StarHop NavigatorDEEverything you need to start observing with StarHop Navigator.
A short walkthrough showing how calibration and sky navigation work in the app.
With motion sensors and compass — every modern iPhone has them.
Any manually moveable telescope — Dobsonian, alt-azimuth, or equatorial without GoTo.
Hook-and-loop strips or a 3D-printed mount — anything that holds your phone flat on the tube.
Attach your iPhone to the telescope tube — flat, stable, and repeatable. Use hook-and-loop strips for a quick setup or a 3D-printed mount for a more secure fit.
Details and STL download: Mounting tips →
Look at the sky, then look at the app. Find a star pattern on the screen that matches what you see through the eyepiece or with your eyes. Tap the star, centre it in the eyepiece, and confirm.
Tip: Use the Bortle slider to reduce the number of stars shown on screen — this makes it much easier to match patterns, especially from light-polluted locations.
Two calibration stars give good accuracy. Three is the sweet spot — more rarely helps. The calibration indicator in the top-right corner tells you how good your calibration is.
Open the catalogue and browse nebulae, galaxies, star clusters, and planets. Or tap directly on an object in the sky view. The app shows you how well each object is observable with your equipment right now.
The crosshair shows the direction. The deviation indicator tells you how far you still need to slew. Move your telescope until the indicator turns green — then look through the eyepiece.
Low magnification gives you the widest view — easiest to find objects. Switch to higher magnification after you've found the target.
M42 (Orion Nebula), M13 (Hercules Cluster), M31 (Andromeda Galaxy) — these are bright and rewarding, even from lighter skies.
Light pollution is the biggest enemy of visual observing. Even a short drive out of town makes a huge difference.
Dive deeper into what StarHop Navigator can do.