Messier Journal vs MessierMate

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.

110 deep-sky objects. See which ones are above your horizon right now, sorted by urgency so you never miss one before it sets. MessierMate is the complete companion for deep-sky observing, and it's completely free. No ads. No in-app purchases. Ever. Whether you're under the stars for the first time or chasing the Messier Marathon, the app tells you exactly what's visible from your location right now, helps you plan future nights, and keeps a log of every session. TONIGHT Open the app and instantly see which of the 110 Messier objects are above your horizon, sorted by urgency so you never miss a galaxy that's about to set. Each card shows altitude, compass direction, time until it sets, and an altitude arc so you know exactly when to look. Filter by object type (galaxies, nebulae, star clusters) and minimum altitude, and switch between three card layouts to match your observing style. PLAN Tap any night on the monthly calendar and see dusk time, moon phase, moonrise, and a count of how many objects are visible. Browse your targets in a list or on a timeline that shows when each object rises, peaks, and sets. Star objects to build a target list for the night. The app automatically detects Messier Marathon nights and flags them on the calendar. LOG Record every session with the date, location, duration, and which objects you observed. Add notes and photos to individual objects. Share a session with a friend via a short share code. No account needed on their end to view it. YOUR SKY, YOUR PRIVACY Your GPS coordinates never leave your device. Only your site name and Bortle class are synced to the cloud, never your exact coordinates. There are no ads and no analytics trackers. Guest mode is fully functional: the app works completely offline without an account. BUILT FOR DARK SITES A dark theme and a Red Night mode protect your night vision. The interface is designed to be usable by feel, with minimal taps needed to log an observation while you're at the eyepiece. WHAT'S INSIDE - All 110 Messier objects with real-time altitude and azimuth calculations - Tonight view ranked by urgency, objects setting soonest appear first - Monthly planning calendar with moon phase and object counts - Rising, peaking, and setting timeline for any night - Automatic Messier Marathon opportunity detection - Session log with notes, photos, and shareable codes - Equipment manager for telescopes, eyepieces, filters, and cameras - Bortle scale support for accurate sky darkness settings - Red Night mode for dark site use - Works offline, no internet connection required for sky calculations - Free, with no ads and no in-app purchases Whether you're hunting your first galaxy or completing the catalog for the tenth time, MessierMate keeps you focused on what matters: the sky.