Comparison

Observer Pro vs Muon Tracker

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

Head to head
About

Observer Pro

This app helps advanced astronomers and astrophotographers plan their observing sessions. It predicts object visibility, factoring in local obstructions, and provides weather forecasts. Manage observing lists and favorite sites to maximize your stargazing time.

Highlights
  • 14,000+ deep sky objects with photos
  • Local horizon profile measurement
  • Object visibility prediction charts
  • Featured object recommendations
  • Favorite observing site management
  • Astronomical weather forecasts
Features
Read full description

Observer Pro is an indispensable app for advanced astronomy observing and astrophotography planning. No more guessing when that galaxy emerges from behind that tree. No more estimating how many hours you'll be able to image an object. Observer Pro gives every astronomer the info they need to make the most of their observing right at their fingertips! What astronomers are saying: "Every astronomer with an iPhone should own this app!" - Astronomy Technology Today magazine "Observer Pro is the most impressive astronomy app that I have tried out. I enthusiastically commend it to you!" - Tom Mote, Professor Emeritus, Astronomy "I have been using it since the day it first became available and I cannot live without it now." - Sedat B., Cloudy Nights forum Feature highlights: • Over 14,000 deep sky objects included, all with closeup reference photos. No need to download anything after install! Sorting and search make it easy to sift through all of them to find which objects belong on your observing list. • Measure your local horizon profile in minutes with your iPhone. • Unique charts completely take the guesswork out of predicting object visibility. Your house, trees, mountains, or any other obstructions are completely factored in to all visibility charts. • New to astronomy? The Featured object list shows a list of objects specific to your location and local horizon that are great for observing right now. • Keep a list of your favorite observing sites, each with their own local horizon profile. Compare object visibility between sites to find the best spot to setup your scope. • There's a lot to observe! Observer Pro gives you a place to maintain a list of your favorite objects as well as an observing list that you can take with you to the eyepiece. • 7Timer! astronomical weather forecasts for your observing sites are viewable without leaving Observer Pro. They give you the outlook on cloud cover, seeing, transparency, and more. • Check out the in-app help to learn more about how to use the many features that come with Observer Pro. Keep up-to-date with the latest news at the Observer Pro blog: http://observer.pro/blog

About

Muon Tracker

Simulates the detection of high-energy muons from cosmic rays, visualizing their paths and energy in real-time. Explore particle physics and cosmic radiation with location-based data and exportable logs.

Highlights
  • Simulates cosmic muon detection
  • Visualizes muon tracks in 3D
  • Real-time rate and flux display
  • Location-based data and altitude adjustment
  • Exportable event logs (CSV)
  • Offline functionality
Features
Read full description

Muon Tracker brings the fascinating phenomenon of muon detection right to your device. Designed for science enthusiasts, students, and educators, this app simulates the detection of high-energy muons—particles created when cosmic rays collide with the upper atmosphere—and visualizes them in real time. What it does • Simulates the arrival of cosmic muons based on your current location (latitude, longitude, and altitude). • Accurately models muon flux and angular distribution, including diurnal and seasonal variations. • Detects and visualizes muon tracks with animated directional paths, energy estimates, and impact points on your screen. • Displays real-time rates and calculated flux in particles per second and per square meter. • Offers a data panel where you can explore and export historical events with timestamps, angles, and energy in GeV. Scientific accuracy - Muon Tracker is powered by a physics-based simulation engine that factors in: • Atmospheric depth modeling to vary muon rates with elevation • Geomagnetic latitude effects to reflect regional muon flux • Angular dependency using a cosine-squared distribution to simulate slant tracks • Randomized yet statistically valid energy distributions typical of atmospheric muons The simulation mimics real-world detection environments scaled to your device’s screen size. Whether you’re at sea level or on a mountain, the simulated flux adjusts accordingly. Ideal for • Physics students learning about particle physics and cosmic radiation • Educators demonstrating subatomic phenomena in classrooms • Science fans and curious minds exploring the universe from their pocket Features • Intuitive and elegant SwiftUI interface • Toggle between persistence mode (trails) and flash mode (instant hits) • Auto-switch between track visualization and point hits based on device orientation (vertical ↔ horizontal) • Muon tracks rendered in 3D space, dynamically responsive to device rotation • View location-based detection stats, including GPS position and altitude • Adjust altitude manually to observe its effect on muon flux • Real-time log of muon events, including incidence angle and particle energy • Plot angular distribution of muon track directions • Export your event log as a CSV file for deeper analysis • Works fully offline, with smart location-based initialization Step into the invisible universe. Download Muon Tracker and detect the particles that travel from space through you every second.

Screenshots

Observer Pro4 screens
Muon Tracker4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Muon Tracker at $1.99 against Observer Pro's $13.99. Muon Tracker also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6). Observer Pro's advantage is ratings volume (49 vs 1). On ads, in-app purchases, monetization model and device support 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

Observer Pro costs $13.99 and Muon Tracker $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Muon Tracker holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Observer Pro has 49 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Observer Pro versus Muon Tracker: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterObserver ProMuon Tracker
Price$13.99$1.99 — better
Rating4.6 (49 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews79.2% of reviews—
Number of ratings49 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 6 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS16.4 — better16.6
Further details — not scored
Size241 MB1 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJoshua BuryArpacore B.V.

Customer experience

Observer Pro

All ratings49 ratings
Positive89.8%
Neutral4.1%
Negative6.1%
Written reviews120 reviews
Positive79.2%
Neutral5.8%
Negative15.0%

Muon Tracker

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

Bugs and requests

Observer Pro

Reported bugs

10 issues
  • App crashes when selecting catalog groupings (Galaxy, Planetary Nebulae, etc.)
  • iOS keyboard doesn't dismiss on iPad after clicking Done
  • Observer lists and custom data disappearing after app closure
  • Search feature missing in version 1.4
  • Continuous crashes since recent updates
Show 5 more
  • Horizon drawing feature unreliable - drifts while drawing
  • Menu items on far right side of screen unresponsive
  • Incompatibility with iOS 8 (historical)
  • App crashes on startup with certain iOS versions
  • Weather feature broken

Requested features

16 requests
  • iPad native app with landscape mode support
  • Search functionality restoration/improvement
  • Export observer lists to other apps (Sky Safari, etc.)
  • Support for planets, comets, and asteroids
  • Observing notes and session logging
Show 11 more
  • Field of view/scope focal length comparison
  • Color object photographs
  • Additional catalogs (Sharpless, etc.)
  • Moon visibility in sky view
  • Azimuth-based sorting for telescope positioning
  • Filter options for object types
  • Cross-device syncing between iPhone and iPad
  • Print functionality for observing plans
  • User-created custom catalogs
  • Screen auto-rotation support
  • Weather forecast integration

Muon Tracker

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Observer Pro

No in-app purchases

None

Muon Tracker

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Observer Pro free?
Observer Pro costs $13.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Muon Tracker free?
Muon Tracker costs $1.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Observer Pro or Muon Tracker?
Muon Tracker is rated higher. Observer Pro averages 4.6 out of 5 from 49 ratings, while Muon Tracker averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Observer Pro or Muon Tracker have ads?
Neither Observer Pro nor Muon Tracker shows ads.

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