AstroHelm

Pacizu, LLC

In-app purchases

About this app

Find galaxies, nebulae, star clusters, planets, and more without struggling with star hopping.

AstroHelm turns almost any manual telescope into an accurate push-to system using fast, on-device plate solving.

Simply attach your phone securely to your telescope, choose a target, and move the telescope while following AstroHelm's guidance. AstroHelm analyzes the stars in the camera view to determine exactly where your telescope is pointing and guides you toward your target.

No proprietary telescope. No motorized GoTo mount. No internet connection required.

NOT SURE WHAT TO OBSERVE?

AstroHelm can help with that too.

Best Now highlights bright, interesting objects currently visible from your location, so you can spend less time planning and more time observing.

HOW IT WORKS

1. MOUNT

Attach your phone securely to your telescope so the rear camera points in the same direction as the telescope.

2. CHOOSE

Pick a galaxy, nebula, star cluster, planet, or other target from AstroHelm's catalog.

3. 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.

4. CENTER

When the reticle reaches the target, look through the eyepiece and start observing.

BUILT FOR THE GEAR YOU ALREADY OWN

AstroHelm works with manual telescopes without requiring a specific telescope brand, proprietary accessory, encoders, or a motorized GoTo mount.

Whether you use a Dobsonian, refractor, reflector, or another manually pointed telescope, AstroHelm helps you get from "I want to see that" to "there it is."

ACCURATE ON-DEVICE PLATE SOLVING

AstroHelm does not rely on your phone's compass for precise telescope pointing.

Instead, it identifies stars directly from the camera image and uses plate solving to determine where your telescope is actually pointing.

Plate solving runs entirely on your device, so AstroHelm continues to work at dark-sky sites without cellular service or Wi-Fi.

WORKS WITH YOUR FAVORITE ASTRONOMY SOFTWARE

AstroHelm supports standard telescope-control protocols including:

• ASCOM Alpaca
• LX200
• INDI

This allows compatible astronomy apps and software to communicate with AstroHelm as if it were a telescope.

On Android, AstroHelm can continue plate solving in the background while you use another astronomy app, such as SkySafari or Stellarium, to view your telescope position or select targets.

MADE FOR OBSERVING AT NIGHT

• Accurate push-to telescope guidance
• Fast, on-device plate solving
• Deep-sky catalogs for galaxies, nebulae, and star clusters
• Best Now recommendations for objects currently visible
• Red night mode to help preserve dark adaptation
• Background plate solving on Android
• ASCOM Alpaca, LX200, and INDI support
• Works offline
• No proprietary telescope hardware required

Spend less time searching and more time observing.

What’s new

Introducing AstroHelm Pro with extended catalogs and external app control (via ASCOM Alpaca, INDI, and LX200)