What you need to know about Celestron's SkyPortal App

Everything we do on a daily basis is enhanced, more convenient and faster with the help of our mobile phones and tablets... and it doesn't stop with your night sky experience. Celestron's free SkyPortal mobile app redefines the way you navigate the night sky in a new and exciting way.

Compatible with both iOS and Android devices, the SkyPortal app enables your Celestron computerized telescope to align itself to the night sky and automatically locate thousands of celestial objects including the solar system, 120,000 stars, over 200 star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, dozens of asteroids, comets and satellites.

With the help of its GPS abilities, you will be able to generate a custom list of the best objects to view based on your time, date and location. Make sure your device is GPS capable to be compatible with the app.

Oh, and did we mention it can also act as your personal astronomy planner? With the SkyPortal app, you can plan out your observing sessions. For example, Jupiter's Great Red Spot isn't always visible, so if you are wanting to know when you will be able to see it, the app can look ahead to know exactly when to set up your telescope for optimal viewing!

Best of all, you can control and automatically align your compatible Celestron Telescope from your device using StarSenseand WiFi technology.

How to use the Celestron SkyPortal App

Simply hold up your mobile phone or tablet up to display the night sky on your screen where you see labeled constellations and celestial objects. Tap on the object that you are interested in viewing, select "GoTo", and watch your telescope find and center the object for you!

Your telescope's automatic tracking capabilities will prevent you from having to re-center the object, which becomes especially useful when viewing with a large group or if you need the object to be centered for several hours.

If you want to view a different object, simply repeat the process and let the app and your telescope do the work!

In addition to the features discussed, the SkyPortal app contains a large database of astroimages with audio descriptions and stats like the object’s distance from the Earth. Also, to truly ensure the best observing session, the app includes a "night vision" setting to tone down your device's display by adding a red filter.

Download SkyPortal App on both Google Play and Apple App Stores!