# Stargazing Planner: Darksite — Telescope log & night sky

> Telescope observing planner and logbook with gear-aware target suggestions. (iPhone/iPad app by Jawahar Natarajan.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stargazing-planner-darksite/id6792251293 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Jawahar Natarajan](https://appshunter.io/developer/6772381065)
- Category: Reference, Education
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 66 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-07-30
- Data updated: 2026-09-11
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stargazing-planner-darksite/id6792251293/reviews.md

## What is Stargazing Planner?

You own a telescope. Darksite tells you what it's for tonight.

Open the app on a clear evening and it lays out your night like an almanac page: your dark window, the moon's schedule, the cloud outlook, and a shortlist of targets picked for YOUR telescope, YOUR eyepieces, and YOUR sky. Every pick explains itself in plain words: "M13: peaks 11:24 pm at 68°, fits your 24 mm eyepiece, moon well out of the way, on your Herschel 400 list." No mystery scores. No thousand-object dumps. Just what's worth setting up for.

Then it runs the session. Queue your targets, work through them at the eyepiece in a genuine red field mode (every screen night-vision safe, down to a custom red keyboard), and capture each observation in seconds: hold the button, say what you saw. Date, time, site, gear, magnification and field of view fill themselves in.

And it keeps your observing life. Every session searchable by object, eyepiece, sky quality or site. Messier, Herschel 400 and Lunar certificate programs track themselves as you log, with validated, coordinator-ready export packages when you're ready to submit.

BUILT FOR OBSERVERS
• Tonight, for your telescope: gear-aware target picks with the reasoning spelled out
• Session queue: plan the night, reorder by transit, carry unfinished targets forward
• A real observing log: seeing & transparency scales, sketches, voice notes, photos
• Gear locker: scopes, eyepieces, filters, Barlows; true field of view, magnification and exit pupil computed for every combination
• Life-lists: Messier, Herschel 400, Lunar; watch the certificates fill in
• Red field mode: near-black and red everywhere, brightness floored, no white flashes
• Sky events: ISS passes, meteor showers, aurora outlook, cloud & conditions

YOURS, PROPERLY
• Private by design: no account, no ads, no tracking. Your log lives on your device
• Works fully offline: the catalog, the math and your log never need a signal
• Your data is never hostage: CSV/JSON export and import, backup and restore, free, always
• Pay once for Pro. No subscription. Ever.

Darksite is not a planetarium. It's the missing half of the hobby: the planner and the logbook, done properly. It works alongside the sky-map app you already own.

## Key features

- Gear-aware target suggestions
- Session queue and planning
- Detailed observing logbook
- Red field mode for night vision
- Tracking for astronomy certificates
- Offline functionality
- Data export and import

## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stargazing-planner-darksite/id6792251293/reviews.md

### 5/5 — This is great

*2026-09-04*

I can tell you really took your time with this. I’m starting my amateur journey into stargazing and this app has been extremely helpful in that journey.

**Developer response:** Thank you, that means a lot! I’ve put a lot of care into Darksite, and I’m glad it’s helping you get started with stargazing. If you have any feedback or run into trouble, email me at support@trueframedigital.app. I’d love to hear how you get on. Clear skies!

## Frequently asked questions about Stargazing Planner

### What is Darksite?

Darksite is a planning and logbook application designed for telescope owners. It helps users select celestial targets for observation based on their equipment and current sky conditions, and provides tools to log each session.

### Does Darksite have ads?

No, Darksite is ad-free. The app is designed with privacy in mind and does not feature any advertisements.

### Can I use Darksite offline?

Yes, Darksite works fully offline. The celestial catalog, all calculations, and your observation logs do not require an internet signal to function.

### What devices does Darksite support?

Darksite is available on Mac, iPhone, and iPad, making it accessible across multiple Apple platforms for your stargazing needs.

### How does Darksite help with astronomy certificates?

Darksite automatically tracks your progress for popular astronomy programs like the Messier, Herschel 400, and Lunar certificate programs as you log your observations.

### Can I export my data from Darksite?

Yes, your data is easily exportable. Darksite offers CSV and JSON export options, as well as backup and restore functionality, ensuring your data is never held hostage.

### What is the age rating for Darksite?

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

### How often is Darksite updated?

The latest version of Darksite is 1.1.1, which was last updated on September 2, 2026. Updates aim to improve functionality and user experience for stargazers.

## Version history (last 3 releases)

### 1.1.1 — 2026-09-02

• Backup improvements: save your backup anywhere with the system save dialog, or send a copy to another app
• More reliable backup restore
• Fixed: saving gear without a name now shows what's missing
• Performance improvements and minor fixes

### 1.1 — 2026-08-11

Darksite now speaks Finnish and Hebrew.
Under the hood: a sturdier purchase and restore system, so Pro follows you reliably across devices and reinstalls.

### 1.0 — 2026-07-30

No release notes.

## More apps by Jawahar Natarajan

- [Worthtally: Net Worth Tracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/worthtally-net-worth-tracker/id6772852333)
- [Perfume Collection: FlaconKeep](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/perfume-collection-flaconkeep/id6790038031)
- [Coffee Brew Journal: Pucksmith](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/coffee-brew-journal-pucksmith/id6794451240)
- [Low Tide Planner: ShoreWindow](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/low-tide-planner-shorewindow/id6796933710)
- [Miniature Painting: Zenithal](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/miniature-painting-zenithal/id6797312149)

All apps by Jawahar Natarajan: https://appshunter.io/developer/6772381065

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*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 2026-09-11.*