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Dark Skies: Astrophotography

Dark Skies: Astrophotography

Milky Way Photo Planner

9 ratings
33 reviews
🌟 Lifestyle
📷 Photo & Video
Free
In-App Purchases

Details

Released
March 27, 2014
Updated
October 21, 2026

Features

Developer

Nathan Stryker
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🧾$39.99
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About

Plan your night sky photography sessions with weather forecasts, astronomical dark windows, and AR guidance. This app helps photographers decide the best times for shooting the Milky Way, meteors, and moon. It offers fast field tools without ads or accounts.

✓Milky Way and Galactic Core planning
✓AR sky guidance
✓Moon phase and visibility tools
✓Astronomical twilight timing
✓Nightly weather forecasts
✓Star exposure calculator
✓Custom camera profiles
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+1

What's New in Dark Skies

5.4

October 21, 2026

**Dark Skies 5.4 — Ready for iPhone Duo** A bigger view of the night ahead. Dark Skies now adapts to the new iPhone Duo, from the outer display to the spacious unfolded screen. - Refined layouts for Tonight, Best Nights, forecasts, and Maps across Duo display sizes. - Improved presentation as available screen space changes. - Additional interface polish and reliability improvements for everyday night planning. Find darker places. Choose better nights. Spend more time capturing the sky.

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Subscriptions & In-App Purchases

Dark Skies Pro Annual

Receive all the pro features for a year

$19.991 Year
How to cancel Dark Skies subscription ⁉️

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

Night shooter

This used to be about a map that showed you where the dark sky was. Now it’s kind of useless.
RHR Hockey

Response from developer

Hi — the dark-sky map is still available! From the Tonight screen, open Best Location to see nearby viewing conditions and the map showing where skies are darkest. We recently redesigned Dark Skies, so I’m sorry this was harder to find than it should have been. Your review is actually helpful feedback — we’re looking at ways to make the map and Best Location feature much more obvious in the app. If you have any trouble finding it, please reach out through Support in the app and I’d be happy to help.

Big update! No more ads

I thought this app was dead, then this huge update shows up! AND no more ads! Fantastic work!
CCyn2bme

Huge Update

I don’t know where this app has been for the last 5 years, but the latest update is awesome. No more ads, the design feels cleaner, and there are a ton of new features that make it way more useful. It feels like Dark Skies finally got the upgrade it deserved. Great app for anyone who likes planning around the night sky.
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HHockeyGoalieGuyMN

Dissapointed

Useless, no settings, light etc on the screen,
SStapio

Response from developer

Thank you for the feedback, and I’m sorry the earlier version created such a poor experience. Dark Skies has since been completely rebuilt: all ads have been removed, camera and lens profiles are customizable, and the app now includes nightly planning, forecasts, AR sky guidance, and updated exposure tools.

Useless

Ads over top of the app.
SSdcinns

Response from developer

Thank you for the feedback, and I’m sorry the earlier version created such a poor experience. Dark Skies has since been completely rebuilt: all ads have been removed, camera and lens profiles are customizable, and the app now includes nightly planning, forecasts, AR sky guidance, and updated exposure tools.

See 28 more reviews

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FAQ

What is the subscription cost for Dark Skies?

Dark Skies offers a monthly subscription for $2.99 and an annual subscription for $19.99. These plans unlock Pro features for enhanced planning and tools.

Does Dark Skies have ads?

No, Dark Skies is ad-free, providing an uninterrupted experience for photographers planning their night sky sessions.

What devices is Dark Skies available on?

Dark Skies is available on iOS devices and supports iCloud sync across your devices, ensuring your saved locations and profiles are always up-to-date.

How often is Dark Skies updated?

The latest version, 4.8, was released on June 20, 2026, indicating a commitment to regular updates and feature enhancements for users.

What is the age rating for Dark Skies?

Dark Skies has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in photography and astronomy.

Can I use Dark Skies offline?

While the app utilizes Apple Weather for forecasts, core features like AR guidance, exposure calculators, and saved locations are designed for use in the field, often with limited connectivity.

What makes Dark Skies different from other photography apps?

Dark Skies focuses specifically on night sky planning with features like astronomical dark window timing and AR sky guidance, offering specialized tools without requiring an account or displaying ads.

How does the AR sky guidance work in Dark Skies?

The AR sky guidance uses your device's camera to overlay celestial objects like the Galactic Core and Moon onto your live view, helping you frame your shots accurately.