Comparison

Stars Blinker vs ScopeWizard

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Stars Blinker

This app helps deep-sky photographers compare two images of the same celestial area taken at different times. It highlights changes in object position or brightness by blinking them, making it easier to spot phenomena like variable stars or asteroids.

Highlights
  • Compare two deep-sky images
  • Highlight changes in object position/brightness
  • Align images using three stars
  • Use images from different instruments
  • Adjust blinking interval
  • Save animations as movies
Features
Read full description

Stars Blinker is aimed to anyone takes Deep-Sky pictures. The app allows to compare two images of the same area taken at different times, with the same or different instruments. Changes, are highlighted by the blinking of any object (star, asteroid, etc.) that only appears in one of the images or has changed position or brightness between a shot and the next. After shooting pictures of stars clusters, nebulae, galaxies and so on, often you would check if there are changes compared to the “normal" appearance of the photographed area. To do it, usually you have to search for a picture (or map) of the same area and check brightness and location of each object. Unless you have a blink comparator that, alternating the vision of two shots obtained at different times, allows to detect and highlight changes or transient phenomena (comets, variable stars, novae and supernovae, asteroids etc.). In the comparator, the sample image and the reference are shown alternately after being aligned with each other. If an object is present in only one of the pictures, it blinks and can be easily found and marked. Instead, if an object has changed position between two shots, during the animation it bounces back and forth, showing the path traveled. With Stars Blinker you can: - load pictures from the local Photo Gallery or from your iCloud; - easily align the two images: just mark the same three stars on each picture and press a button: the sample image is rotated, resized and moved to overlap the reference picture; - use images made with different instruments (I.e. comparing your picture with snapshots taken from online maps and catalogues); - manually refine alignment; - adjust blinking time interval; - invert colors to compare picture in negative; - zoom and pan the animation to frame a specific area or to examine in detail the images; - subtract Reference image from Sample to emphasize any changes; - insert a mark to highlight the position of a Transient; - add labels to report subject, date and time of shooting etc.; - save animations as short movies in your local Photo Gallery.

About

ScopeWizard

This app simplifies telescope, eyepiece, and camera calculations with a unified database of equipment. Easily mix and match your gear or input custom values for precise specifications.

Highlights
  • Unified formula database
  • Equipment database
  • Mix and match gear
  • Custom value input
  • Telescope specifications calculation
Read full description

There are numerous formulas for computing the specifics of your telescope, eyepieces, and camera's characteristics when used together. ScopeWizard brings those formulas together in one handy place. An included database of telescopes, eyepieces, and cameras can be used to mix and match your equipment, or you can enter custom values manually.

Screenshots

ScopeWizard1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: ScopeWizard at 5.0 against Stars Blinker's 4.0. ScopeWizard also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). Stars Blinker's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 17.0). On price, ratings volume, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Stars Blinker sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. ScopeWizard asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

ScopeWizard holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Stars Blinker versus ScopeWizard: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterStars BlinkerScopeWizard
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.0 (1 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings11
Update frequency—Every 25 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPadiPhone, iPod, Mac — better
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size25 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperRoberto De LorenzoRichard Wright

Customer experience

Stars Blinker

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ScopeWizard

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Stars Blinker

One-time1
  • Unlock all features$1.99
None

ScopeWizard

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Stars Blinker free?
Stars Blinker is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ScopeWizard free?
ScopeWizard is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Stars Blinker or ScopeWizard?
ScopeWizard is rated higher. Stars Blinker averages 4.0 out of 5 from 1 ratings, while ScopeWizard averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Stars Blinker or ScopeWizard have ads?
Neither Stars Blinker nor ScopeWizard shows ads.

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