How to Photograph Satellites and the ISS

Satellite passes create beautiful light trails across the night sky — and you don’t need expensive equipment to capture them. With the right settings and technique, even a smartphone can produce impressive results.

What You Can Capture

Different satellites produce different photographic results:

• ISS trails — the brightest trails, thick and dramatic against the stars
• Starlink trains — multiple parallel trails from a recently launched batch
• General satellite streaks — thinner trails from dimmer satellites
• ISS detail shots — with a telescope, you can photograph the station’s shape

This guide focuses on trail photography, which is accessible to everyone.

Smartphone Photography

Modern smartphones have surprisingly capable night modes. Here’s how to capture satellite trails:

iPhone (Night Mode / Long Exposure)

1. Open the Camera app and switch to Night mode (the moon icon)
2. Set the exposure time to 10–30 seconds (tap the Night mode icon and slide the dial)
3. Mount your phone on a tripod or prop it against something stable
4. Point toward the predicted satellite path
5. Tap the shutter and don’t touch the phone during exposure

Pro tip: Use the Live Photos feature and convert to Long Exposure in the Photos app for a star-trail effect.

Android (Night Sight / Pro Mode)

1. Open the Camera app and select Night Sight or Pro/Manual mode
2. In Pro mode, set ISO 800–1600 and shutter speed 15–30 seconds
3. Use a tripod — any vibration will blur the image
4. Start the exposure about 30 seconds before the satellite arrives

Smartphone Tips

• Turn off flash — it’s useless for night sky photos and ruins your dark adaptation
• Use a timer (2-second or 10-second) to avoid touching the phone during exposure
• Lower your screen brightness to minimum before the shoot
• Airplane mode prevents vibrations from incoming notifications

Camera Photography (DSLR / Mirrorless)

A dedicated camera gives you far more control and better results.

Recommended Settings

Setting	Value	Why
Mode	Manual (M)	Full control over exposure
ISO	800–1600	Bright enough to capture trails without excessive noise
Aperture	f/2.8 or wider	Maximum light gathering
Shutter speed	15–30 seconds	Long enough for a visible trail
Focus	Manual, set to infinity	Autofocus won’t work on satellites
White balance	Daylight or 5500K	Neutral color for the sky
Format	RAW + JPEG	RAW gives you editing flexibility

Lens Selection

• Wide-angle (14–24mm): Captures a large portion of the sky. Best for full-trail shots and Starlink trains
• Standard (35–50mm): Good balance of sky coverage and trail brightness
• Telephoto (100–200mm): Makes trails appear thicker and brighter but covers less sky

For your first attempt, use the widest lens you have to maximize your chances of capturing the satellite’s path.

Step-by-Step Shooting Process

1. Check predictions: Use the Tonight tool to find a bright pass with the exact path and timing
2. Set up early: Arrive at your location 15 minutes before the pass. Set up your tripod and frame the shot
3. Manual focus at infinity: Switch to manual focus. Use Live View to zoom in on a bright star and focus until it’s a sharp point
4. Compose the shot: Point toward where the satellite will appear. Include some foreground (trees, buildings, horizon) for context
5. Test exposure: Take a test shot to check brightness and focus
6. Start shooting: Begin your exposure about 30 seconds before the predicted rise time
7. Multiple exposures: Take several consecutive shots. You can stack them later for a longer trail

Interval Shooting for Long Trails

Most satellite passes last 3–6 minutes, but a single exposure maxes out around 30 seconds before stars trail. To capture the full pass:

1. Set your camera to interval shooting (many cameras have this built in)
2. Set 25-second exposures with 1-second gaps
3. Start the sequence before the satellite appears
4. Later, stack the images in software to combine all the trail segments into one continuous line

Free stacking software: StarStaX, Sequator, or Photoshop’s “Lighten” blend mode.

Composition Ideas

• Satellite + landmark: Frame a recognizable building, monument, or landscape with the satellite trail above
• Starlink train over landscape: The parallel lines of a fresh Starlink launch create stunning geometric patterns
• ISS + Moon: Time a shot when the ISS passes near the Moon for a dramatic pairing
• Wide panoramic trails: Capture the full horizon-to-horizon path across a wide sky
• Reflections: Satellite trails reflected in still water create a mirror effect

Post-Processing Tips

Basic Adjustments

• Increase contrast slightly to make the trail pop against the sky
• Boost vibrance to bring out star colors
• Reduce noise using luminance noise reduction
• Darken the sky background if there’s light pollution

Stacking Trails

In StarStaX or Photoshop:

1. Load all images from the interval sequence
2. Use Lighten blending mode (keeps the brightest pixels from each frame)
3. The satellite trail will appear as a continuous bright line across the composite
4. Stars will show as short dashes (which actually looks cool)

Advanced: Photographing ISS Detail

With a telescope and tracking mount, you can photograph the actual shape of the ISS:

• Telescope: 6” or larger aperture with a motorized mount
• Camera: Attached via T-adapter or afocal through an eyepiece
• Technique: Video mode at high frame rate (60+ fps), then stack the best frames
• Software: PIPP for alignment, AutoStakkert for stacking, Registax for sharpening

This is an advanced technique that requires practice, but the results — showing the station’s solar panels and modules — are remarkable.

Essential Gear Checklist

• Camera or smartphone with manual/night mode
• Sturdy tripod (essential — no exceptions)
• Remote shutter release or self-timer
• Red flashlight for preserving night vision
• Fully charged battery (cold nights drain batteries fast)
• Memory card with plenty of space (RAW files are large)
• Warm clothing — you’ll be standing still outside

Planning Your Shoot

The Tonight tool is your best friend for planning satellite photography:

1. Find passes rated 2 or 3 stars (higher elevation = brighter trail)
2. Note the rise direction and set direction to plan your framing
3. Check the peak elevation — overhead passes produce the most dramatic trails
4. Look for passes that travel through interesting parts of the sky (near the Moon, Milky Way, or a constellation)

Clear skies and minimal light pollution make the biggest difference. Even a short drive out of the city will dramatically improve your results.