How to Take Astrophotography Photos with GCam (Step-by-Step 2026)

The first time I shot the Milky Way on my Realme Narzo 60 using GCam, I genuinely couldn’t believe it. A 20,000 rupee phone (around 240 USD) captured stars that I thought needed a 1 lakh rupee camera. That is the magic of GCam’s Astrophotography mode. Let me walk you through exactly how to do it.

You can absolutely do this on any modern Android phone. The whole setup takes about 5 minutes and the result feels like a small miracle. Here is the complete step-by-step.

What Astrophotography Actually Does

Astrophotography mode is one of Google’s most impressive computational tricks. It takes a long sequence of exposures, usually 15 to 16 frames at 16 seconds each, totaling about 4 minutes. Then it stacks them, aligns the stars, and removes noise.

According to Google’s 2019 AI Blog post that introduced the feature on the Pixel 4, the algorithm can capture stars as dim as magnitude 6, which is roughly the limit of what the human eye can see in a dark sky.

GCam ports bring this same mode to almost any phone. Your sensor doesn’t have to be special. The software does the heavy lifting.

Step 1: Install GCam with Astrophotography Support

Not every GCam build supports Astrophotography on every phone. The BSG MGC 9.7.047 and Hasli LMC 8.4_R18 builds have the best Astro support across most brands.

Grab the right one for your phone from our GCam APK download page. New to flashing GCam? Our complete install guide walks you through it safely.

Step 2: Check Your Phone Supports It

Astrophotography needs Camera2 API Level 3, the gyroscope, and at least 6 GB of RAM for stable processing. Most phones from 2021 onward qualify.

To confirm, follow our quick Camera2 API check guide. If your phone passes, you are good to go.

Step 3: Find a Genuinely Dark Sky

This is the hardest part, and it is non-negotiable. Astrophotography mode needs darkness. Real darkness. City light pollution will ruin even the best phone setup.

Use a tool like the Light Pollution Map app to find a dark area within driving distance. A Bortle 3 or darker rating is ideal. According to the International Dark-Sky Association, about 80 percent of people in North America never see truly dark skies. Drive an hour out of any major city and the difference is dramatic.

Step 4: Use a Tripod or Stable Surface

Astrophotography needs your phone to stay perfectly still for up to 4 minutes. A small phone tripod is the best investment you can make for this. They cost about 500 rupees (around 6 USD) on most e-commerce sites.

No tripod handy? Rest the phone on a rock, a backpack, or a fence post. As long as it does not move during the exposure, you are fine.

Step 5: Open GCam and Enter Night Sight

Open GCam, swipe to Night Sight mode. After about 5 to 10 seconds of staying perfectly still, you will see a small moon icon appear next to the shutter. That moon means Astrophotography mode is now active.

If you do not see the moon, your phone is either moving slightly, the scene is too bright, or your GCam build lacks Astro support. Try another build from the download page.

Step 6: Tap the Shutter and Wait

Tap the shutter once. Now wait. The phone will count down from 4 minutes. Do not touch it. Do not check the screen. Just let it do its thing.

Once the capture is done, the phone takes another 30 to 60 seconds to merge and process the frames. You will then see a final image that looks nothing like the dark live preview. Stars will pop. The Milky Way may even be visible.

Pro Tips From My Testing

• Shoot during a new moon for the darkest sky. Even a half moon adds noticeable haze.
• Frame something interesting in the foreground. A tree, a mountain, a building. Pure sky shots get boring fast.
• Use a 2 second self-timer so tapping the shutter does not introduce shake.
• Disable any auto-rotate or screen sleep features before shooting.
• Keep your phone warm in cold weather. Battery drains fast during long exposures.

What If GCam Crashes During the Shot?

This happens sometimes, especially on Samsung phones with strict battery optimization. The fix is simple. Disable battery optimization for GCam in your phone’s settings.

If you own a Samsung specifically, our Samsung GCam fix guide covers all the common Astro stability issues. After applying those fixes, my Galaxy A54 captured the Milky Way without a single crash.

You’re Ready for the Stars

GCam Astrophotography is one of the most rewarding things you can do with a smartphone camera. The first time you see your own photo of the Milky Way pop up on screen, you will remember it forever.

Once you have nailed Astro, explore the rest of the advanced GCam features like Night Sight portraits, Top Shot, and Motion Photos. Your phone just became a tiny telescope. Go shoot some stars.