Polar Scope Align Pro is a complete toolkit for amateur astronomers: accurate polar alignment, deep-sky observing, astro weather, push-to/manual GoTo, iOptron mount WiFi control, widgets and more. All features and updates are free forever. Optional in-app purchases are just tips to support development.
POLAR ALIGNMENT
• Calculates Polaris or σ Octantis position for 30+ reticle types: iOptron, Astro-Physics, Takahashi, Skywatcher, Vixen, Celestron, Orion, Astrotrac and others*
• Atmospheric refraction correction for accuracy at any latitude
• Works with or without a polar scope
ALIGNMENT WITHOUT A POLAR SCOPE
• Daytime / No Polar Scope Alignment: works day and night with just your phone's gyro
• Camera Azimuth Calibration: use sun/moon/stars to calibrate gyro and align accurately without a compass, immune to magnetic interference
• Laser / Hop Align: nighttime alignment for maximum accuracy with a laser or a scope with no view of Polaris
• Live sky map guides you to the celestial pole in real time
• Sun Finder helps you point your filtered telescope/telephoto to the Sun
PUSH TO (MANUAL GOTO)
• Attach your phone to any scope and convert it to manual/push GoTo
• Select from a large database and use direct push or more accurate hop-to mode
DEEP SKY OBJECT DATABASE
• 22,000+ objects with altitude graphs, rise/set times and more info
• Save and manage curated observing lists
• Filter, search, sort and push to any target
XASTERIA ASTRO WEATHER
• Hourly astronomy forecasts from 7Timer, OpenWeather, MET Norway and Apple Weather, plus a configurable Multi-source forecast
• Animated satellite Cloud Map with recent EUMETSAT and NASA infrared imagery
• Aurora forecasts
• ISS and bright satellite passes with an All Sky night chart, individual sky charts, live map tracking, and Tiangong and Hubble views
• Solar eclipse tool with past and future eclipses, live mode with audio cues
• Experimental eclipse camera for automated photoshoots of partial phase, diamond ring, Baily's beads, totality bracketing
• Interactive light pollution map using World Atlas and recent VIIRS data
CALCULATORS & TOOLS
• 30+ calculators for observing and astrophotography
• Moon phase calendar with altitude graphs
• Solar eclipse calculator and simulator
• Bubble level & Compass
IOPTRON WIFI MOUNT CONTROL
• Connect to WiFi-enabled iOptron mounts (HAE, HAZ, HEM, CEM, GEM and more)
• Automatic date/time/location setup
• Switch between Equatorial and Alt-Az on mounts that support both
• Move & Sync: directional control with a live sky map
• Point GoTo: aim your phone at a patch of sky and send the mount there
• Current Point Query: find out what the mount is pointing at
• GoTo any object from the DSO Database
NIGHT-FRIENDLY
• Red, green or white night mode with dimmer
WIDGETS
• Configurable Tonight and Multi astronomy weather forecasts
• Upcoming bright satellite passes
• Aurora probability, activity forecast and NOAA aurora map
* Full list of supported reticles:
Astro-Physics RAPAS & PASILL, iOptron, the latest Orion / Skywatcher, the Classic Skywatcher / Orion / Celestron / Meade / EXOS2 / Bresser / MSM, various versions of Takahashi EM-10/11/200/400/500, NJP, PM-1, P2-Z, the Telrad, Rigel QuikFinder, a couple for Astrotrac / Losmandy / Kenko / Avalon, the Vixen PF-L/Atlux/SX/SXD/SXP/AXD/GP/GP-DX/Polarie Polar Axis Scopes, a Konus and several Polar Finders: Tuthill, Explore Scientific 8x50, Meade 9x60, Vixen Polaris, Celestron 7x50, Carton Optical. PoleMaster help view for South Hemisphere users.
I recently purchased the Pro version of this app. I use it with and Explore Scientific iEXOS-100 eq mount and a William Optics Z61 scope. I have an extremely limited view of the northern sky (none at all — trees and other obstructions). Therefore I need a way to polar align with no view of Polaris. I tried over and over again to “align” my mount. However, I use the compass to get a rough setting for North. Place my iPhone on the mount head and, as I do so, it drifts toward the West. When it finally settles, it wants me to make a correction by almost 15-18 degrees. This is way off. I take the iPhone off the mount, open the compass away from the mount and it again shows the correct North. There must be a way to compensate for this aberration. If there isn’t, the app is worthless for my use. By the way, I do love all the positive responses but, for me, it has not be useful so far.Update: (3/7/19) Update: I’ve made some adjustments, including purchasing a five inch dovetail and an inexpensive smart phone mount. This gets my iPhone away from the core of the mount. I tried a few nights ago (3/3/19) and was able to do a decent polar alignment using just PS Align Pro. Now I am able to give the app five stars.
