Polar Scope Align Pro Watch - Reviews, Revenue and Downloads - Apple App Store

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.

The Pro Watch version has all the features of Polar Scope Align Pro, with the addition of an Apple Watch app featuring:
-Graphic & Text display of polar alignment.
-Weather view.
-Bubble level.
-Day alignment & push/hop-to assist.
-Moon/Sun rise/set/twilight/phase.

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 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 res and reducers.
-World astro-weather report based on multiple sources.
-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 alignment (e.g. iOptron iEQ45, CEM60), polar alignment when your scope is not in zero position (for mounts like iOptron 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, Meade LX200 Star Lists.

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In-Apps

Tip 1x

$0.99

Tip 4x

$3.99

Tip 10x

$9.99

Screenshots

User Rating

4.91 out of 5

46 ratings in United States

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Ratings History

Reviews

Awesome

Love this app. It is a great reference tool.

All I want to do was find Polaris …

Lol. This app is chock full of things I can’t comprehend…yet. It is much more than a utility but it’s also a teaching/learning tool as well. I only poked around for a few minutes and was overwhelmed with all the details. Fortunately, this app has a great help approach which is why I’m writing this review. Even though you might not know the things this app displays/configures/mentions, you will be guided so that even a novice at astrophotography/space like me will be able to find their way around. Most apps do a poor job of guiding you but this app does an excellent job. Great app so far. I’m looking forward to seeing what this app can do and also to polar align my star tracker even though my view to Polaris is obstructed which is why I purchased this in the first place.

My GOTO App

I’ve been using this app for about a year now and it has become indispensable in aligning my scope when I bring it out for photo sessions. I have arranged my scope so that my phone will rest on it, aligned with the optical axis. I then use the Daytime/No Polarscope Alignment feature to line up on the North Celestial Pole. I do my final polar alignment when it gets dark using the alignment feature in scope control software (EKOS) and Polar Scope Align Pro has gotten me so close already it has saved me quite a bit of time each evening. The leveling feature of the app has been much more accurate than the bubble balance built into my mount as well. I know I haven’t scratched the surface yet but these features alone make it well worth the small investment.

Helpful and accurate Astrophotography setup

Been in the application for less than 15 minutes while using “Sky View”. They are both great tools on their own and fantastic together. Thank you for helping in my Astrophotography adventure.

Worth the download and worth the purchase

This app is very useful. It’s frequently updated and improved upon. I use it regularly along with the Apple Watch app.

Very useful for its purpose

This is a well made app that can really help with setting up your astrophotography equipment while it’s still daylight. Works well and makes it easy to simply fine tune once Polaris is visible.

Best documentation ever

Complex app for complex problems. Take the time to read the documentation, really well done and very useful for any astronomer

Accurate, Easy

This app makes a polar align easy. I’ve completed alignments then done a plate solve to find I’m well within 2 degrees.

Awesome App

I use this every single time I take my telescope out. There are too many features that I use to list them all. Read the apps description for that list. However, I start with the daytime polar scope alignment app to get my mount roughly aligned. Then, I use the reticle display for precise alignment once the stars are visible. I love this app. I have purchased several others related to astronomy that have various purposes. Of all of them, this is the most functional, and the one that I most often use.

Watch Version Needs Help

As for the app used with phone all seems great, the issue I have is with phone version it’s very very slow and nearly worthless. Is this a known issue?

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Category Rankings

Chart	Category	Rank
Top Paid	Switzerland Utilities	40
Top Paid	Switzerland	387

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