iPhone & iPad Astronomy Software
Your iPhone and iPad aren't just accessories to your Mac setup — they're essential field tools. Every iOS and iPadOS astronomy app worth using, organized by workflow.
Planetarium & Sky Maps
Visual sky maps and star charts for your pocket. Point your phone at the sky for instant object identification, or use the search to find your next target.
The definitive mobile planetarium. Deep catalogs, telescope control in Plus and Pro tiers, observing lists, and AR sky overlay. The v8 redesign adds OneSky social features.
Mobile version of the beloved open-source desktop planetarium. Faithful rendering with a massive object database.
Clean, modern planetarium with guided sky tours and event calendar. Good for beginners.
Apple Design Award winner with beautiful AR overlays. Apple Vision Pro support. Night Sky+ adds advanced features.
Augmented reality planetarium with clean visuals. Point and identify with optional deep-sky IAP packs.
Curated planetarium with editorial articles by Dr. Jenifer Millard. Beautiful design with time-travel feature.
Pro-level planetarium that has never required a paid major-version upgrade. One purchase, always updated.
Celestron's planetarium with 120,000+ objects. Controls Celestron WiFi-equipped telescopes.
3D model of the Milky Way. Explore our galaxy from any vantage point.
Detailed 3D moon atlas with landing sites, crater names, and libration visualization.
Weather & Observing Conditions
Will it be clear tonight? Standard weather apps can't tell you about astronomical seeing, transparency, or smoke. These can.
Best astronomy-specific weather forecast. 84-hour predictions for cloud cover, seeing, transparency, and wildfire smoke integration.
Seven-day hourly forecasts with traffic-light color coding for cloud, seeing, and transparency. Works worldwide.
Free worldwide astronomy weather via 7Timer forecast data. Simple interface.
Dedicated astronomy weather app with forecasts tailored to telescope use.
Simple go/no-go forecast for tonight's stargazing conditions.
Aurora probability and Kp index forecasts with push notifications for geomagnetic storms.
Dark Sky & Light Pollution
Finding a dark observing site is the single biggest upgrade you can make. These apps help you find the darkest skies near you.
1,000+ curated dark sites with user reviews, Clear Sky Charts integration, and driving directions. The best way to find a dark site.
Interactive light pollution map using VIIRS satellite data with Bortle class overlay.
Smart Telescope & Hardware Companions
Smart telescopes have transformed entry-level astrophotography. These companion apps control specific hardware — if you own the device, you need the app.
ZWO's all-in-one imaging controller. Replaces a laptop for capture, guiding, plate solving, and sequencing with ASIAIR hardware.
Companion app for ZWO's Seestar smart telescopes (S30, S30 Pro, S50). One-tap target finding and automated imaging.
Controls Unistellar Odyssey, eVscope, and eQuinox smart telescopes. Enhanced vision stacking and citizen science programs.
Companion app for Vaonis smart telescopes (Vespera II, Vespera Pro, Hestia). Mosaic mode and observation automation.
Controls DWARF 3 and DWARF Mini smart telescopes. Automated target acquisition and stacking.
Companion app for Celestron Origin and Origin Mark II smart telescopes.
ZWO's camera control suite. Direct camera control and ASILive stacking from your device.
Astrophotography & Camera
Your iPhone is a surprisingly capable nightscape camera with the right app. From dedicated astro capture to planning tools for wide-field shots.
The best iOS astrophotography camera app. ISO Boost for 4x higher sensitivity, four dedicated astro modes, long exposure, star trails, and meteor detection.
Capture, align, stack, and edit astrophotos entirely on-device. Saves 16-bit TIFF files.
The photographer's planning powerhouse. Night AR mode, Milky Way planner, blue hour/golden hour, and augmented reality for shot planning.
Sun, moon, and Milky Way position planning for landscape and nightscape photography.
Simple astrophotography capture app with manual controls and timer.
Satellite & ISS Tracking
Track the International Space Station, Starlink trains, and other satellites with precise pass predictions.
Clean, ad-free ISS and satellite pass predictions. The best free satellite tracking app.
Satellite pass predictions with AR sky view for locating passes. IAP adds additional satellite catalogs.
All of your favorite astro gear in one place.
Shop telescopes, cameras, mounts, and accessories. Shopping through this link supports Mac Observatory at no extra cost to you.
ZWO · Celestron · Askar · Sky-Watcher · William Optics
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Planning & Utilities
Field tools that complement your observing or imaging session — from polar alignment to target planning.
Polar alignment utility using phone sensors. Quick and accurate polar alignment aid for equatorial mounts.
Full-featured observation planner and logger with equipment profiles and target recommendations.
FOV calculator, equipment comparison, and planning tools in the browser. Mobile-friendly.
Target finder, telescope simulator, mosaic planner, and session planning. The web's best planning tool.
AR-based tool to help locate deep-sky objects at the eyepiece using phone orientation.
Meteor shower calendar with peak predictions, radiant position, and hourly rate forecasts.
Catalog and observation logger for double star observers.
Jupiter and Saturn moon position calculator. Shows moon identification and transit/shadow events.
Education & Reference
Learn about space, track missions, and explore the cosmos from your couch.
Official NASA app with mission updates, live streams, image galleries, and space news.
Interactive catalog of confirmed exoplanets updated daily. 3D visualization of planetary systems.
Interactive 3D solar system model with detailed planet and spacecraft information.