Where Polaris goes in your polar scope, right now.

Polar Align gives you the clock position for your site and the current time. Put the star on the dot, lock the mount, start imaging.

Coming soon to Google Play

Android. Works offline, no ads, no account.

Polar Align main screen: clock-face reticle with Polaris at the 7 o'clock position and the dial reading 7:07
Polar Align in its normal dark theme
Red night mode with the system bars hidden

Red night mode keeps your eyes dark adapted.

Red mode hides the system bars, so nothing white stays on screen while you stand at the mount.

Type your coordinates, or tap "Use my location once". The position is read only when you tap and never leaves your phone.

Draws the plate you are looking through.

The star is placed on the reticle the way you see it through the scope, so you copy the picture instead of flipping it in your head. Through-the-scope view is turned 180°, or switch to the naked-eye view.

Clock-face reticle with live Polaris position
Clock faceFree. The generic reticle with the live star position.
Sky-Watcher style polar scope plate with year circles
Sky-WatcherCircles for 2012, 2020 and 2028 with the star between them.
iOptron style polar scope plate
iOptronA dial from 1 to 12 with the inner and outer circles.
Southern hemisphere: sigma Octantis on the iOptron plate
Southern skySigma Octantis takes the place of Polaris.

Pro adds Sky-Watcher, iOptron, Orion, Celestron, Explore Scientific EXOS-2 and Vixen PF-L plates, drawn from the manufacturers' manuals.

Checked against astropy.

Positions include precession, nutation and aberration. We compared the hour angle with the astropy library, in both hemispheres. Atmospheric refraction is not applied.

260cases compared
2026 to 2035dates covered, north and south
< 0.1′largest hour angle difference, under 0.1 arcminute

What it shows.

Free, and a one-time Pro.

Free

The clock-face reticle with the live star position.

  • North and south hemisphere
  • Through-the-scope or naked-eye view
  • Red night mode, no ads, no account

Pro

A one-time purchase.

  • Sky-Watcher, iOptron, Orion, Celestron, Explore Scientific EXOS-2 and Vixen PF-L plates, drawn from the manufacturers' manuals
  • A 24-hour dial, with Polaris year rings in the north
  • Rotate and mirror the dial to match what you see through your scope
  • A time planner to see where Polaris will be later tonight
  • Saved observing sites

New to polar scopes?

How a reticle works and how to read the clock position, with sources.

Read the reticle guide