Free, No Ads! Core app free to use · optional @skieslive member perks
SkiesLIVE Stargazing App
Explore your sky
Your local sky at a glance — tonight’s conditions, live aurora and space weather, ISS passes, planets, and a zenith star map. Sign in for Tonight’s targets; @skieslive members get the full Best Targets catalog and a synced deep-sky planner.
Detecting your device…
Tonight at a glance
Home — your command center
Tonight’s Sky Score, moon phase, clouds and seeing, and a space weather snapshot — all matched to your location. The sky gradient shifts through morning, day, evening, and night.
- Single-glance observing rating for tonight
- Moon illumination and rise/set context
- Geomagnetic alert banner when conditions spike
- Save tonight’s snapshot when signed in
Aurora & geomagnetic
Northern lights outlook for your sky
See whether aurora is possible where you are tonight — with live NOAA geomagnetic data, an animated aurora oval, and storm outlook tuned to your location. Know when to look up before you drive out.
- OVATION-style aurora probability map centered on your site
- Kp, Bz, and geomagnetic storm watch at a glance
- Push alerts when activity crosses your threshold
Solar activity
The Sun — disk, spots & space weather drivers
Track what the Sun is doing right now: recent flare class, sunspot regions, and solar imagery that helps explain aurora and radio conditions. Refreshed on the same schedule as the rest of your space weather dashboard.
- Latest solar disk imagery and active-region context
- Flare and geomagnetic storm outlook tied to NOAA feeds
- Pairs with aurora alerts when solar activity spikes
Meteor showers
Major showers — peaks, radiants & moon interference
Plan meteor-watching nights with shower calendars matched to your location: peak dates, expected activity, radiant rise times, and how bright moonlight will affect the view at your site.
- Upcoming major showers with peak-night timing
- Radiant altitude and best hours for your coordinates
- Moon phase context so you know what sky brightness to expect
ISS & SkiesVIEW
Passes overhead & stars at the zenith
See when the International Space Station flies over you — with elevation, direction, and a ground track map. SkiesVIEW shows a zenith star map for what’s directly overhead now.
- ISS pass times and quality filtering for alerts
- Planets page for eyepiece-ready positions
- Constellation context for quick orientation
Free account
Tonight’s targets
Sign in with a free SkiesLIVE account to see which deep-sky objects are well placed for your location tonight — altitude, timing, and moon context without a YouTube membership.
- What’s up right now at your active observing site
- Altitude, timing, and moon separation at a glance
- In the app when signed in — separate from the Best Targets tab
YouTube members
Best Targets — browse the full deep-sky catalog
The Best Targets tab opens for everyone — guests and registered accounts see a locked card until @skieslive YouTube membership (or a VIP grant) is linked. Members browse the full catalog — Messier, NGC, Caldwell, and IC (~193 objects), Tonight’s Top 3, and more.
- ~193 objects — Messier, NGC, Caldwell, and IC
- Filters by minimum altitude, object type, and constellation
- Tonight’s Top 3 with “why tonight” notes
- Per-target altitude, azimuth, meridian, imaging window, and moon separation
- Member badge in nav showing your tier (Owner, VIP, etc.)
YouTube members
Deep-sky planner — build tonight’s session
A planning layer on top of Best Targets: save a hit list for the night, search a window that matches your session, and keep it synced between the app and skieslive.com. Signing in alone does not unlock this — YouTube @skieslive membership or a VIP grant is required.
- Planning window search — targets visible during your chosen hours
- Tonight’s plan hit list — add, reorder, and clear as you browse
- Synced app ↔ skieslive.com when signed in
Free · Account · Member
Three ways to use SkiesLIVE
Tonight’s targets needs a free SkiesLIVE account (in the app). Best Targets and the deep-sky planner are @skieslive YouTube member perks — guests and registered accounts see a locked card until membership is linked.
| Feature | Guest | Free account | Member |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home, aurora, solar, meteors, ISS, SkiesVIEW, planets, alerts | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Sync alerts & location across devices | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Saved dark-sky sites (up to 5) | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tonight snapshot log | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Tonight’s targets | — | ✓ | ✓ |
| Best Targets tab | — | — | ✓ |
| Tonight’s Top 3 | — | — | ✓ |
| Deep-sky planner — tonight’s plan & sync | — | — | ✓ |
One account, every device
App ↔ skieslive.com sync
Sign in once with your SkiesLIVE account. Notification thresholds, saved observing sites, tonight logs, and member deep-sky plans stay aligned between the app and the website.
- Up to 5 named observing locations — switch in one tap
- Tonight log — save conditions snapshots to your account history
- Device linking for push alerts under your user id
- Deep-sky plans — tonight’s hit list synced app ↔ web (members)
- Manage password, YouTube link, and devices on account
Get the app
Download SkiesLIVE
Built for stargazers and aurora chasers who want clear, location-aware astronomy on phone, tablet, and PC.
Store links go live as each platform rolls out during beta. Join Discord for TestFlight and early-access news.
Beta 0.3.2 Closed beta testing is ongoing. Join Discord to become a tester.
FAQ
Common questions
Do I need an account?
No for basic sky features. A free account adds sync, saved sites, and the tonight log.
What is Best Targets?
A member deep-sky catalog and planner — Messier, NGC, Caldwell, and IC, plus Top 3 and tonight’s plan. Guests and registered accounts see a locked card until @skieslive membership is linked.
Does signing in unlock Best Targets?
No. Best Targets requires @skieslive YouTube membership or a VIP grant. Signing in unlocks Tonight’s targets in the app separately.
What is the deep-sky planner?
A member tool separate from Tonight’s targets and Best Targets browsing: build tonight’s plan, search a planning window, and sync your hit list between the app and skieslive.com.
How do I become a member?
Join @skieslive on YouTube, then link your channel on your profile.
Is it the same app on every platform?
Yes — one codebase with the same features and account sync on Android, iOS, and Windows. Store release timing may differ slightly during beta.
Do notification settings sync?
Yes, when signed in — alert thresholds upload to your account and apply on your other devices after sync.
How do I report a bug?
Open a support request on skieslive.com (in-app shortcut ships in app v0.3.2).
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