That "just my camera phone" shot is probably a noisy mess if you zoom in. Real astrophotography absolutely needs proper gear to capture any real detail.
Have you seen what new phones can do in low light? I get your point, but phone cameras keep getting better. My buddy took a Milky Way photo with his phone, and it wasn't just a noisy mess. Sure, pro gear helps, but you don't always need it for detail. It's more about how you use the camera and edit the shot. I've looked close at phone pics and they can show a lot.