AstroHelm vs Telescope

Find galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, and planets without struggling with star hopping. AstroHelm turns your iPhone into a smart push-to finder for almost any manual telescope. Using fast, on-device plate solving, AstroHelm recognizes the stars in your camera view, determines exactly where your telescope is pointing, and guides you to your target. No proprietary telescope. No motorized GoTo mount. Just attach your iPhone with a rigid phone mount and start exploring. NOT SURE WHAT TO OBSERVE? AstroHelm can help with that too. Best Tonight highlights bright, interesting objects visible from your location, so you can spend less time planning and more time observing. HOW IT WORKS Mount: Attach your iPhone securely to your telescope tube, or to your camera using a standard bracket or hot-shoe mount. Choose: Pick a galaxy, nebula, star cluster, planet, or other target from AstroHelm's catalog. Point: Move your telescope while following the on-screen guidance. AstroHelm repeatedly plate-solves the sky and shows you exactly how to reach your target. CENTER: When the reticle reaches the target, look through the eyepiece—or start your exposure. BUILT FOR THE GEAR YOU ALREADY OWN AstroHelm works with manual telescopes and cameras without requiring a specific telescope brand or proprietary accessory. It can also integrate with compatible astronomy software and equipment using standard telescope-control protocols. Whether you're exploring the sky with a Dobsonian or framing a deep-sky object with a camera, AstroHelm gets you from “I want to see that” to “there it is.”

Telescope turns your iPhone into a complete stargazing companion. Whether you're a first-time sky-watcher or a seasoned amateur astronomer, Telescope helps you plan your sessions, identify what's overhead, and keep a lasting record of everything you observe. Tonight tab — know what to look at before you step outside. Telescope computes real-time visibility for hundreds of deep-sky objects and planets based on your GPS location. Every object is ranked by peak altitude so you always start with the best targets. Filter by type — planets, stars, nebulae, galaxies, open clusters, globular clusters — and tap any row for full details. Full Catalog — browse the complete object library at any time. Each entry shows magnitude, constellation, minimum aperture needed (naked eye, binoculars, or telescope size), and a description. Mark favorites to jump back quickly, or add objects to your wishlist for future sessions. Observation Log — record your sightings as you make them. Log date, location, telescope used, conditions, and personal notes for every object you observe. Your history builds into a searchable personal archive of the night sky. Accurate Astronomy — positions are computed using established low-precision ephemeris formulae (Meeus, Duffett-Smith) accurate to roughly ±1°. Planet positions update in real time. All calculations happen on-device; no internet connection required. - Tonight visibility ranked by peak altitude and score - Real-time planet positions for Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn - Deep-sky catalog: nebulae, galaxies, clusters, and more - Personal observation log with notes and conditions - Favorites and wishlist for fast session planning - Works fully offline