# StarTeller — Deep-Sky Astronomy Planner > Deep-sky astronomy planner for astrophotographers with detailed visibility data. (iPhone/iPad app by Connor Rauscher.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starteller/id6760154168 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Connor Rauscher](https://appshunter.io/developer/1882888047) - Category: Reference, Education - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 7 App Store ratings · 7 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.1 · 141 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-06-10 - Data updated: 2026-09-28 - Monetization: freemium - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starteller/id6760154168/reviews.md ## What is StarTeller? Introducing StarTeller for iOS: your personal guide to the night sky, built for astrophotographers who refuse to miss a shot. StarTeller takes the guesswork out of planning your next imaging session. With a catalog of over 13,000 deep-sky objects at your fingertips, you'll know exactly when each target rises, peaks, and sets, down to the minute, so you can make every clear night count. Whether you're chasing faint nebulae, distant galaxies, or glittering star clusters, StarTeller tells you the best night to image each object from your exact location. See how long each target will be above the horizon, check its coordinates, and preview reference images, all before you ever step outside. Built as a planning companion for your telescope rig, StarTeller helps you build a session plan around what the sky is actually offering tonight. No more scrolling forums or cross-referencing almanacs. Just open the app, pick your targets, and know exactly when to shoot them. All visibility calculations run on your device with precise astronomical math, no internet required. Reference images load online, or download them in Settings for offline use. No AI-generated answers, just deterministic astronomy math that works anywhere, including dark sites with no signal. StarTeller Features: - 13,000+ deep-sky objects across the Messier, NGC, IC, SH2, and other catalogs - Full visibility data for every object: rise, peak, and set times, altitude arc, observing duration, nights visible per year from your location, magnitude, angular size, and coordinates in J2000 or JNow - Real reference photos for every target, so you know what you're aiming at before you set up - Search by object name, catalog ID (e.g. M42, NGC 6992), or constellation; filter and sort by type, catalog, altitude, size, and best date - Interactive sky map for any location and date, with constellation lines, star names, object paths, and an altitude grid - Altitude timeline: scrub through the night and watch any object's arc update in real time, on any night past or future - Telescope framing: save your scope and camera (focal length, reducer or Barlow, sensor size, or a direct field of view) and see exactly how a target frames up before you shoot - Custom horizon: trace your real skyline through the camera and StarTeller factors your trees and rooftops into every visibility calculation - Astronomical darkness: civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight, plus the exact dark window for tonight - Moon planning: phase, illumination, moonrise and moonset, angular size, and the next new and full moon dates - All seven planets tracked in real time, with rise, set, and peak times from your location - Set and save unlimited locations easily by using GPS, map pin, or manual coordinate entry, and keep your targets in a dedicated favorites view - AR sky mode: point your phone at the sky to align the map with the real night above you - Night vision red mode to preserve your dark adaptation in the field - Core planning works fully offline; optional image downloads for complete offline use Free includes the complete Messier catalog (110 objects) and access to all app features. Upgrade to StarTeller Pro to unlock all 13,000+ objects across NGC, IC, SH2, and additional catalogs. Whether you're a seasoned astrophotographer or just getting started with your first telescope, StarTeller puts the entire night sky on your schedule. The sky is waiting. Show up ready. ## Key features - 13,000+ deep-sky objects - Full visibility data (rise, peak, set times) - Interactive sky map with AR mode - Offline calculations - Customizable locations - Night vision red mode ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | StarTeller Pro | $4.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (7 of 7) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starteller/id6760154168/reviews.md ### 5/5 — StarTeller *2026-07-03* This is a very handy app. Quick and easy to use. Helps prioritize what to focus on and what’s coming up. Huge database of DSO objects. ### 5/5 — Great for beginners *2026-06-18* I’m pretty new at Astro-photography but this app has been great so far. Not only does it let me know the best things to see each night but it shows where it exactly is and the path it traces through the sky. Definitely would recommend for anyone new ### 5/5 — Seriously Great App! Pro and casual stargazers! *2026-06-14* I went star gazing the other night and tried this app primarily because it doesn’t have a crazy tier structure that requires higher payments for the features I actually want for the few times a year I go out on a serious trip - like the red light background that doesn’t mess with my night vision while using my phone. Long story short, it’s pretty awesome. I may even go out more after seeing some of the pics of what’s out there and the fact that the app actually helps me find them. ### 5/5 — Great app *2026-06-13* This is a really great app. Very easy to use. Quick. Lots of useful information regarding the best time to view thousands of galaxies, nebulae, etc. Highly recommended. ### 5/5 — This app is out of this world *2026-06-13* learned so much about the night sky ### 5/5 — Very useful *2026-06-12* Tells you the optimal time to see thousands of deep sky objects (DSO’s). I’m not aware of another app that does this. Extremely helpful. ### 5/5 — Look up at night *2026-06-11* This app makes me more interested to look up at the night sky and know what I’m looking at ## Frequently asked questions about