# Lunar Observer — Moon phases, Hijri & eclipses > Precise moon phases, eclipses, and Hijri calendar with detailed astronomical data. (iPhone/iPad app by Humoud Salmeen.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lunar-observer/id6762546936 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Humoud Salmeen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1894626699) - Category: Reference, Lifestyle - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 329 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-04-23 - Data updated: 2026-09-01 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lunar-observer/id6762546936/reviews.md ## What is Lunar Observer? Track the Moon in breathtaking detail. Lunar Observer puts professional-grade astronomical calculations in your pocket — from moonrise and moonset times, illumination percentage, and solar and lunar eclipses, all the way to the Hijri calendar. Everything is computed with absolute precision based on your exact geographic location. PRECISE MOON DATA • Current moon phase with a live readout of illumination percentage and libration. • Sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset times accurate to the second. • Celestial coordinates: altitude, azimuth, and elongation from the Sun. • Distance from Earth, angular diameter, and moon age. 24-HOUR TIMELINE Scrub through the hours with the slider to see exactly where the Moon sits above your horizon at any moment — from the instant it rises to the moment it sets. CHOOSE YOUR MOON Pick between real NASA imagery (per-date photographs from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio, covering 2022–2026 and updated each new year) — or use a live 3D model built from the actual LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) terrain data, with real libration and earthshine on the dark side (recommended for years not covered by NASA's photos). ECLIPSES Comprehensive coverage of every upcoming solar and lunar eclipse, with local circumstances computed for your coordinates. See whether each event is visible from where you are, along with timings from start to finish, eclipse magnitude, and the Moon's altitude at maximum. HIJRI CALENDAR A monthly view of the Hijri calendar with moon-phase markers, anchored to your local timezone so the Hijri date rolls over correctly no matter where you are in the world. NOTIFICATIONS Optional alerts for tonight's moonrise and moonset, the full moon, the supermoon, solar and lunar eclipses visible from your location, the day-29 Hijri crescent watch, and a daily moon brief at the time you choose. All local on your device, with no notification servers. AUTHENTIC ARABIC INTERFACE Full right-to-left Arabic localization, with an option for Arabic-Indic numerals (٠١٢٣…) or a switch to Western digits, and authentic astronomical terminology — محاق, هلال, بدر, كسوف, خسوف — free from clunky machine translation. Arabic day and month names appear throughout the app. GET STARTED GUIDE A short, friendly walkthrough on first launch that shows you how to navigate the timeline, set your location, explore the Hijri month, and turn on notifications. You can re-open it anytime from the "?" mark in Settings. PRIVACY FIRST Your location data never leaves your device. No tracking, no analytics, no account required. Technical note: the app's calculations are powered by NASA's JPL DE440 ephemeris — the same high-precision model used by NASA Horizons and spacecraft navigation — with the VSOP87 and ELP/MPP02 algorithms as a fallback. Sub-arc-second accuracy, with coverage from 1549 to 2650. ## Key features - Precise moon phase and illumination tracking - Sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset times - Upcoming solar and lunar eclipse coverage - Hijri calendar with moon phase markers - Customizable notifications for celestial events - Choice of NASA imagery or 3D terrain model - Full Arabic localization ## Recent user reviews (2 of 2) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lunar-observer/id6762546936/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Useful *2026-05-15* The application very useful for monitoring the moon's phase and determining its condition with high accuracy. Many thanks to the developer of this app ### 5/5 — برنامج رائع لرصد القمر *2026-04-24* رصد القمر بدقه عالية جداً جداً ## Frequently asked questions about Lunar Observer ### What is Lunar Observer? Lunar Observer is a free reference app that provides precise astronomical data about the moon, including its phases, illumination percentage, rise and set times, and upcoming solar and lunar eclipses. It also features a Hijri calendar and offers optional notifications for celestial events. ### How accurate are Lunar Observer's calculations? Lunar Observer uses professional-grade astronomical calculations powered by NASA's JPL DE440 ephemeris, the same high-precision model used by NASA Horizons. This ensures sub-arc-second accuracy for its data, covering