Trusted Reviews is supported by its audience. If you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.Learn more.
How to use manual controls when shooting the stars on Pixel 9
In This Article
Google introduced its Astrophotography mode with the Pixel 3 series, enabling users to easily take stunning images of the moon and stars in the night sky.
Prior to the Pixel 9 launch, Astrophotography mode was only activated automatically, once the Pixel’sTensorprocessor detected that it was in a dark setting, steady and away from any light pollution.
This has changed with the launch of the newPixel 9series which now allows you to enable Astrophotography manually, without waiting for your handset to do so automatically.
Read on to learn how to use manual Astrophotography mode when shooting the stars on Pixel 9.
What you’ll need:
The short version:
Step1
Open Camera app
The Camera app will either be on your Home Screen or in your App Library, as shown here.
Step2
Tap Night Sight
Either tap or scroll across the screen to Night Sight mode.
Step3
Tap the Astrophotography icon
In the bottom right corner you’ll see an icon of a moon and plus sign, as shown here. This will enable your Pixel camera to go into Astrophotography mode, so tap here.
Step4
Set the time
From here you can set the timelapse for up to four minutes.If you opt for the maximum of four minutes, a five second timer will be triggered once you tap the shutter icon. This timer cannot be changed, however we think it’s a useful addition, as it allows you time to get the phone in position once you’ve tapped the shutter icon.
Step5
Tap the shutter button
Once you’ve tapped the shutter button, the five-second timer will begin to countdown. Once time is up, your camera will go into Astrophotography mode and start taking images.
Troubleshooting
When a Pixel handset is in Astrophotography mode, the camera will take 16 16-second photos when the shutter is pressed, then merge all the images together into one perfect shot.
You need to keep your camera as steady as possible, ideally using a tripod to ensure it doesn’t move around. There should also be minimal light pollution and as dark as possible.
You might like…
Jess joined the Trusted Reviews team early in 2024, after working for almost three years in lifestyle and technology PR. Using the skills gained from her previous role, Jess has taken on a new challen…
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
Why trust our journalism?
Founded in 2003, Trusted Reviews exists to give our readers thorough, unbiased and independent advice on what to buy.
Today, we have millions of users a month from around the world, and assess more than 1,000 products a year.
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