StarTeller ### What is StarTeller? StarTeller is a deep-sky astronomy planner designed for astrophotographers. It helps users determine the optimal times to image celestial objects by providing detailed visibility data and an interactive sky map. ### Does StarTeller work offline? Yes, the core planning features of StarTeller, including visibility calculations, run entirely on your device without an internet connection. Optional reference images can be downloaded for complete offline use. ### What objects are included in StarTeller? The free version of StarTeller includes the complete Messier catalog with 110 objects. Upgrading to StarTeller Pro unlocks over 13,000 deep-sky objects from catalogs like NGC, IC, and SH2. ### How does StarTeller help plan imaging sessions? StarTeller provides precise rise and set times, peak visibility, and altitude arcs for celestial objects from your specific location. This allows you to build a session plan around what the sky offers each night. ### What devices is StarTeller available on? StarTeller is available for iPhone and iPad devices. It is designed to run on iOS. ### How often is StarTeller updated? The latest version of StarTeller is 1.0.1, which was last updated on June 23, 2026. Updates are provided by developer Connor Rauscher. ### What is the age rating for StarTeller? StarTeller has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in astronomy. ### Can I use StarTeller without a subscription? Yes, StarTeller offers a free version that includes the complete Messier catalog and all app features. An optional upgrade to StarTeller Pro is available for access to a larger object catalog. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.0.4 — 2026-07-25 Prepare yourself for the 1.0.4 Planetary update! This update brings all seven planets to the sky map, with a new section in the Solar System tab to track their peak altitudes, brightness, and more. In addition, you can now spot the major moons of various planets, complete with realistic eclipse shadows! Our Moon has also been upgraded with stunning new 8k textures, 16x sharper than before! MAJOR FEATURES: - All 7 planets are now visible on the sky map, complete with realistic light simulation for proper eclipse shadows. - The planets each have their own informational section on the newly named "Solar System" tab. - Major moons of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are also now in StarTeller. - The Moon is now 16x sharper, with a stunning new 8k texture. MINOR IMPROVEMENTS: - Added ASTC compression for milky way and moon textures. - More consistent icons throughout the app. - Improved telescope framing preview resizing. - Fixed timing of when deep-sky object outlines appear on the sky map. - Tuned planet zoom and sphere lighting for a more realistic look. - Sky map search box now clears properly after a search. - Fixed a horizon/iPad resizing bug and made labels and taps work through the ground preview. - Many small wording, layout, and performance improvements. ### 1.0.3 — 2026-07-16 Prepare yourself for the 1.0.3 New Horizons update! This update allows you to use AR to trace your horizon, to unlock pinpoint-accurate observation times tailored perfectly to your viewing site. In addition, you can now add your telescope's viewfinder to the app, to see exactly what your scope's field of view will look like! MAJOR FEATURES: - You are now able to capture your horizon through the camera! This allows visibility to account for the trees, hills, and buildings around you. - Add your telescope or camera and see its exact framing as a rectangle on the sky map, with presets for popular smart scopes (Seestar, Dwarf, Unistellar, Vaonis, Celestron) and dedicated rigs. - Upgraded the Sun and Moon to far more precise algorithms for better far-future positioning and timing. MINOR IMPROVEMENTS: - The sky map now glides with momentum when you swipe. - Added more detail and symbols to the Sun & Moon page. - Streamlined the Settings tab. - Fixed location cache bugs. - Many small wording, layout, and performance improvements. ### 1.0.2 — 2026-07-06 Prepare yourself for the 1.0.2 UI Overhaul update! This massive update brings a fresh look for every page of StarTeller, making it more informational and easy to use than ever! WHAT’S NEW: -A brand-new Deep Sky home page with a cleaner layout, better tablet view, and extra filtering modes -A fully redesigned Location tab, now with a nicer look, smoother workflow, and room for horizon scanning features (coming soon) -The sky map is now a pull-in panel available from any tab, with a new time scrubber, in-map object search, details pane, and an offscreen target arrow -A redesigned first-launch tutorial, replayable anytime from Settings -A rebuilt Settings tab, now more extensible for future features OTHER IMPROVEMENTS: -Various bug fixes -Assorted wording, layout, and performance improvements Thanks for using StarTeller! Found a bug or have a feature request? I’d love to hear from you at starteller.support@icloud.com ### 1.0.1 — 2026-06-23 Prepare yourself for the 1.0.1 Sun & Moon update! This update brings a brand-new Sun & Moon tab and the first look at a fresh design direction for StarTeller. WHAT'S NEW: A redesigned Sun & Moon tab with a 24-hour timeline, a realistic Moon phase graphic, and Sun & Moon rise/set times for any date The Sun and Moon now appear in the sky map Tap any star in the sky map to see its name and magnitude OTHER IMPROVEMENTS: Sky map labels now reposition to avoid overlapping Faster sky map loading and smoother overall performance A clear button in the location search bar More accurate rotation near the zenith, plus assorted fixes and wording updates Thanks for using StarTeller! Found a bug or have a feature request? I'd love to hear from you at starteller.support@icloud.com ### 1.0 — 2026-06-11 No release notes. ## Apps similar to StarTeller | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Night Sky Planner](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/night-sky-planner/id6786410221) | 5.0 (1) | Free | Reference | | [Cosmo Pro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cosmo-pro/id6774987613) | — | Free | Reference | --- *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 2026-09-28.*