a wide range of years. ### Does Lunar Observer have ads? No, Lunar Observer does not contain advertisements. It is a completely free application with no ads or in-app purchases. ### What devices is Lunar Observer available on? Lunar Observer is available for iPhone and iPad devices, offering a detailed astronomical experience on both platforms. ### How does Lunar Observer handle privacy? Lunar Observer prioritizes user privacy by ensuring your location data never leaves your device. It does not employ tracking, analytics, or require an account, offering a secure and private experience. ### Can I choose the moon imagery in Lunar Observer? Yes, Lunar Observer allows you to choose between real NASA imagery from 2022–2026 or a live 3D model built from Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter terrain data. The 3D model is recommended for years not covered by NASA photos. ### What is the age rating for Lunar Observer? Lunar Observer has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide audience interested in learning about the moon and celestial events. ### How often is Lunar Observer updated? Lunar Observer was last updated on June 9, 2026, with version 1.3.0. The app's description indicates that NASA imagery is updated each new year, suggesting regular content refreshes. ## Version history (last 4 releases) ### 2.0 — 2026-08-26 Version 2.0 is a complete rebuild of Lunar Observer, inside and out. A NEW DESIGN — ORBIT The app has been redrawn around a full-width lunar hero, a scrollable week strip, and cards finished in Liquid Glass. Every tab now speaks one visual language. SCRUB THE DAY ALONG THE HORIZON The hour bar is now a horizon scrubber. Drag the needle to move the Moon through the day, and it catches at sunrise, sunset, moonrise, moonset and the day's conjunction with a small stop you can feel. ASTRONOMER MODE One switch turns plain readings into professional ones: arcseconds instead of rounded degrees, seconds on every event time, and a fourth section in Info for the Moon's appearance. CONJUNCTIONS, A DECADE AHEAD Every pass of the Moon with the planets and the bright stars, each listed with the best window to actually see it from where you are. ECLIPSES YOU CAN SEE Solar and lunar eclipses now include the shadow path across the Earth, a preview of maximum phase, and whether totality reaches your location. MERIDIAN TRANSIT The moment the Sun or the Moon reaches its highest point of the day, added to the Info tab. ### 1.3.0 — 2026-06-09 Thanks for using Lunar Observer! This update focuses on a smoother, more polished experience and much better Arabic support. • Get Started guide — a new welcome walkthrough shows you how to use the app. Re-open it anytime from the "?" in Settings. • Full Arabic numerals — numbers across the app can now display in Arabic-Indic numerals (٠١٢…), with a toggle in Settings if you prefer Western digits. Dates, times, the calendar, and the timeline all follow your choice. • Better Arabic throughout — Arabic day and month names everywhere, localized notification details, and refined wording. • A more realistic 3D Moon — refined crescent, terminator, libration, and earthshine, closely matching NASA imagery at every phase. • NASA photos coverage — real Dial-A-Moon imagery bundled for 2022–2026; the live 3D Moon takes over for other years. • Faster & smoother — quicker launches, instant switching between NASA photos and the 3D Moon, and smoother language switching. • Calendar & layout polish — clearer Hijri dates, a cleaner Moon-tab header, and various refinements. Plus bug fixes and stability improvements. ### 1.2.0 — 2026-05-02 Major precision upgrade for eclipse predictions and several UI refinements. Eclipse calculations • Switched to JPL DE440 ephemerides for sub‑arcsecond Sun and Moon positions • Rewrote local‑circumstance calculations using the canonical Bessel‑element formulation (the same method JPL NASA use) • Added Watts lunar limb correction for first/last contact times. • Refit ΔT model for 2020+ dates. Display improvements • Lag time always shows even when the moon sets after midnight • Moonset time now shows the set of the moon that rose today, with the date prefix when it lands the next morning Plus: faster eclipse computation thanks to the new ephemeris pipeline. تحسين كبير في دقة حسابات الكسوف والخسوف، مع تحسينات على واجهة المستخدم. حسابات الكسوف والخسوف • الانتقال إلى تقاويم JPL DE440 لمواقع الشمس والقمر بدقة دون الثانية القوسية. • إعادة كتابة حساب الظروف المحلية باستخدام صيغة Bessel القياسية (نفس الطريقة التي تستخدمها (NASA JPL • إضافة تصحيح Watts لحافة القمر لأوقات بداية ونهاية الخسوف. • تحديث نموذج ΔT لما بعد عام 2020. تحسينات العرض • مكث القمر يظهر دائمًا حتى عندما يغيب القمر بعد منتصف الليل. • تحديث تسميات الكسوف الشمسي إلى بداية الكسوف / ذروة الكسوف / نهاية الكسوف. كما تم تسريع حسابات الكسوف بفضل التقويم الجديد. ### 1.1.0 — 2026-04-23 No release notes. --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-01.*