Plan an evening at the telescope, find the right deep-sky object, and slew the scope to it straight from the app

Which apps people use

These apps are mentioned in the breakdown of this job. Open each one to compare strengths and limits. The order of the list is not a ranking of fitness.

1. 11

   SkySafari 7 Pro

   Rank 11. Review score: 62 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.6★ · 5,381 ratings

   62of 100

   For serious observers with a telescope this is still the best tool for aiming and object reference, many buy every version for years. But recent updates added game-like and social features with sound effects that get in the way of veterans, and Live Sky is called useless. On top of that there are regular crashes when connecting to StarSense and when adding to an observing list.

   Praised: Precise telescope aiming and detailed object info, the best cosmos reference, easy connection to scopes like the Meade LX600, event notifications

   Complaints: Crashes when connecting to StarSense and when adding an object to a list, the interface got cluttered with new games and sounds that a solo observer does not want, the database sometimes cannot find an object

   Best for: An experienced amateur astronomer with a telescope who aims by the app and keeps observing lists

2. 30

   SkySafari 8 Pro

   Rank 30. Review score: 52 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.7★ · 622 ratings

   52of 100

   

   For serious hobbyists it's the industry standard: the most comprehensive set of astro-imaging targets including obscure catalogues, up and running in a minute yet deep on settings. The pricing hurts: you pay around $40 for the app and half the good features sit behind another $49-50/year subscription, plus a bug that keeps asking you to buy what you already paid for. People also complain the MacOS version is weak with broken zoom, and the compass glitches.

   Praised: Most comprehensive astro-imaging target set and obscure catalogues, up in a minute yet deep on settings, importing your own astrophotos into charts, stability and reliability for long-time users, the industry standard

   Complaints: App re-asks you to buy an already-paid subscription, pricey purchase plus a yearly subscription on top, weak MacOS version with broken zoom, glitchy compass, some NGC objects not found, southern-hemisphere issues

   Best for: Serious hobbyists and astrophotographers who need the fullest target catalogue and can handle the messy pricing

3. 25

   SkySafari 7 Plus

   Rank 25. Review score: 55 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.7★ · 1,644 ratings

   55of 100

   

   Serious hobbyists love it for the clean interface, the Tonight tab for planning the evening, the events section, and the telescope link-up for aiming. Long-time users happily pay to upgrade. It breaks because the Tonight button crashes after a recent update, fresh comets are missing from the database, and old paid versions are abandoned amid repeated demands to buy again.

   Praised: Clean intuitive interface, Tonight tab and events section for planning sessions, telescope connection, logging observing sessions

   Complaints: Tonight button crashes after update, fresh comets missing from the database, old paid versions abandoned, nagging demands to repurchase

   Best for: Experienced amateur astronomers with a telescope who plan night sessions and keep an object list

4. 6

   Luminos

   Rank 6. Review score: 68 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.8★ · 1,079 ratings

   68of 100

   

   Experienced hobbyists and astrophotographers keep it as their main planetarium program for planning and observing, valuing the depth and quality of information and the point-device-at-sky tracking. It breaks because the shift to a subscription pulled features long-time buyers already paid for, updates wiped telescope settings and connection points, and one update broke the point-at-sky tracking.

   Praised: Main planetarium program for planning astrophotography, depth and quality of information, point-device-at-sky tracking, regular updates

   Complaints: The shift to subscription pulled already-paid features, updates wiped telescope settings and connection points, broke the point-at-sky tracking, confusing interface and lacking instructions

   Best for: Experienced amateur astronomers and astrophotographers who plan observations and shoot with a telescope

5. 2

   Stellarium Mobile - Star Map

   Rank 2. Review score: 74 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.8★ · 35,824 ratings

   74of 100

   

   Stellarium Mobile is praised as a handy, intuitive tool for finding things in the sky: people locate constellations, Jupiter, M45, and view future positions of objects, and many bought premium at a reasonable price. Its weak spot is orientation and small limits: the app struggles to tell which way you're looking, sometimes flipping 180 degrees, and basic time-forward plus some sky-history depth are locked behind the paid version.

   Praised: Finding constellations, Jupiter and M45, showing future positions of planets and stars, clear and intuitive, reasonable premium price

   Complaints: Can't set which direction you're facing, 180-degree flips with no calibration, time-forward locked in the paid version, sky history capped at 7000 years versus the desktop app, glitchy in places

   Best for: Enthusiasts at any level who want to find objects visually and plan observations

6. 23

   StarMap 3D+ Plus

   Rank 23. Review score: 55 out of 100. App Store rating: 4.8★ · 6,799 ratings

   55of 100

   

   A visual 3D sky map where you can touch an object on screen and get info on it, and when tracking works the targeting is precise and pleasant with kids and grandkids. But for a noticeable share of people the tracking is way off from the compass, the app crashes on launch or no longer recognizes the Moon. Many are annoyed by the constellation drawings that can't be removed and the lack of instructions.

   Praised: Select an object by touching the screen with precise info, visual 3D view, precise targeting when it works, fun with kids and grandkids, shows nearly the whole sky

   Complaints: Tracking way off from the compass and stuck on north, crashes on launch, stopped recognizing the Moon, can't remove constellation drawings, no instructions or guide, dead developer website links, contacts servers despite the stated privacy policy

   Best for: Hobbyists who like 3D and touch-to-select objects, if their phone tracking is fine

7. 47

   Celestron SkyPortal

   Rank 47. Review score: 30 out of 100. App Store rating: 3.6★ · 347 ratings

   30of 100

   

   The app ships with Celestron telescopes, and at its core job it lets people down: aligning the scope through it is very hard, the target in the app doesn't match where the telescope points, an alignment error pops up, the screen flickers. After iOS updates many find it simply crashes on launch or stopped connecting to the scope. People move to Stellarium and SkySafari, which handle it better.

   Praised: Ships with the Celestron telescope, northern-sky object library, compass mode for a rough view, simplicity when it works

   Complaints: Nearly impossible to align the telescope, target doesn't match the scope and alignment errors, screen flicker, crashes on launch after iOS updates, stops connecting to the scope, no red night mode, laggy controls

   Best for: Celestron telescope owners who need scope control, though many end up switching to Stellarium or SkySafari

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