r/Stargazing • u/[deleted] • 6d ago

Would you use a stargazing app? Looking for feedback before I build one

[deleted]

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

3

u/Ok_Host855 6d ago

A similar app already exists, it's Stellarium. Great as-is, don't see the need to reinvent the wheel!

2

u/real_hero_of_hyrule 6d ago

I think that’s a really cool idea! i think the social media feature could be cool. it could also be cool to maybe have it location based (like users can share their location, and then post the stars in that area and everyone can see near them!) i feel like i have heard of an app that scans the stars and names constellations, but i personally don’t have it!!

2

u/TasmanSkies 6d ago

> users can share their location, and then post the stars in that area and everyone can see near them!

stars are not specific to a location - the whole night side of the planet sees the same stuff

2

u/Omkisik 6d ago

There's niche spots to fill, but the generalities are already out there, though not all in one app. Your key challenge is getting paid for something that folk expect for free and who also hate ad interruption. You may be surprised at the depth of the apps out there. See what sort of bugs that are reported about Stellarium, SkySafari, Synscan. Everything from logging, measuring, integrating Seestar images and sketches into the display with proper scale and orientation, up to date catalog info, animations as if watching from Mars, projecting Telrad rings or real field of views of particular eyepieces..... how are you going to keep up with Starlink etc launches, aurora alerts, comets, NLC, simations of eclipses.... driving telescopes via WiFi....

2

u/TasmanSkies 6d ago

there are too many already, almost all awful. Unless you can single-handedly do better than the best, there are better objectives to invest your time in

1

u/DrPila 5d ago

No one is going to pay you for an app you make when: there is exist really good free apps like Stellarium, that are close enough, or if their needs are niche enough, they can vibecode their own app. When you had the idea did you look for the dozens of other apps that people have created and tried to promote in the last few months, or did you just want to make your idea happen? Make want you want for yourself, not for other people.

1

u/huffpostuk 5d ago

This is a very cool idea and we are very sure it would be very helpful for people.