StarCast · Night Sky

Best Stargazing App for Photographers

Stargazers and astrophotographers need different information. LightCast StarCast scores moon phase, Bortle class, transparency, and cloud cover together — built for photographers who shoot after dark.

Try LightCast Free — iOS App Try free on web →

iOS app: $2.99/mo · 7-day free trial · Cancel anytime

Photography-specific forecasts

What Astrophotographers Need That Stargazing Apps Don't Show

A stargazing app shows you what's in the sky tonight. An astrophotography app tells you whether you'll be able to capture it. StarCast scores the conditions that determine image quality — not just which objects are visible.

🌙

Moon Phase and Position

A full moon makes deep sky astrophotography nearly impossible. A new moon is the primary planning target. StarCast shows moon illumination percentage and whether the moon is above or below the horizon during your planned shooting window.

🌆

Bortle Class Light Pollution

Bortle class is the baseline that determines what's possible at your location regardless of weather. StarCast shows Bortle class for any location — from 1 (darkest) to 9 (city centre) — so you know your ceiling before checking anything else.

✨

Atmospheric Transparency

A clear sky can still have poor transparency from humidity, wildfire smoke, or aerosols. StarCast factors transparency into every score — because visually clear doesn't always mean photographically clear.

🌌

Dark Window Timing

The usable shooting window is when astronomical twilight ends, the moon is below the horizon, and your target is above it. StarCast calculates this overlap for your location each night.

🔔

StarCast Push Alerts

Set your location and score threshold once. StarCast monitors moon phase, cloud cover, and transparency daily and sends a push alert when a high-scoring night is forecast. Exclusive to the iOS app.

Common Questions

What is the best stargazing app for photographers?

LightCast StarCast. It scores moon phase, Bortle class, atmospheric transparency, and cloud cover together into a 0–100 night sky score. Push alerts notify you when conditions meet your threshold. Free on web, alerts in the iOS app.

How is StarCast different from a regular stargazing app?

Stargazing apps show object positions and visibility. StarCast scores whether conditions will let you photograph those objects — moon phase, transparency, Bortle class, and cloud cover together.

Does StarCast show Bortle class?

Yes. StarCast shows Bortle class for any location alongside weather conditions. Bortle 3 or better is needed for serious Milky Way photography.

Does StarCast work for any location?

Yes, worldwide. Save multiple locations to monitor your home base and planned shoot sites. Free on web, push alerts in the iOS app.

What else is in LightCast?

Six tools: StarCast, GoldCast, DroneCast, CloudCast, FogCast, and TriCast. $2.99/month after a 7-day free trial.

Night sky scoring built for photographers.

Moon phase · Bortle class · Transparency · Dark window
Push alerts · Saved locations · 6 tools in one app

Download LightCast for iOS

Try free on web →

$2.99/mo after 7-day free trial · Cancel anytime in App Store