Developer Response
Hello, and sorry for the trouble you had. However, the review is rather unfair, as the in-app help is very clear about this: you can't just put the phone on the mount, the compass will be way off! That's how magnetometers work. There is an entire section about how to avoid this with various suggestions if you click the info button and read the help for the Daytime Alignment tool. In fact, there have been astronomy publications showing phones on mounts as a good idea and I point out how bad advice that is. I didn't think this would be missed, the header text points you to the info button to learn how to use the tool, perhaps I'll find a way to make it even more clear on the next version.In any case, because you seem to have a nice setup for astrophotography, I should warn that the Daytime Alignment tool in any case is just a small utility that is meant mainly for aligning for solar tracking or at most visual observation in the night time. If you are planing to try some astrophotography, without access to the north I think you'd have to do the (more cumbersome unfortunately) process of drift alignment.You can always use the contact form on the Polar Scope Align site to write to me directly with any concerns.Regards,Dimitrios
Surprisingly Useful
Annoyed consumer 6613
I purchased the Pro version to give it a try and help me setup an Orion Atlas Pro mount. The app was surprisingly easy to use with great functionality. It can be as easy as opening it up to see what position to align your mount or dive into more detail about various objects in the sky and where they’re located. You can change the mount type being setup for a variety of brands that any backyard astronomer would be familiar with. Additionally, there’s an exceedingly huge catalog of information under the menu. Press the cog wheel and you open up the object list which was a delightful addition that justified supporting the app and purchasing the Pro version.
Great app
george lucas was better
I’ve been using the free version of this app for several years and after just recently purchased the pro version to go along with my new mount. For the price of the pro version, it has a lot of great features. I would recommend getting this app for sure. However, what would make this app even better would be have it interface with a guide camera or even have its own accessory camera to get spot on polar alignment. I know there are electronic polar scopes already with their own proprietary software, but if this app offered a polar alignment assist using a guide camera and without being obligated to an annual subscription like some of the competitors, this app may very well earn 5 stars from me.
Developer Response
Hi. Unfortunately iOS apps don't have access to USB devices (unless you are a manufacturer and chosen for Apple's MFi partner program), so even if I wanted to, it would not technically be possible.This is why you see several apps that can communicate with USB webcams etc on Android, MacOS, Windows, but not iOS.
Many Extras
Jmcgrady
I got this app for the real time polar alignment scope reticle simulation. That’s the main feature, but I find myself using this app for planning my observations with the deep sky and solar system object database or leveling mounts even when I don’t need a polar alignment. It has tons of extra info and features beyond the polar alignment scope!I also appreciate that the pro version is a one time fee and not a subscription. Thank you!If the developer added a feature (or created a new app) to record my observations in association with the object database, I’d be first in line to buy that.
• Redesigned Location Manager.
• Redesigned settings screens for all tools, with integrated help.
• Xasteria weather improvements:
◦ Redesigned Light Pollution tool with an interactive map using World Atlas 2015 or Xasteria/VIIRS data. Pan, zoom and tap any location for sky brightness and approximate Bortle estimates. Includes road and satellite backgrounds, adjustable opacity, night colours and an expandable information panel.
◦ Dedicated Light Pollution help explaining the data sources, SQM and the subjective nature of Bortle estimates.
◦ New Multi forecast combines 7Timer astronomy data with the optimal short-term forecast from MET.no or Apple Weather. Tap marked disagreements to compare the original data.
◦ New animated Cloud Map using EUMETSAT and NASA GIBS infrared imagery, with a time slider, playback controls and your location marked.
◦ New All Sky Map for Satellites shows the entire night on one chart, with satellite trajectories, a time slider and adjustable playback speed.
◦ Bright and Brightest satellite tabs merged into a single Satellites tab with an instant brightness filter.
◦ Faster satellite pass and sky-map calculations, with progress indication.
◦ New configurable Weather Multi widget with selectable fields, multiple display styles, day/night shading, Moon phase and source update details.
◦ Improved Weather Tonight widget with automatic source selection and a configurable extra row.
◦ Fixed NOAA and water-vapour links.
• Optional one-time camera lens alignment to verify and correct the camera when performing azimuth calibration.
• Improved iOptron WiFi direction pad, plus a new joystick available throughout the app for manual movement and synchronisation.
• Improved DSO database listings, particularly chart and image loading. Long-press an object’s details to copy its data.
• A vertical line on DSO database, Lunar Calendar and Weather charts now indicates the current time.
• New coordinate units setting: DMS or decimal.
• Added Sh2 designations to all Sharpless objects.
• Layout fixes for large font settings.
• Windowed mode fixes.
A quick rating or review on the App Store is always appreciated. For suggestions or feedback:
http://astro.ecuadors.net
Version 7.2
The developer, Dimitrios Kechagias, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Usage Data
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Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
