Show HN: Nightwatch – a Mac menu-bar app that tells you when tonight is clear
Nightwatch is a macOS menu-bar app that determines optimal astrophotography windows using weather data and astronomical calculations, recommending specific targets and dark sites.
summary is enough The README provides a comprehensive overview of a niche macOS utility, making it quick to grasp without installing or building the app.
summary
Nightwatch is a native macOS menu-bar app designed for astrophotographers to evaluate whether a night is clear enough for imaging. It combines weather forecasts from Apple Weather and Open-Meteo with local astronomical calculations to score the sky and recommend optimal targets for specific telescope fields of view. The app also supports custom horizons derived from terrain data, desktop widgets, and dark-site scoring. Users can configure automated alerts for clear windows, meteor showers, and aurora activity.
key points
- Calculates local darkness, moon phases, and target visibility offline using Astronomy Engine alongside half-hourly weather updates.
- Includes built-in presets for popular smart telescopes like the DWARF Mini and Seestar S50.
- Allows configuring custom horizons using terrain data or phone photos to exclude blocked sky angles.
- Scores nearby dark-sky locations and integrates live aurora alerts from NOAA and AuroraWatch UK.
who should read it
Mac-using astrophotographers and amateur astronomers looking for automated observation planning tools.
discussion positive
consensus
Commenters appreciate the rich feature set and niche utility—especially custom horizons and smart telescope support—though a few note menu-bar clutter and request cross-platform options.
Are there API's that provide simple information on if it's a good night for astronomy? I am totally blind, but would like to know when it's a good night for my kids to use there telescope. I don't use a Mac as my primary machine, and xasteria is not accessible.
A blind user's question about accessibility prompted a helpful roundup of alternative web and mobile astronomy forecasting tools.
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