FinderCam with Plate Solving vs AstroZoom

M31 is located using FinderCam and shot by Daniel Mendell This app is used for finding objects in the night sky with a telescope, binoculars and the naked eye. The latest demo video was recorded on March 19, 2023 at https://youtu.be/md9LDchUuzU. In this video, I use FinderCam to find some bright stars and M42 Orion Nebula instantly. It shows the plate solving alignments that lead the user accurately to the target. How does it works? 1. Open the app and point your device camera at the night sky. 2. Tap Solve button in the app. 3. It will identify 3 stars in the camera image. Working Conditions: 1. Works in city with blocked sky view. 2. Works with partial cloudy sky. 3. Works during full or new moon. 4. Works with city light pollution. Advance use with telescope: 1. You will need a suitable holder to fix your phone to your telescope or binoculars for alignment. 2. The app contains a star map and large catalogs of celestial objects. The star map will automatically adjust to your location and time. 3. The view through the scope or bino can be aligned with the star map. 4. Tapping the Solve button displays 3 star names for plate-solving alignment giving their az-alt positions. 5. After alignment, other objects can be searched and their location is shown by a green guiding line for moving the scope. Benefits: - More stars than with the naked eye can be seen. It uses image processing to make more stars visible. - It saves you many frustrating hours finding your deep sky objects. - Attach your phone to your telescope or binocs and it can lead you to 110 Messier deep sky objects accurately, as well as to planets and bright stars, - It works in heavily light polluted cities and partial cloudy night. Requirements: - For most telescopes, you need a basic phone holder or home-made holder with 45 degree mirror. If you are using a binocular, you will need a L mount. - You may need a mount with slow motion control like a Dobsonian telescope or slow motion tripod. The app requires you to move a crosshair to the target. - Requires iOS 14 and above. Tips: - Draw a user defined area for solving by tap hold the screen and drag to draw a rectangle. Tap hold and release to remove the user define rectangle.

AstroZoom: Telescope Camera turns your iPhone into a professional-grade telescope. Whether you're stargazing at the night sky, capturing wildlife from a distance, or photographing distant landscapes, AstroZoom delivers extraordinary zoom clarity that no standard camera app can match. CORE FEATURES - 1000x Optical Zoom Enhancement Experience magnification that reveals details invisible to the naked eye — moon craters, mountain ridges, bird feathers, and distant architecture, all in stunning HD resolution. - Astronomy & Night Sky Mode Specially tuned sensor settings for low-light and deep-sky photography. Capture the moon, planets, and star clusters with remarkable clarity, even on a smartphone. - Pro Capture & Smart Stabilizer AI-assisted stabilization eliminates camera shake at extreme zoom levels. Every long-range shot comes out sharp, stable, and ready to share. - Before / After Comparison Touch and hold to instantly reveal the original unenhanced frame. Release to return to the full zoomed view. See the difference AstroZoom makes in real time. - Save & Share in Full Resolution Export your best shots directly to your Camera Roll in full resolution, or share them instantly to social media without compression or quality loss. - Manual Controls Fine-tune exposure, ISO, and focus for complete creative control over every capture — from automatic point-and-shoot to full manual precision. HOW TO USE 1. Open AstroZoom and point your camera at any distant subject. 2. Use the pinch-to-zoom gesture or the precision zoom slider to dial in your magnification level. 3. Let the Smart Stabilizer lock your shot, then tap the shutter to capture. 4. Use Before / After mode to compare the enhanced result with the original. 5. Save to your gallery or share instantly. SUBSCRIPTION PLANS All plans unlock the full suite of AstroZoom features. Choose the plan that fits your needs: - Weekly — $0.99/week Full feature access with interstitial and open ads. Perfect for short-term use or trying premium before committing. - Monthly — $2.99/month Full feature access with open ads only — no interstitial interruptions. Great for regular stargazers and photographers. - Lifetime — $24.99 (one-time) Full feature access with zero ads, forever. Pay once, use AstroZoom for life with no recurring charges. SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION - Payment is charged to your Apple ID account at confirmation of purchase. - Subscriptions automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. - Your account will be charged for renewal within 24 hours prior to the end of the current period. - You can manage or cancel your subscription anytime in your App Store Account Settings after purchase. - Any unused portion of a free trial period will be forfeited when a subscription is purchased. - Lifetime access is a one-time non-consumable purchase and is not a subscription. PRIVACY & LEGAL Privacy Policy: https://zenbytedev.blogspot.com/2026/01/privacy-policy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ AstroZoom does not collect, store, or share personal user data. No account registration is required.