Caught the mesmerizing partial solar eclipse on Sept 21, armed with my Celestron NexStar 8SE and connected to my Redmi AI phone via a universal adapter. Observing at around 2 AM (yes, night owl energy), I used the f/10 Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with a 2x Barlow lens for extra zoom, letting me capture the Sun’s crescent shape with crisp detail. The experience was surreal—watching the Moon slowly carve its shadow over the Sun felt like glimpsing a cosmic dance. The adapter setup was smooth, letting my phone sensor grab the subtle solar gradients without overexposure, while the mount’s tracking kept everything steady. Minimal post-processing in Lightroom brought out the fiery textures and the subtle corona glow. Truly a magical night for astrophotography a perfect mix of tech, patience, and sky-gazing bliss.














