Polar Scope Align Pro

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 8×50, Meade 9×60, Vixen Polaris, Celestron 7×50, 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.
-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).

Please support the app by rating or reviewing! You will never get any annoying in-app popups asking you to do so.
Here’s what’s new:
– Date Circle – Time / RA Circle conversion calculator.
– Rotated reticle view tool option for Star Adverturer to use the Date Graduation circle. Start/Stop tracking works off any rotation position with reset button added.
– Added visual hints to the main page clickable regions (e.g. coordinates).
– Xasteria changes:
— Added a new forecast from MET Norway. It’s based on the non-hydrostatic ECMWF model, which takes altitude in account to improve forecasts in regions with steep/complex terrain. It is a 10-day forecast with configurable display, options for cloud layers and more.
— Added 3-10 forecast days control and a 4h forecast step option (Apple Weather and MET.no).
— Zero values in 7Timer/icon mode are completely blank and option to turn off twilight timings for less cluttered display.
— DST fix for ISS/Satellite times (affects Pacific and Alaska timezones).
— Current GMT offset shown in settings and ISS/Satellite times.
— Various fixes and improved weather display speed.

From April 2023, iOS 9/10 compatible submissions will not be allowed on the app store, so this is the last version I can provide for those with very old devices.