Never waste a clear night again.
Track celestial targets and plan your nights under the stars. 7-day astro weather, Bortle dark sky maps, optimal viewing & imaging windows, and FOV telescope simulator!
Night Astro Planner gives stargazers, visual observers, and astrophotographers live celestial radar, Bortle light pollution maps, 7-day night-sky weather forecasts, 20-year historical climate reanalysis, and optimal viewing & imaging windows for any location on Earth. Whether you are stargazing from your backyard, sweeping the sky with binoculars, observing through a Dobsonian, or shooting with a smart telescope (ZWO Seestar, DWARF, Vaonis Vespera) or camera rig, get the exact timing and positioning you need for unforgettable nights under the stars.
FOV Telescope & Sensor Framing Simulator
Preview how any deep-sky object fits your exact sensor and focal length before setting up in the dark. Compare multiple rigs simultaneously, switch between astronomical surveys or overlay real images, and dial in your camera rotation angle.
Multi-Rig Sensor Comparison
Overlay ZWO Seestar S50, DWARF 3, and Vaonis Vespera II reticles simultaneously on the Soul Nebula.
Custom Optics & Live Sky Surveys
Configure custom telescopes (e.g., 456mm f/5.7) over DESI and WISE astronomical surveys.
Interactive Rotation & Framing
Rotate in the simulator to preview what framing will look like in your telescope.
Explore Every Screen
Browse app interface images below. Tap any screen to see it in full size.
🔭 Complete Feature Walkthrough
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Real-time target altitude, azimuth, dark sky & moon phase.
Telescope & Sensor Simulator
Custom field-of-view reticles & camera angle rotation on DESI/WISE sky surveys.
Worldwide Bortle Dark Sky Map
Interactive light pollution overlays with Bortle Class 1–9 and SQM readouts.
7-Day Astro Seeing & Weather
Night-specific weather, atmospheric seeing, transparency, and cloud cover.
Target Discovery & Apparent Size
Filter by target category, season, size, and resolve live SIMBAD objects.
12-Month Optimal Transit Calendar
Pinpoints the exact night each target culminates highest during moonless darkness.
20-Year Climate Reanalysis
ERA5 clear-sky historical climatology for long-range expedition planning.
Saved Targets & Up Next
Prioritize your top 5 targets and track imaging progress dusk to dawn.
Bortle Scale & Sky Quality
Detailed SQM magnitude breakdowns for every dark-sky class.
Landscape Mode: Full-Screen Horizon Planner
Inspect local terrain clearance, circumpolar paths, and hour-by-hour trajectories side by side.
📱 iPhone, iPad & Live UI Close-Ups
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Polar Sky Radar
Compass-synced altitude/azimuth reticle with live night scrubber.
Telescope FOV Simulator
Preview sensor framing, focal lengths, and camera rotation angles.
Scout Dark Sky Locations
Worldwide Bortle Class (1–9) and SQM light pollution heatmaps.
Predict the Sky
Night-aware clouds, seeing, transparency, and condition ratings.
Plan Moon-Free Nights
12-month target transit calendar and Up Next priority queue.
Discover Deep Sky
Filter catalog objects by type, apparent angular size, and season.
iPad Pro Polar Radar
Expansive tablet canvas for field-side observatory control.
iPad Pro Target Timeline
Multi-month culmination timeline with Up Next queue management.
iPad Pro Astro Weather
Detailed seeing, transparency, and darkness window breakdown.
Live Radar Reticle
20° & 45° altitude rings with trajectory curve and Best Day finder.
Saved Telescope Locations
Instant Bortle badge comparison and distance readout across locations.
Up Next & Monthly Queue
Peak altitude, best moonless night, and apparent size indicators.
Astro Weather Legend
Pristine, Good, Fair, and Marginal night ratings with darkness windows.
Bortle & SQM Location Inspector
Interactive heatmap opacity slider and one-tap location bookmarking.
Target Size & Type Filters
Filter galaxies and nebulae by apparent size and observing window.
Why Skywatchers & Astrophotographers Love It
Everything you need to explore the night sky, scout dark-sky locations, and plan unforgettable observing or imaging sessions—without switching between five different apps.
