Polar Scope Align Pro
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Description
Apart from the most reliable app for polar alignment (with or without a polar scope), PS Align pro has become the astronomer's swiss-army knife with all the tools added over the years. Remember, all features & updates are free forever, the only in-app purchases are donations (tip jar). Polar Scope Align will calculate the position of Polaris or σ Octantis in your Polar Scope reticle for your location (using your phone's GPS or manually), allowing a quick and accurate polar alignment. It is one of the few programs that are accurate in lower latitudes by correcting for atmospheric refraction (so expect results to agree only with precise software and not most simplistic "polar align" apps - see the "Accuracy" section in help for details). In the settings you can select the polar scope reticle that matches your own, from a vast collection: iOptron old & new, Astro-Physics RAPAS & PASILL, various versions of Takahashi EM-10/11/200/400/500, NJP, PM-1, P2-Z, the latest Orion / Skywatcher, the Classic Skywatcher / Orion / Celestron / Meade / EXOS2 / Bresser, the Telrad, Rigel QuikFinder, a couple for Astrotrac / Losmandy / Kenko / Avalon, the Vixen PF-L/Atlux/SX/SXD/SXP/AXD/GP/GP-DX/Polarie Polar Axis Scopes, a Konus and several Polar Finders: Tuthill, Explore Scientific 8x50, Meade 9x60, Vixen Polaris, Celestron 7x50, Carton Optical. PoleMaster help view for South Hemisphere users. If you have one not included, just ask the developer to add it! Feature list: -Accurate calculation of Polaris or Sigma Oct for any date and location, including effect of atmospheric refraction (and annual aberration, nutation). Most other apps do not perform precision calculations, so please only compare app readings to accurate sources (USNO, scientific software etc). -Use device time/date/location, or enter your own, or pick from online & offline world databases via the Location Manager. -Approximate daytime / no polarscope polar alignment tool. Great for visual use, solar imaging (inc. eclipses) and even limited short focal length astrophotography. Now with sun shadow calibration for more accuracy! -Laser / Hop Align for nighttime alignment using a calibration star for obstructed or not visible polar star, or for improving laser align. -Full app in red-color (or alternative green, white) night mode - tools switchable to daytime view. -Deep Space Object (DSO) Database with 22000+ objects from several catalogs (Messier, Caldwell, NGC, IC, Herschell 400, Sharpless 2, Barnard), along with stars (Yale Bright Star) & planets. Search, apply filters, sorting, download DSS color images for all items, or get help finding them with your non-goto telescope with the Push-To function. -Connect to and control WiFi-enabled iOptron mounts. -Over 30 calculators useful for observing and astrophotography, from eyepiece magnification and field of view, to imaging resolution and reducers. -Xasteria: World astro-weather report based on multiple sources, including 7Timer. -Solar Eclipse Calculator / Simulator -Water vapor satellite images. -List of visible ISS and bright satellite passes. -Moon phase & lunar Calendar with solar/lunar rise/set and twilight times. -Wizard to calculate your reticle centering offset and correct or compensate for it. -Zoomable reticle view and customized routines & tools: Alt-az alignment error display for mounts that calculate it after star alignment (e.g. iOptron iEQ45, CEM60), polar alignment when your scope is not in zero position (for mounts like iOptron ZEQ/CEM on which you can always access the polar scope), remember zero position on Celestron / Skywatcher / Orion etc reticles. -Bubble level (using either gyro or accelerometer) and Compass heading, as well as magnetic declination reading. -GPS accuracy & elevation data. -Red/White/LED light. -Dimming slider. -iOptron, NexStar and Meade LX200 Star Lists. -Support for iPhone & iPad from iOS 9 (and iPod Touch, except tools that require the compass).
What's New
Please support the app by reviewing or rating! You will never get annoying popups asking you in the app. What's new: - Fixed DSS image downloads, backup server added. - Xasteria improvements including higher contrast main weather view. - Reduced app size.
Details
- Developer
- Dimitrios Kechagias
- Main Category
- Utilities
- Version
- 6.9
- Version Release
- 2025-07-08
- Initial Release
- 2015-03-04
- Size
- 27 MB
- Age Rating
- 4+
- Price
- USD 3.99
- Languages
- EN
- Bundle ID
- com.kechagias.ps-align-pro
- Version Rating
- ★ 4.94 (298)
- First Seen
- 2026-05-28
Metadata updated 2026-06-14
Rank History
Free · Max 90 days · Top 5 categories shown (Y-axis: rank, lower is better)
No rank history data
Free Rankings
No rankings
Paid Rankings
Competitive Benchmark — Utilities Top 10
What it takes to beat this app — comparison with the category's top apps. The orange row is the current app.
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| 9 | V2Box Pro - V2ray Client | USD 2.99 | ★ 4.22 | 27 | 9 | 2026-06-11 |
| 10 | Just Press Record | USD 6.99 | ★ 4.25 | 1,516 | 13 | 2026-05-05 |
| 37 | Polar Scope Align Pro | USD 3.99 | ★ 4.94 | 298 | 1 | 2025-07-08 |
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User Reviews
I am new to astronomy. Learning to align my Sky-Watcher mount has not been easy. This app, with it’s detailed instructions and explanations, is just what I needed to get perfect polar alignment with my mount. Thank you so much!
This app is absolutely fantastic. The bubble level will help you get your amount perfectly level. The compass will help you point your amount to celestial North. The daytime alignment puts this app on a different level. And finally, when pointing whether you’re in the northern hemisphere with the southern hemisphere, getting poor aligned as simple and accurate! I don’t bother with my polar camera anymore. This is all I need.
Every useful amateur astronomer feature in one app. Super intuitive and no distractions. Polar alignment, Goto with just your phone on top of your scope (Push To), object list sorted by what you care about (magnitude, angular size, etc), all the important astronomy calculations at your fingertips, etc. Just brilliant!
The Pro version has so many tools, tutorials, and calculators as to be helpful in any situation.
Loads of useful features, especially under the DSO menu, extensive catalog database (Messier, Caldwell, Herschel, NGC, IC, etc). The “PUSH TO: feature using a red BULL’S EYE together with direction arrows serves very well as a finder. The “SYNCH TO TARGET” option fine tunes the finder function. Thanks for the great app.
I have been using this app for three years now. The pro version I am really impressed with its accuracy. You can’t go wrong one of the best apps for astrophotography ever created.
Great app and interface
Thank you
I got this app for the real time polar alignment scope reticle simulation. That’s the main feature, but I find myself using this app for planning my observations with the deep sky and solar system object database or leveling mounts even when I don’t need a polar alignment. It has tons of extra info and features beyond the polar alignment scope! I also appreciate that the pro version is a one time fee and not a subscription. Thank you! If the developer added a feature (or created a new app) to record my observations in association with the object database, I’d be first in line to buy that.
What I thought was just ok at first. This app has now become a standard for amateur astronomers. All the information that is needed is in this app and the pro version os worth the money.
For a rookie like me it helps with anything i have and haven't thought of. Very cool.
This app has everything you need to set up your scope and so much more. Beautiful design.
Reviews are collected only for apps with detected changes (new entries or sharp risers).