How To Get Good Pictures Of Tonight's Supermoon

Smartphone cameras are notoriously bad when it comes to taking pictures of the moon. The digital zoom on a camera is never crisp enough, the light cast from the moon is never strong enough, so things end up looking like a white blob in the sky. Here are some tips so you can get great shots of this rare Supermoon!

1 - Get a real camera

This might not be feasible for everyone, but if you can get your hands on a camera that isn't part of a phone, that'll be your best bet.

2 - Get A Good Vantage Point

Find a spot in advance. Your shot will be most impressive if it shows a sense of scale. Try timing your shot as the moon is close to the horizon, so the image includes a foreground.

Matt Cardy/Getty Images

3 - Get Good Gear

A tripod is definitely worth it to get a more professional look. If you don't want to invest in a full tripod, you can rest your phone on a book or windowsill (just be careful on the ledge of a building).

iPhone 7 Plus owners have the advantage of an optical zoom, beyond the regular digital zoom. Digital zooms don't work as well because the usual "pinch-to-zoom" technique ends up blowing up your pixels, leading to a less clear picture (that's a tip for everyday use too, just take a normal picture, then zoom in or crop later as opposed to using digital zoom).

There are even mounts available to hook your iPhone up through a telescope to get the best close-ups.