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
APPLE WATCH COMPANION APP
• Graphic & text display of polar alignment
• Weather view
• Bubble level
• Day alignment & push/hop-to assist
• Moon/Sun rise/set/twilight/phase
• Weather Tonight widget/complication
* 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’ve been using this app for about a year now and it has become indispensable in aligning my scope when I bring it out for photo sessions. I have arranged my scope so that my phone will rest on it, aligned with the optical axis. I then use the Daytime/No Polarscope Alignment feature to line up on the North Celestial Pole. I do my final polar alignment when it gets dark using the alignment feature in scope control software (EKOS) and Polar Scope Align Pro has gotten me so close already it has saved me quite a bit of time each evening.The leveling feature of the app has been much more accurate than the bubble balance built into my mount as well. I know I haven’t scratched the surface yet but these features alone make it well worth the small investment.
Awesome App
Av8forfun
I use this every single time I take my telescope out. There are too many features that I use to list them all. Read the apps description for that list. However, I start with the daytime polar scope alignment app to get my mount roughly aligned. Then, I use the reticle display for precise alignment once the stars are visible. I love this app. I have purchased several others related to astronomy that have various purposes. Of all of them, this is the most functional, and the one that I most often use.
Helpful and accurate Astrophotography setup
bakkenken
Been in the application for less than 15 minutes while using “Sky View”. They are both great tools on their own and fantastic together. Thank you for helping in my Astrophotography adventure.
Very useful for its purpose
Skydweller76
This is a well made app that can really help with setting up your astrophotography equipment while it’s still daylight. Works well and makes it easy to simply fine tune once Polaris is visible.
• 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
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More