Comparison

Herschel Quick Look vs Deep Sky Scanner

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

Head to head
About

Herschel Quick Look

Explore astronomical data from the Herschel Space Observatory. Search for celestial objects by name, coordinates, or observation ID to access processed infrared images and metadata. Understand the origins and evolution of stars and galaxies.

Highlights
  • Search by target name, coordinates, or observation ID
  • Access processed quick look images
  • View metadata
  • Explore data from the Herschel Space Observatory
  • Learn about star and galaxy evolution
Features
Read full description

Access the quick look data products from the Herschel Space Observatory, searching by target name, sky coordinates or observation identifier. Herschel, a cutting-edge space telescope from the European Space Agency, carries the largest, most powerful infrared telescope ever flown in space. A pioneering mission, it is studying the origin and evolution of stars and galaxies to help understand how the Universe came to be the way it is today. With this application you have the latest processed quick look image and meta data at your fingertips.

About

Deep Sky Scanner

Features
Read full description

Point your phone at the sky and know instantly what’s worth imaging. Deep Sky Scanner turns your device into an aiming tool for the Seestar S50, scanning your field of view and ranking every galaxy, cluster, and nebula by altitude, brightness, and how well it’ll actually fit your frame. No more guessing what’s up, no star-hopping, no wasted setup time on a target that’s too big or too faint for tonight’s sky. FEATURES • Live sky scan — see every object in view as you move your phone, tracked with full 3D orientation for steady accuracy even near the zenith • Ranked target lists — sorted by altitude trajectory, brightness, or best overall fit for your Seestar S50 • Frame-fit scoring — know before you start whether an object will actually fit the frame, not spill past the edges • Ascending/descending badges — see whether a target is climbing toward better altitude or already past its peak • Planning mode — drag the time slider to preview the sky at any hour and plan your session in advance • Per-object imaging notes — integration-time guidance by magnitude, edge-on galaxy detection, and nearby-companion flags • Full OpenNGC catalog with offline fallback — works even without a signal • Additional catalogs are available and can be optionally selected on the settings page • Supports the Seestar family of telescopes Built by a Seestar owner, for Seestar owners.

Screenshots

Herschel Quick Look3 screens
Deep Sky Scanner3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Deep Sky Scanner at every 4 days against Herschel Quick Look's every 36 months. Herschel Quick Look's advantage is iOS requirement (9.2 vs 15.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Herschel Quick Look ships an update every 36 months, Deep Sky Scanner every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 24, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Herschel Quick Look versus Deep Sky Scanner: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHerschel Quick LookDeep Sky Scanner
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 36 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS9.2 — better15.0
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB2 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperESA - European Space AgencyChris Eddy

In-app purchases

None

Herschel Quick Look

No in-app purchases

None

Deep Sky Scanner

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Herschel Quick Look free?
Herschel Quick Look is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Deep Sky Scanner free?
Deep Sky Scanner is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Herschel Quick Look or Deep Sky Scanner have ads?
Neither Herschel Quick Look nor Deep Sky Scanner shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Herschel Quick Look or Deep Sky Scanner?
Herschel Quick Look ships an update every 36 months, and Deep Sky Scanner every 4 days. Most recently, Herschel Quick Look was updated on October 25, 2026 and Deep Sky Scanner on October 24, 2026.

Other comparisons