Emerald Observatory for iPad vs SIMAGIN
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Emerald Observatory for iPad
This app provides a comprehensive astronomical display on a single screen, offering detailed information about celestial bodies and timekeeping. It features a heliocentric orrery, rise and set times, twilight information, and moon phase details. Users can navigate through time and set alarms for astronomical events.
- Astronomical information display
- Heliocentric orrery
- Rise and set times for Sun, Moon, planets
- Twilight times
- Moon phase and orientation
- World map of day/night regions
- Eclipse simulator
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Emerald Observatory displays a wealth of astronomical information all on one screen, in a unique but understandable format. Information includes: - 12- and 24-hour ordinary clock time - Times of rise and set for the Sun, the Moon, and the 5 classical planets - Times of the beginning and ending of twilight - Heliocentric orrery (display of the planets in orbit around the Sun) - Altitude and azimuth for the same bodies (one body at a time) - Current phase and apparent orientation and relative size of the moon - Current regions of day and night on a world map - The Equation of Time, solar time, UTC time, and sidereal time - Month, day, year, and leap-year indicator - Daily alarm (delivered as local notification if app is not running) - Eclipse simulator - Displayed times are synchronized via NTP to "atomic clock" standard, or can be set manually - Uses iPad location, or the latitude and longitude may be set manually A setting is available to allow the display to stay on continuously. If you are having any trouble with the application whatsoever, please see our FAQ on the support page listed below and then contact us through that page if your problem is not resolved. We take pride in responding promptly to all support email requests but we can't fix it if you don't report it (and we have no way to respond to Customer Reviews on the App Store). (NTP requires Internet access. Like all apps Emerald Observatory can not change the device's internal clock.)
SIMAGIN
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The SIMAGIN application has been created with care for you for the practical management of the art object "Wall clock" under the SIMAGIN trademark. With this software, the use of the SIMAGIN device will become even more comfortable. • Remote control To remotely control the SIMAGIN clock, you need to download the SIMAGIN application and enable "Bluetooth" on your phone, with which you will control the clock. • Personalized protection Each watch has its own unique ID number. Connection to the device is done by entering a personalized password. • Customization of time and animations For your convenience, the manufacturer SIMAGIN has provided automatic and manual modes of setting the current time. In the application, a function for selecting animations is available. If you wish, you can leave all the animations that are available in the proposed list in the application or choose your favorite one and disable the rest. • Schedule clock operation In the application, you can select the time of clock operation, with which you can customize the schedule of your SIMAGIN clock.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is iOS requirement: SIMAGIN at 12.0 against Emerald Observatory for iPad's 17.0. On price, update cadence and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 months. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Emerald Observatory for iPad | SIMAGIN |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.9 (96 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 98.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 96 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 5 months |
| Ads | No | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | — |
| Devices | iPad — better | — |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 19 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bjorn Freeman-Benson | ALEXEY RUSSKIN |
Bugs and requests
Emerald Observatory for iPad
Requested features
14 requests- Port to screen wallpaper
- Large wall clock version
- Apple TV version
- Support for Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto
- iPhone and Apple Watch versions
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- Alarm functionality
- Screen dimming for night use
- Numeric display of values
- Switch altitude/azimuth by touching planet
- Push notifications for specific events
- Custom chime sounds for events
- Round earth display to match moon display
- iPad version of Chronometer iPhone app
- Tutorial mode or on-screen help
SIMAGIN
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
Emerald Observatory for iPad
No in-app purchases
SIMAGIN
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Emerald Observatory for iPad free?
Is SIMAGIN free?
Which is updated more often, Emerald Observatory for iPad or SIMAGIN?
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