SkyChecker
ANDREW DAVID CHAMBERLAIN Reference iPhoneiPadiPod touch
SkyChecker is a free Reference app for iPhone and iPad by ANDREW DAVID CHAMBERLAIN. Rated 5.0/5 from 2 ratings. Requires iOS 16.0. Updated March 5, 2026.
- Rating
- 5.0
- 2 ratings
- Price
- Free
- on the App Store
- Size
- 3 MB
- Age 4+
- Updated
- Mar 5
- 2026 · v1.2
Screenshots
About SkyChecker
Discover whaDiscover what's visible in the night sky tonight — right from your backyard. SkyChecker uses NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory data to show you exactly which celestial objects are visible from your location. No guesswork, no complicated star charts — just a simple list of what you can see and when. WHAT YOU CAN TRACK • The Moon with current phase and illumination percentage • All planets from Mercury to Neptune • Deep sky objects: Andromeda Galaxy, Orion Nebula, Pleiades, and more • International Space Station (ISS) passes • Meteor shower alerts with peak times and hourly rates WEATHER INTEGRATION • Live cloud cover and visibility conditions • Observation quality rating (1-5 stars) • Detailed weather breakdown: humidity, wind, cloud layers • Tips for optimal viewing based on current conditions PLANNING TOOLS • Equipment difficulty ratings (Naked Eye, Binoculars, Telescope) • Rise, set, and peak viewing times with compass directions • Date picker to plan future observing sessions • Share tonight's sky with friends and family POWERFUL FEATURES • Automatic GPS location detection • Manual coordinate entry for precise locations • Smart caching for fast app launch • Elegant retro terminal-style interface with ASCII art HOW IT WORKS SkyChecker connects to NASA's Horizons Ephemeris System — the same data source used by professional astronomers — to calculate precise positions for celestial objects based on your exact location and time zone. Weather data comes from Open-Meteo, providing real-time cloud cover, visibility, and atmospheric conditions to help you plan the perfect observing session. PERFECT FOR • Casual stargazers curious about tonight's sky • Amateur astronomers planning observation sessions • Educators teaching astronomy concepts • Anyone who's ever looked up and wondered "what's that?" PRIVACY FOCUSED Your location stays on your device. We don't track you, collect personal data, or show ads. The only external connections are to NASA's public astronomical database and Open-Meteo weather service. Clear skies!
What’s new
Version 1.2 · Updated March 5, 2026
BUG FIXES • Fixed calculations for polar regions and extreme latitudes • Fixed midnight sun and polar night handling • Improved accuracy for celestial object visibility near the poles
App privacy
The developer, ANDREW DAVID CHAMBERLAIN, reported these privacy practices to Apple.
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Alternatives to SkyChecker
Looking for apps like SkyChecker? Here are 6 similar apps on the App Store. The highest rated is StarWizard: Astronomy Sky Map (4.9/5), and all 6 are free to download.
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| App | Rating | Price | Last updated | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyChecker | 5.0 / 5 (2 ratings) | Free | March 5, 2026 | |
| StarWizard: Astronomy Sky Map | 4.9 / 5 (8) | Free | Oct 17, 2026 | Compare |
| ASGuide | 4.8 / 5 (9) | Free | Oct 6, 2026 | Compare |
| Satellite Tracker / Radar | 4.4 / 5 (31) | Free | Aug 17, 2026 | Compare |
| Universe Star Finder | 4.1 / 5 (27) | Free | Oct 19, 2026 | Compare |
| OSR Star Finder | 4.6 / 5 (4,840) | Free | Jan 26, 2026 | Compare |
| Stargazing: Stars & Planets | 4.3 / 5 (1,131) | Free | Aug 17, 2026 | Compare |
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