Messier Journal vs AstraView
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Messier Journal
This app helps Northern Hemisphere astronomers and astrophotographers discover, locate, and journal all 110 Messier objects. It provides detailed information, star maps, and tools to record observations and upload photos.
- Learn about 110 Messier objects
- Locate objects with star maps
- Filter objects by constellation and type
- Record observation details
- Upload astrophotography
- Track spotted object statistics
- Generate object collages
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For astrophotographers and visual astronomers in the Northern Hemisphere, who are collecting Messier objects. This app will help you learn about, locate, and journal all 110 objects from the Messier Catalog. It is a great way to keep an organized record of finding these celestial wonders. FEATURES LEARN: All 110 Messier objects are included with brief descriptions and photos. LOCATE: Detailed star maps and right-ascension/declination coordinates included with each object. FILTER: Narrow your search by constellation, difficulty, object type, peak month, & season. EXPECTATIONS: What you can expect to see using binoculars, and small, medium, & large size telescopes. PHOTO ALBUM: Upload photos from your - sketches, smartphone eyepiece views, astrophoto rig, or smart telescope. FAVORITES: Mark your favorite Messier objects. DETAILS: Record date, time, location, equipment used, magnification, and any other pertinent notes. STAT TRACKER: Keeps track of spotted object statistics by constellation, difficulty, object type, & season. COLLAGE GENERATOR: Generate a collage of your captured objects. BACKUP: Export/import options to transfer data between iOS devices. SECURE: No sign in, no cloud, no tracking. You control your data & it remains on your device.
AstraView
This app provides personalized stargazing recommendations based on your location, equipment, and local horizon. It features an augmented reality star map, astronomy-specific weather forecasts, and alerts for celestial events.
- Personalized nightly celestial object recommendations
- Horizon-aware visibility mapping
- Augmented reality interactive star map
- Astronomy-specific weather forecasts
- Moon phase tracking
- Alerts for planetary conjunctions and meteor showers
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AstraView transforms stargazing from guesswork into discovery. Whether you're a curious beginner with binoculars or an experienced observer with a telescope, AstraView tells you exactly what to look at and when. SMART RECOMMENDATIONS, NOT JUST DATA Every night, AstraView analyzes your specific situation—where you are, what equipment you have, what's blocking your view, and what you're interested in—then ranks celestial objects so you know what's truly worth observing. No more wondering if that galaxy is visible from your backyard or whether your telescope can resolve that nebula. YOUR HORIZON MATTERS Other apps assume a perfect 360-degree view. AstraView lets you capture your actual horizon using AR or a quick manual setup. Trees blocking the east? House to the south? AstraView accounts for it, only recommending objects you can actually see from where you stand. POINT AND DISCOVER Activate AR mode and point your iPhone at the sky. The interactive star map shows exactly what's above you in real-time as you move your device. Scrub through time to see where objects will be later tonight. WEATHER BUILT FOR ASTRONOMY Cloud cover is the enemy of stargazing. AstraView provides astronomy-specific weather forecasts that identify your best observing windows—those precious clear-sky periods when conditions are right. MULTIPLE SITES, ONE APP Save different observing locations with their own equipment setups and horizon profiles. Compare visibility across sites to choose where to observe tonight. KEY FEATURES • Personalized nightly recommendations based on your location and equipment • Horizon-aware visibility that accounts for trees, buildings, and terrain • Augmented reality star map with time scrubbing • Astronomy weather forecasts with clear-sky window identification • Moon phase tracking with sky brightness impact • 10,000+ celestial objects including planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and clusters • Personal observing list with multi-location visibility tracking • Equipment profiles for naked eye, binoculars, and telescopes • Planetary conjunction and meteor shower alerts • Home screen widgets and daily notification forecasts PRICING AstraView is free to download with full feature access. The free tier includes 1 observing location with 1 vantage point. AstraView Pro (one-time purchase) unlocks unlimited observing locations and unlimited vantage points per location. Pro purchases are tied to your Apple ID and restore automatically on new devices. Family Sharing is supported.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: AstraView at Free against Messier Journal's $0.99. Messier Journal's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and iOS requirement (18.0 vs 26.0). On rating, review sentiment, ratings volume and update cadence 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
AstraView is free to download; Messier Journal costs $0.99 up front. AstraView sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Messier Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Messier Journal against 5.0 for AstraView. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 6 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Messier Journal ships an update every 3 months, AstraView every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 25, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Messier Journal | AstraView |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 — better | 26.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 158 MB | 30 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Damon Degner | Mark Chenoweth |
Customer experience
Messier Journal
AstraView
In-app purchases
Messier Journal
No in-app purchases
AstraView
- AstraView Pro$14.99
Questions
Is Messier Journal free?
Is AstraView free?
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