isle Royale National Park in Michigan.

In addition to your camping and any safety gear, you’ll also want a headlamp to help spotlight your shots (and safely walk around).

Tips for shooting dark skies

1. Use manual focus

Autofocus doesn’t work well with long-exposure night sky photos. Given the dark surroundings, the camera doesn’t know where to focus. Instead, manual focus is key—and for that, you have several options. 

The cameras I use—and many similar mirrorless cameras—incorporate a tool called “focus peaking.” This setting turns the in-focus subject a certain color (red, yellow, or white); you can then adjust the focus ring to get hyper-sharp details. For instance, when I’m photographing the stars with a tent in the foreground, I’ll quickly illuminate the tent with a headlamp (or a lamp inside for an added glow); I’ll then adjust to the point where the tent is in focus and fully outlined in my selected focus-peaking hue, red. 

Another option is infinity focus. Flip your camera’s manual focus to the infinity icon (twist the focus ring until it reaches the sideways-eight infinity symbol). Hone the focus by starting at infinity, using your live-view mode to zoom in on a subject in the foreground, such as a tree, then have a friend light it up with a headlamp as you adjust further. Once the image in your live view is crisp, it’s time to start shooting.

2. Plan your shot before it’s dark

Night sky photography—or really any after-hours activity—comes with a sense of adventure. That said, it’s important to take out the guesswork by scouting your shot during daylight. Visit your desired location ahead of time to get a sense of what you’re working with, both foreground- and safety-wise. Look for hazards to avoid, such as a steep drop-off, then scan to see what subjects might work well in the foreground—say, a unique tree, a waterfall, or your tent.

I don’t just photograph the night sky; I like to create timelapse videos to show the stars in motion. To plan my shots, I use stargazing apps like PhotoPills or SkySafari so I know where certain space objects will be rising or setting. 

With this intel, I can determine the best angle to arrange my gear. For example, if I know a supermoon is on the horizon, I’ll figure out where it’s set to rise, and work backward to arrange an interesting object in the foreground. These foreground subjects add scale to the sky and can help your astrophotography stand out.

3. Shoot RAW

One of the easiest ways to up your game as an astrophotographer (or any photographer) is to shoot in RAW image file format instead of JPEG. In RAW, your files will have more data, including highlights or exposure ranges, to play with in post-production. Smaller JPEG files, on the other hand, offer minimal wiggle room with editing. I capture all of my work in RAW, then upload it to editing software like Adobe Lightroom where I can increase the highlights or exposure, which is essential for helping those starry skies pop. 

One thing to note when you’re photographing in RAW: the file sizes are larger than JPEGs. Prepare accordingly and pack extra memory cards, or invest in higher-storage memory cards (and make sure to back up your files on your computer or an external hard drive). Newer iPhones also offer RAW shooting, but you’ll have to activate it in the camera’s top right menu section.

4. Try an intervalometer

Instead of manually snapping each night sky photograph, try your camera’s intervalometer mode. I swear by this feature, which is built into most camera systems (or available via a separate intervalometer device), because you can set it, forget it, and watch the night sky with your own two eyes—then relive it with your camera’s captures.

With interval mode, you prepare your astrophotography settings (i.e. shutter speed), then set the intervalometer to take a certain number of images with a set amount of time between each shot. This eliminates the chance of shaking the camera with each shutter press and increases your odds of capturing interesting space objects, such as shooting stars. 

You can take the set of images and stitch together a timelapse clip that shows how the night sky moves (you usually need at least several hundred images for this; I use Final Cut Pro for video editing). Or, take a selection of the images into an editing tool like Starry Landscape Stacker to stack the images for one final photo; this process reduces distracting noise.

5. Find a low-light pollution campsite

Bright city lights can obscure the stars, both from your eyes and your camera. That’s why it’s important to choose a stargazing campsite with little if any light pollution. For that, use Hipcamp’s dark sky map layer when choosing your campsite.

This tool—the first-ever dark-sky camping map—overlays light pollution data from nonprofit DarkSky International on Hipcamp’s inventory of campsites. For the ultimate astro adventure, avoid the brightly lit yellow patches; instead, opt for dark gray—a sure sign of dark skies and sparkly stars.

Astrophotography settings for night-sky sights  

Each type of night sky photograph requires different astrophotography settings, particularly shutter speed. In general, aim to keep your ISO as low as you can—around ISO 400 to 1600, depending on your camera. You can go higher if you plan to stack images via tools like Starry Landscape Stacker.

Here are a few other sight-specific astrophotography settings to keep in mind:

Milky Way photography

When photographing the Milky Way, you’ll want a shutter speed of around 8 to 10 seconds. Anything longer can make the stars blurry, or give them star trails (remember: Earth is always moving!). I recommend using the widest possible lens for Milky Way photography since the spiral galaxy can span the length of the sky. Additionally, go for a wide aperture of around f/1.8 to f/2.8—or the widest your lens allows.

Meteor shower photography

Similarly, aim for around a 10-second maximum shutter speed for meteor showers to ensure you don’t miss the quick-zipping shooting stars. (If you go too long, say closer to 30 seconds, the meteor won’t appear as bright.) A wide-angle lens is ideal to capture as many meteors as possible; again, aim for a wide aperture, around f/1.4 or f/1.8 if available.

Aurora photography

Northern lights camera settings depend on how active the auroras are. If you’re working with quick-moving auroras that swirl through the sky, use a 2- to 5-second shutter speed, if not faster. If the lights appear as more of a haze with subtle movements, you can go longer, around a 10-second shutter. 

That said, it’s important to stay on your toes because aurora displays often go from low-key streaks to a full-on overhead dance party within a matter of minutes. So always be ready to adjust your settings. As for lenses, use a wide angle, and keep your aperture as wide as possible for maximum light.

Moon photography

Taking photos of the moon is different from snapping most other night-sky sights. The moon moves quickly across the sky, so aim for a fast shutter (at least 1/15) and an aperture of around f/8 to log lunar details. You can use a wide-angle lens if you want a full night sky shot, but in my opinion, telephoto lenses work better and can help you compose an interesting moon image. 

I use my 100-400mm telephoto lens for moon close-ups, or to compress a scene with an interesting foreground subject with the moon—or, better yet, a supermoon—appearing oversized behind it.

Night sky photography on an iPhone

Even without a high-end camera, you can capture dazzling nightscapes—now more than ever. iPhones released in the last few years have astonishing functionality, including manual options and night sky photo settings.

To use your phone for night sky shots, invest in an iPhone tripod to keep your shot steady. Then, use your phone’s long-exposure night mode (which automatically turns on in low-light situations). The night mode icon—a moon in an oval on the top left of your camera screen—will switch to yellow when activated. Once it’s on, use the bottom camera settings bar to adjust the length of the exposure, which can go anywhere from one to 30 seconds, depending on ambient light.

When using an iPhone for astrophotography, make sure to activate RAW mode, if available, so you have as much data to work with in editing as possible. While you can use the main iPhone camera app for night sky photography, apps like NightCap Camera ($2.99) offer even more versatility.

Leave it better on your stargazing trip

When the lights are out, Leave No Trace principles are especially important. Never stray off the trail just to nail that perfect composition; instead, use your daytime scouting session to plan a safe and environmentally friendly astrophotography scene. Additionally, carry out all that you bring in, and keep your flashlight use to a minimum (outside of necessary safety means) to avoid disrupting wildlife, or your fellow campers and astrophotographers.