Dragonfly Observatory Control vs OnStep Controller
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
Dragonfly Observatory Control
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The companion app of your Dragonfly - control your observatory roof and equipment from anywhere, literally. No router configuration skills needed!
OnStep Controller
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OnStep Controller Take full control of your OnStep telescope mount from your iPhone. OnStep Controller is a clean, dark-mode companion app for amateur astronomers โ connecting over WiFi (OnStep or OnStepX) or Bluetooth Low Energy (OnStepX with the BLE plugin required) to give you everything you need from setup to the final star. Connect and Configure Connect to your mount over your local WiFi network or via Bluetooth Low Energy. Send your GPS coordinates and current time directly to the mount for accurate alignment, and verify that the mount's site data matches your device before you start observing. Interactive Sky Chart Browse a live star chart showing hundreds of named stars and Messier deep-sky objects projected for your exact location and time. Pan and zoom freely, then tap any object to see its details and issue a GoTo command. Horizon, overhead, and meridian flip limits are drawn directly on the chart so you always know what your mount can reach. Visual Star Alignment Begin a 1- to 9-star alignment from the Setup tab and get guided through the process on the sky chart. Pick your alignment stars visually, slew to each one, then fine-tune with the on-screen directional pad and accept. Full Mount Control Move the mount in any direction at four slew rates โ Guide, Center, Find, and Slew. Toggle tracking on and off, switch between Sidereal, Lunar, and Solar tracking rates, park and unpark, and find home โ all from a single screen with live RA, Dec, Alt, and Az readouts. GoTo from a Catalog Search a built-in catalog of stars, open clusters, globular clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and planetary nebulae. Filter to objects currently above the horizon and slew to any target with a single tap. Or enter coordinates manually for objects not in the catalog. Designed for the Dark The entire app runs in forced dark mode with a deep red accent color chosen to protect your night vision at the eyepiece. Requires an OnStep or OnStepX telescope mount controller. WiFi works with both; Bluetooth requires OnStepX with the BLE plugin installed. iOS does not support Classic Bluetooth.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: Dragonfly Observatory Control at 8.0 against OnStep Controller's 17.0. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
| Parameter | Dragonfly Observatory Control | OnStep Controller |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 11 months | โ |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 โ better | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Lunatico Astronomia S. L. | Gray Digital Arts LLC |
In-app purchases
Dragonfly Observatory Control
No in-app purchases
OnStep Controller
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Dragonfly Observatory Control free?
Is OnStep Controller free?
Do Dragonfly Observatory Control or OnStep Controller have ads?
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