Polar Scope Align Pro 4+

Scope alignment & astro tools

Dimitrios Kechagias

    • 4.9 • 82 Ratings
    • £3.99
    • Offers In-App Purchases

Screenshots

Description

Apart from the most reliable app for polar alignment (with or without a polar scope), PS Align pro has become the astronomer's swiss-army knife with all the tools added over the years. Remember, all features & updates are free forever, the only in-app purchases are donations (tip jar).

Polar Scope Align will calculate the position of Polaris or σ Octantis in your Polar Scope reticle for your location (using your phone's GPS or manually), allowing a quick and accurate polar alignment. It is one of the few programs that are accurate in lower latitudes by correcting for atmospheric refraction (so expect results to agree only with precise software and not most simplistic "polar align" apps - see the "Accuracy" section in help for details). In the settings you can select the polar scope reticle that matches your own, from a vast collection:
iOptron old & new, Astro-Physics RAPAS & PASILL, various versions of Takahashi EM-10/11/200/400/500, NJP, PM-1, P2-Z, the latest Orion / Skywatcher, the Classic Skywatcher / Orion / Celestron / Meade / EXOS2 / Bresser, 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. If you have one not included, just ask the developer to add it!

Feature list:

-Accurate calculation of Polaris or Sigma Oct for any date and location, including effect of atmospheric refraction (and annual aberration, nutation). Most other apps do not perform precision calculations, so please only compare app readings to accurate sources (USNO, scientific software etc).
-Use device time/date/location, or enter your own, or pick from online & offline world databases via the Location Manager.
-Approximate daytime / no polarscope polar alignment tool. Great for visual use, solar imaging (inc. eclipses) and even limited short focal length astrophotography. Now with sun shadow calibration for more accuracy!
-Laser / Hop Align for nighttime alignment using a calibration star for obstructed or not visible polar star, or for improving laser align.
-Full app in red-color (or alternative green, white) night mode - tools switchable to daytime view.
-Deep Space Object (DSO) Database with 22000+ objects from several catalogs (Messier, Caldwell, NGC, IC, Herschell 400, Sharpless 2, Barnard), along with stars (Yale Bright Star) & planets. Search, apply filters, sorting, download DSS color images for all items, or get help finding them with your non-goto telescope with the Push-To function.
-Connect to and control WiFi-enabled iOptron mounts.
-Over 30 calculators useful for observing and astrophotography, from eyepiece magnification and field of view, to imaging resolution and reducers.
-Xasteria: World astro-weather report based on multiple sources, including 7Timer.
-Solar Eclipse Calculator / Simulator
-Water vapor satellite images.
-List of visible ISS and bright satellite passes.
-Moon phase & lunar Calendar with solar/lunar rise/set and twilight times.
-Wizard to calculate your reticle centering offset and correct or compensate for it.
-Zoomable reticle view and customized routines & tools: Alt-az alignment error display for mounts that calculate it after star alignment (e.g. iOptron iEQ45, CEM60), polar alignment when your scope is not in zero position (for mounts like iOptron ZEQ/CEM on which you can always access the polar scope), remember zero position on Celestron / Skywatcher / Orion etc reticles.
-Bubble level (using either gyro or accelerometer) and Compass heading, as well as magnetic declination reading.
-GPS accuracy & elevation data.
-Red/White/LED light.
-Dimming slider.
-iOptron, NexStar and Meade LX200 Star Lists.
-Support for iPhone & iPad from iOS 9 (and iPod Touch, except tools that require the compass).

What’s New

Version 6.8

Please support the app by reviewing or rating! You will never get annoying popups asking you in the app.
What's new:
- Added Alt-Az Field Rotation calculator.
- Barlow/Reducer option added to 6 calculators (Eyepiece Magnification, Eyepiece Projection Focal Length, FoV for Imaging System, Actual Size of Lunar View, Eyepiece Field of View, Arcsec/px for Imaging System).
- Updated Sat24 and Clear Sky Chart locations for Xasteria Weather.

Ratings and Reviews

4.9 out of 5
82 Ratings

82 Ratings

G.N.P.1. ,

Indispensable!

Absolutely brilliant app. Makes polar alignment of my equatorial mount an absolute doddle compared to what it used to be. The developer is very helpful too, I had made my own polar scope using low cost lenses and reticle from eBay. I enquired about adding my reticle and a couple of weeks later it was included but with extra features I hadn’t even considered. Stop struggling with the ( vague ) instructions from your telescope mount manual and get this app, I guarantee you won’t regret it. You can even use the daytime alignment feature to get your mount a hairs width from perfection while waiting for nightfall. And there’s a host of other tools.

Norfolk Traveller ,

All you need for polar alignments

This is a brilliant app that simply and effortlessly tells me all I need to know to get a great polar alignment. Astrophotography is a hobby that will kick you in the nuts at every opportunity and, frankly, is for saddists. This one blessed little app is about the only thing that never lets me down. Meantime, here comes the clouds, wind, rain, moon, stuck adaptors, focussing issues, USB failures, neighbours that install spotlights, and random bits of dust that appear in your imaging chain and take just enough time to find as it takes to cloud over... great app tho :)

Dan98765 ,

An essential tool for astronomy

Let’s be honest, this is not a mainstream application. It’s a tool for those people who like the stars, own a telescope/mount and what to accurately calibrate it before beginning a visual or photography session. And for that purpose it is the best application you could wish for.

The other features are very useful too such as the dso catalogue and coordinates. But the alignment tool is what makes this app number one on my list of apps to check before starting an imaging session.

Get it. It’s an essential tool.

App Privacy

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 based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More

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