Real-Time Celestial Radar & Compass Tracking
Dynamic altitude/azimuth polar reticle synced to your compass. Point your phone at the sky to smoothly orient the radar overlay and satellite map with your physical direction, or pinch-to-zoom to see where planets, galaxies, and nebulae sit relative to your horizon.
FOV Telescope & Sensor Simulator
See how any target fits your eyepiece, binoculars, or camera sensor before setting up. Enter your focal length or select presets for ZWO Seestar, DWARF, and Vaonis Vespera to preview exact field-of-view reticles and rotation angles overlaid on real sky survey imagery.
Up Next Target Queue
Promote up to 5 prioritized targets to guide your stargazing or imaging session from twilight to dawn, keeping your planned sequence front and center throughout the night.
Astro Weather & 20-Year Climate Reanalysis
Know conditions before heading out: 7-day night-aware seeing, transparency, cloud cover, humidity, and dew point. Plus, explore 20 years of historical ERA5 clear-sky climate data for long-range trip planning.
Interactive Night Scrubber
Time-travel through the night. Scrub hour-by-hour from dusk to dawn to check target trajectories, altitude curves, and clearance over trees or local obstructions.
Worldwide Bortle & Dark Sky Maps
Stop guessing sky quality. Explore interactive light pollution overlays with Bortle ratings (Class 1 to 9) and SQM values to pinpoint prime dark-sky locations.
Solar System & Deep-Sky Catalogs
Curated Messier, NGC, and IC targets with high-res imagery, planets and bright asteroids with offline ephemeris, or resolve millions of objects via live SIMBAD mirror integration.
Target Discovery & Apparent Size
Filter by target type, season (Best Tonight, Upcoming, All Year), and apparent target size so you always choose objects suited to your eyes, binoculars, or optics.
Multi-Location Planning, GPS & Instant Reordering
Set your observing location anywhere on Earth. Switching locations instantly recalculates and reorders your entire target list with optimal viewing and imaging times for that specific spot. Use GPS to instantly set your current location or bookmark multiple locations—from backyards to remote dark-sky parks.
Seamless iCloud Sync on iOS & iPadOS
Keep your saved locations and targets automatically synchronized across your iPhone and iPad via iCloud.
Optimal Viewing & Imaging Window Calculator
Whether you are observing faint galaxies through an eyepiece, spotting planets from your deck, or capturing long-exposure photographs, contrast and timing are everything. Every target card automatically computes your optimal viewing and imaging window—both for tonight and the best time of year:
Perfect for Every Way You Watch the Sky
From casual backyard stargazing to dedicated deep-sky astrophotography.
Visual Astronomy & Stargazing
Dobsonian telescopes, refractors, binoculars, and naked-eye observing. Quickly orient to the night sky with live compass radar and track planets and bright clusters.
Smart Telescopes
ZWO Seestar, DWARF, and Vaonis Vespera. Preview sensor framing and find out exactly when targets clear local trees.
Deep-Sky Rigs
Cooled CMOS/CCD cameras, guide scopes, equatorial mounts. Plan multi-hour narrowband and broadband sequences around meridian transit.
Star Trackers & Wide-Field
DSLR and mirrorless cameras capturing constellations, comets, and wide-field deep-sky targets under dark skies.
Night Astro Planner Pro
Unlock the full power of Night Astro Planner with unlimited global observing locations, one-tap GPS location setup, 7-day astronomical weather forecasting, and 20-year historical climate reanalysis.
- ✓ Unlimited custom observing locations worldwide
- ✓ One-tap GPS to instantly set your current location
- ✓ 7-day astronomical weather, seeing & transparency forecasts
- ✓ 20-year historical clear-sky climate reanalysis
- ✓ 3-day free trial on monthly and annual plans
Subscription Information:
Night Astro Planner offers a Pro subscription billed monthly or yearly that auto-renews unless canceled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period.
Payment will be charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase. Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. Subscriptions may be managed and auto-renewal turned off by going to your Account Settings after purchase.
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