StarCast · Night Sky Forecast

Night Sky Forecast App

StarCast scores moon phase, Bortle class, atmospheric transparency, and cloud cover together into a single night sky forecast — and alerts you when a high-scoring night is ahead.

Try LightCast Free — iOS App Check tonight's sky free on web →

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

Photography-specific forecasts

A Forecast Built Around What Night Sky Photographers Actually Need

A standard weather app shows cloud cover as a percentage. A night sky forecast needs to show moon illumination, moon position, Bortle class, atmospheric transparency, and the dark window timing. StarCast shows all of these and combines them into one score.

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Moon Phase and Position

Moon illumination percentage and whether the moon is above or below the horizon during your shooting window. A full moon makes Milky Way photography nearly impossible. StarCast factors both into every score.

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Bortle Class Light Pollution

Bortle class for any location — the fixed baseline that determines what's possible regardless of weather. Bortle 3 or better for serious astrophotography. StarCast shows it alongside the live weather forecast.

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Atmospheric Transparency

Humidity, haze, and wildfire smoke reduce star brightness even on visually clear nights. StarCast factors transparency into the score — not just cloud cover percentage.

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Dark Window Timing

When astronomical twilight ends, when the moon sets, when your target rises — the usable shooting window is the overlap of all three. StarCast calculates this for your location each night.

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StarCast Push Alerts

Set your location and score threshold once. StarCast monitors conditions nightly and sends a push alert when a high-scoring night is forecast — so you know before conditions arrive, not after they pass. Exclusive to the iOS app.

Common Questions

What is the best night sky forecast app?

LightCast StarCast. It scores moon phase, Bortle class, transparency, and cloud cover into a single 0–100 night sky score. Push alerts notify you when a high-scoring night is forecast. Free on web, alerts in the iOS app.

What does a night sky forecast include?

Moon illumination and position, cloud cover by layer, atmospheric transparency, Bortle class, humidity, and dark window timing. StarCast shows all of these and combines them into one score.

How far ahead does StarCast forecast?

StarCast shows a 3-day weather forecast window. Moon phase and astronomical timing are predictable months ahead — StarCast adds the weather layer as the date approaches.

Does StarCast work for any location?

Yes, worldwide. Save multiple locations to monitor your home 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.

The night sky forecast built for photographers.

Moon phase · Bortle class · Transparency · Dark window
Push alerts · Saved locations · 3-day outlook

Download LightCast for iOS

Check tonight's sky free on web →

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