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ShiveringCactus
Community Expert
Community Expert
March 9, 2026
Question

Tutorial: Create a Cinematic 3D Space Voyage from an Astrophotography image

  • March 9, 2026
  • 1 reply
  • 22 views

 

In this tutorial, I talk you through the full workflow for taking a static astrophotography image and turning it into a cinematic fly-through using After Effects. We’ll be collaborating with the expertise of astrophotographer Alex Linde to bridge the gap between photography and motion graphics. What you’ll learn:

  • Star Removal: How to use Photoshop and StarNet++ (and alternatives like StarXTerminator) to prep your image for 3D depth.
  • Camera Rigging: Setting up a 2-node camera with a Null Object for smooth, professional movement.
  • Parallax Backgrounds: Creating a distant starfield that reacts realistically to camera movement.
  • 3D Particle Stars: Using CC Particle World and a clever expression to generate thousands of static stars you can actually fly through.

 

 

    1 reply

    nishu_kush
    Legend
    March 9, 2026

    That is a great one. I appreciate you taking the time to create the tutorial and sharing it.

     

    Best,

    Nishu