bigrus

I tried astrophotography on my iPhone 16 Pro Max to capture galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters; these were my best shots

Harry November 6, 2024

It’s been a year since I officially started my new hobby, astrophotography. Since then, I’ve bought some best phones to see how they use astrophotography with their own cameras Galaxy S24 Ultra and very exaggerated 100x field zoom. And now I’ve got a good feeling about it iPhone 16 Pro Maxincluding the new one Camera Control I decided to use a weekend for astrophotography using the button.

There are good reasons why the iPhone 16 Pro Max is the best model best camera phone around. Not only does it have a versatile 48MP main camera that delivers sharp results in almost any situation, but I also found that Apple effectively uses pixel binning to improve the quality of photos on its 12MP telephoto camera with 5x optical zoom.

I pitted the iPhone 16 Pro Max against its counterparts. Pixel 9 Pro, OnePlus 12and even the Galaxy S24 Ultra, but none of them beat Apple’s premium phone. Astrophotography is a whole different beast in itself because it really relies on the camera’s low-light performance and often requires a phone to remain undisturbed on a tripod to collect as much light as possible.

That’s why I want to share all the astrophotography shots I took with my iPhone 16 Pro Max, along with the photos I took with all its features. smart telescopes I used it last year – so you can see exactly how it compares to a dedicated telescope for capturing deep space objects such as star clusters, galaxies, nebulae and planets.

iPhone 16 Pro Max astrophotography: What you need to know

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max astrophotography.

(Image credit: Future)

Before you start taking photos of the night sky with your iPhone 16 Pro Max, here are a few tips that I think will give you the best results. First of all, you’ll want to get yourself a tripod and phone holder to keep the iPhone 16 Pro Max as still as possible, or you can prop it up on a flat surface. I recommend the first one because you will be able to use the phone better to get the angle you want.

It’s also worth noting that you’ll need to set the phone’s night mode capture to maximum duration. I found that by default night mode is set to around 6 seconds; However, this can take up to 30 seconds as long as you hold the phone steady.

Other phones I’ve tested for astrophotography have native manual controls; I much prefer this because it allows me to set the shutter speed longer than 30 seconds and set it to a much lower ISO level to reduce noise. However, the iPhone 16 Pro Max does not have dedicated manual controls. However, the results will not disappoint you.

Star cluster: M45 Pleiades

Picture 1 related to 4

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max astrophotography. — iPhone 16 Pro Max 1x zoom.(Image credit: Future)

First, I set my sights on one of my favorite star clusters in the northeast, visible to the naked eye in autumn: M45 Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. With the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s main camera, I captured the iconic star cluster just above the tree line in my backyard with perfect clarity, identifying some of the main stars that make up the cluster. Considering the light pollution from New York City is west of what I captured on M45 The Pleiades, I think the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s main camera does a good job here.

Of course, since I wanted to get closer to them, I tried to capture them at 5x zoom. Interestingly enough, I couldn’t force the iPhone 16 Pro Max to switch to the 12MP telephoto camera, which I suspect was due to night mode. As a result, the subsequent shots I captured of the M45 at 5x and 25x are nothing more than digital zooms applied to the main camera; hence they lack definition and sharpness.

compared to mine Unistellar Odyssey Pro smart telescopeYou can see how M45 captures incredible detail of reflection nebulae, which give it a hazy appearance when viewed with the naked eye.

Galaxy: M31 Andromeda Galaxy

Picture 1 related to 4

Probably the best-known and most photographed galaxy in the night sky is the M31 Andromeda Galaxy. Its size is huge, but due to light pollution where I am, it is almost impossible to see it with the naked eye. For iPhone 16 Pro Max, this is not a problem.

The M3’s top position makes taking photos a little more difficult, requiring me to lay my iPhone 16 Pro Max completely on its back. I’m amazed that he managed to capture its slim, spiral shape with a 30-second exposure. Moving to 5x and 25x zoom, the spiral shape of our nearby neighbor becomes more apparent, but they are distorted by the lack of definition. Still, I was impressed with my shot with the main camera.

It’s no surprise that my favorite photo of the M31 Andromeda Galaxy comes from the Dwarf 2 smart telescope. The wider field of view perfectly captures the spiral galaxy in all its glory from edge to edge.

Planet: Saturn

Picture 1 related to 4

I have to admit, I can come up with some amazing goals this time of year. In my next iPhone 16 Pro Max astrophotography test, I wanted to try capturing the jewel of the solar system, Saturn.

Saturn is one of the easiest objects to see with the naked eye, and the iPhone 16 Pro Max’s main camera makes it look like any other star in the night sky; The only difference is that it is a star that looks much brighter. The bright star in the middle of the photo. At 5x zoom Saturn looks more like a blob, but then it continues to have an elliptical splotchy appearance that I think might be rings.

Frankly, the iPhone 16 Pro Max or any phone is capable of collecting the finest details of other planets in our solar system. However, the farther range of my SeeStar S50 smart telescope manages to reveal Saturn and its iconic rings.

Nebula: M42 Great Orion Nebula

Picture 1 related to 4

I want to save the best for last because I think nebulae are the most beautiful deep space objects for photography. The astrophotography captured by the iPhone 16 Pro Max amazes me.

Despite the smoky clouds in the night sky, the 48MP main camera of the iPhone 16 Pro Max offers an absolutely stunning image. You can clearly make out Orion’s Belt, three bright stars very close together, but slightly to the southeast of it lies the M42 Greater Orion Nebula – I was impressed that it captured this with such great fidelity.

I was even more impressed when I switched to 5x zoom because the Nebula’s collapsing clouds of gas and dust are now more visible; This is even more noticeable when I switch to 25x zoom. Considering the iPhone relies on nothing more than a night mode along with the main camera, I think this is a testament to how far phones have come when it comes to astrophotography.

But of course, my best capture of the Great Orion Nebula came from the $500 SeeStar S50. You can see clouds and gas there.

In summary: iPhone 16 Pro Max is a beast in low light

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Astrophotography.

(Image credit: Future)

through countless things 200 photo confrontation I’m done with the iPhone 16 Pro Max, I can’t tell you what a low-light beast it is — and these astrophotos prove just how advanced it is. I only managed to spend two nights capturing these deep space objects, so I can’t wait to see what else this powerful camera can capture over the rest of the year.

I suspect that under the right conditions (like being in a remote area with no light pollution) the iPhone 16 Pro Max cameras will reveal more of the gorgeous jewels in the sky. While its performance isn’t close to the detail captured by some of my favorite smart telescopes, I think it counts for a lot for a camera that fits in my pocket.