After shooting the Milky Way with a GoPro and Samsung S25 back in November in Xitou, I’ve been obsessed. I started following various Facebook groups for smartphone astrophotographers and Milky Way chasers. I’d been eyeing the Seestar S30 Pro until I decided to get a second-hand lens instead — the Samyang 12mm f/2.0 — for my old and trusty Sony A6000.
I had to learn how to use it on the fly since it’s been cloudy in Taipei, giving me no chance to practice beforehand. Gemini has been a huge help!
Location 1 – Mansueto’s Beach Resort
We picked this beach resort over a hotel near Caticlan Airport, primarily for stargazing, hoping they’d have good internet so we could work remotely while waiting for the ferry to Caluya Island.
- Aklan, Philippines
- Bortle 4
I spent this first night practicing and testing different devices: the Sony A6000 + Samyang 12mm f/2.0, GoPro 12, and Pixel 9a.
I also tried stacking raw Milky Way shots and stretching the data using Siril, following the same principle I use for stacking Seestar data.
Location 2 – Island Divers Caluya
I’d say it was pretty magical to see the Milky Way with the naked eye, but the best part about this spot is that it faces south, which let me capture more Carina Nebula data.
- Antique, Philippines
- Bortle 2
The nebulae are out! Carina, Swan, and more!
While we were pointing our wide lens at the Milky Way, the Seestar S30 was hunting nebulae. And under a Bortle 2 sky, 20 minutes was enough to get quality data!
Because of the depth I was getting in the photos, I decided to remove the stars during post-processing. Look how beautiful and terrifying deep space is.
I’m happy with the new addition to my gear — it’s much more practical than bringing two Seestars, although I’m not sure yet if I’ll regret not getting the S30 Pro. I will miss seeing the Milky Way with the naked eye when I’m back in the city!
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That’s it for now! Stay tuned for more tips on imaging deep space.
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