DeepSkyCamera (Unreleased)

The Description of DeepSkyCamera (Unreleased)

Site Editorial Commentary：App is for astrophotography with your smartphone and takes pictures in RAW/JPEG.

DeepSkycamera (Unreleased) is an Android application designed for serious astrophotography enthusiasts who want to capture stunning images of the night sky using their smartphones. This app empowers you to take long-exposure shots, similar to what you'd achieve with a traditional DSLR or CCD/CMOS camera setup, opening up the world of deep-sky imaging.

DeepSkyCamera excels at capturing images of stars and celestial objects, providing a foundation for advanced image processing. It saves images in RAW format (DNG), ensuring maximum data retention for post-processing with industry-standard stacking software.

It's important to understand that astrophotography demands patience and familiarity with astronomical concepts. DeepSkyCamera is tailored for users who understand RAW files, stacking techniques, and image post-processing workflows. This is not a one-click solution for instant, polished images; instead, it's a powerful tool for experienced astrophotographers and astronomers who want to leverage their smartphone's capabilities. A telescope is required for some images.

To utilize DeepSkyCamera effectively, your smartphone must support RAW capture and manual camera settings. The app performs a compatibility check upon startup. While many budget-friendly phones lack these features (e.g., Samsung A and J series, Huawei P10 Lite), high-end models like Samsung S series, Huawei P/Mate series, and LG G series often provide the necessary support.

DeepSkyCamera facilitates the capture of essential calibration frames, including light, flat, bias, and dark frames, mirroring the workflow of traditional astrophotography. These frames are crucial for optimizing image quality during post-processing with external stacking and image processing software.

The app offers flexible focusing options, including automatic infinity focus, hyperfocal distance, and manual focus control, allowing you to fine-tune focus for pinpoint stars.

The maximum ISO sensitivity and exposure time are dictated by your phone's camera sensor. While you can input higher values in the app, the sensor will adhere to its physical limitations. Some phones like LG G series support ISO values up to 6400, and Google Pixel up to 12800. Some Phones like LG G and Huawei P series support exposure times up to 30 seconds.

DeepSkyCamera focuses solely on image capture; it does not include post-processing features.

The sample images showcase the capabilities of DeepSkyCamera, such as the Ursa Major constellation captured with an LG G4 (256 light frames at 30 seconds each, totaling nearly 2 hours of exposure, with 170 dark frames and 100 flat frames applied, and processed with external software). Further examples include Cygnus captured with LG G4 and LG G6, and M31 (Andromeda Galaxy) with LG G6.

For enhanced tracking during astrophotography sessions, consider using a portable mount like the iOptron SkyTracker, AstroTrac, or StarAdventurer. Attach a ballhead and a phone clip to the mount. The app's preview function aids in aligning the mount with the brightest stars.

A comprehensive manual is available here: https://www.deepskycamera.de/manual/DeepSkyCamera_manual_en.pdf