Open Project

Astroplanner is free

AstroPlanner was developed by science communicator and founder of El Firmamento, Walter García, to make astronomical observation planning easier and help amateur astronomers make the most of their observing nights.

The program is freely accessible and requires no subscription. However, Astroplanner represents a significant amount of time devoted to development, catalog updates, testing, and system maintenance.

Make a voluntary donation

1. What is Astroplanner?

Astroplanner is a free web-based tool for planning astronomical observations.

It allows you to determine which objects can be observed from a specific location, during which period of time, and under what conditions, making it easier to plan an observing night.

✓ No installation required. It works directly in your web browser.

2. Who is it for?

From those just beginning to discover the night sky to experienced observers who need to plan an entire observing night.

  • Amateur astronomers
  • Visual observers
  • Astrophotographers
  • Teachers and students
  • Astronomy clubs and associations
  • Guides and science communicators

3. What can it do?

Location

Define the location from which the observation will take place.

Time

Select the date and exact observing period.

Visibility

Determine which astronomical objects will be available for observation.

Catalogs

Messier, NGC, IC, LDN, and other specialized catalogs.

Altitude above the horizon

Set a minimum altitude to exclude objects that are too low above the horizon.

Magnitude and Sky

Filter objects according to their apparent brightness and lunar conditions.

4. How does it work?

1

Choose where to observe

Enter or select your location (latitude/longitude).

2

Choose when to observe

Select the date and time window.

3

Set your observing conditions

Set the minimum altitude, maximum magnitude, and catalogs.

4

Plan your night

Astroplanner returns the exact objects available for your conditions.

5. Why was it developed?

Astroplanner was created from a specific need: to provide a simple tool that can turn an observing night into a real observation plan.

Often we know what we want to observe, but not necessarily which objects will be visible from our location, when they will reach their best position, or which ones meet specific observing conditions. Astroplanner brings this information together in a single, accessible tool.

6. NCS Catalog: New South American Catalog

The NCS Catalog (New South American Catalog) was created in 2018 by El Firmamento with the purpose of bringing together and highlighting a selection of 151 celestial objects from the Southern Hemisphere, including star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, and double stars across different magnitude ranges.

The catalog was created with an essentially observational and educational purpose: to help amateur astronomers identify and recognize relevant objects in the southern sky that are not included in the NGC (New General Catalogue), using a standard amateur telescope and basic knowledge of the night sky.

First Edition

Presenta la selección inicial de objetos del catálogo y establece la base para su utilización como referencia observacional del cielo del hemisferio sur.

Second Edition

Es la edición más extensa. Incorpora una imagen de cada objeto, procesada para representar su aspecto bajo condiciones de baja o nula contaminación lumínica, junto con una descripción orientada a su reconocimiento durante la observación telescópica.

These descriptions help observers recognize each object through its main visual characteristics, such as its shape, grayscale appearance, brightness, structure, apparent size, and asterisms which can be used as references for locating and distinguishing it in the eyepiece field of view.

The NCS also includes Star Charts designed to facilitate the location of objects in the sky. In this way, the catalog does not simply list celestial objects; it serves as a practical tool for planning, locating, and recognizing objects in the southern sky during an observing session.

Available in print: the NCS Catalog can be purchased through the official El Firmamento website, where information about its editions is available.

7. The work behind it

Access is free for users, but developing and maintaining a tool like Astroplanner requires time, knowledge, and ongoing dedication across multiple areas:

Programming and development
Interface design
Catalogs astronómicos
Astronomical calculations
Maintenance
Mobile adaptation
Bug fixing
Language support
New features

8. Why is it free?

Astroplanner is not intended to be a subscription service. The goal is for anyone interested in astronomy to be able to use the tool regardless of their financial circumstances.

9. What does making a donation mean?

The donation is completely voluntary. No payment is required to use Astroplanner, and making a donation does not unlock additional features.

It is simply a way to contribute to the time and resources devoted to the development, maintenance, and continued evolution of the project.

If you find Astroplanner useful, your contribution helps the project continue to grow.

10. What is it used for?

  • Maintenance del servicio web
  • Platform domain and hosting
  • Development of new features
  • Database updates
  • Research and performance testing

Where is Astroplanner going?

Astroplanner is a project under continuous development. Some of the planned future improvements include:

New catalogs Improved filters Astrophotography planning List export Sky maps Integration with other systems

11. Thank you for supporting Astroplanner!

Every contribution, regardless of its amount, is a way of supporting the development of this project. Above all, thank you for using Astroplanner, sharing it, and helping more people discover and enjoy astronomy.

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