Meet Picastro, the Instagram alternative for astrophotographers
Picastro is a dedicated, mobile-first platform built for amateurs and pros who capture images of the night sky. Launched late last year by Tom McCrorie, an amateur astrophotographer, the platform was designed to give celestial images the space and pixels they deserve—and to offer users a break from bots, algorithms, and shoddy AI-generated content.
The platform supports JPEG files up to 120 megabytes, allowing for high-resolution uploads and manual zooming, so every detail can be appreciated as nature intended. For reference, Instagram currently supports up to eight megabytes before photos are automatically compressed.
Uploaded images can be tagged with a 'StarCard,' a field where photographers share key information about their shot—from telescope type and camera model to filters used and ISO settings.
Instead of relying on an algorithm or recommendation engine to decide which images get seen, users vote on their favorite photos by using a system of stars and trophies. The images with the most votes rise to the top, and each week and month the top-voted entries are highlighted as 'Image of the Week' or 'Image of the Month.'
There's also a social aspect. Users can connect through 'StarCamps'—subgroups within the platform based on different skills, equipment brands, celestial targets, or experience levels.
The app offers a free plan, Curiosity, but full access requires a subscription. Paid plans—Titan, Callisto, and Ganymede—range from about $5 to $10 per month and allow for more uploads and larger file sizes.
If you ever need a reminder that social media is fake and we live on a floating rock, just download the app and have a scroll.
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