Start from your sky
Sunset, darkness, altitude, Moon, weather and sky-quality data are evaluated for the location and night you selected.
Free & open source
Plan the night. Observe what matters.
NightScope turns your location, equipment and sky conditions into a practical plan for visual observing and astrophotography.
Windows 1.47.0
Linux 1.43.0
7,585
distinct deep-sky targets
Visual + imaging
separate, honest guidance
EN · IT · ES
switch language at runtime
Local first
no NightScope account required
From question to plan
Not another sky map. A decision for your actual night.
NightScope combines astronomical geometry, local forecasts and your real equipment, then presents useful windows and limiting factors in plain language.
Match your setup
Telescopes, binoculars, eyepieces, cameras and smart telescopes are considered without inventing compatibility that was never declared.
Get a usable plan
See what is worthwhile, when to observe it, what may get in the way and which configuration best fits the target.
Built for observing
The planning details that change what you do outside.
Recommendations stay practical and transparent: missing data remains missing, uncertainty is visible and visual observing never gets mixed with the photographic path.
Tonight’s recommendations
A short time-ordered plan, useful observing windows and alternatives for the target you want to see.
Equipment-aware planning
Compare the instruments in your active profile and receive concrete telescope, eyepiece and optical-train context.
Astrophotography guidance
Camera field, sampling, still-exposure planning and Solar System video guidance remain separate from visual ranking.
Live Sky Compass
Directional guidance helps you move from the plan to the right area of the sky when a recommended target is observable.
Astronomical calendar
Annual events, visible ISS passes and multi-night comet windows live together without being forced into object scores.
Ready at the telescope
A persistent low-luminance red interface protects dark adaptation, while observations and equipment remain stored locally.
Offline celestial catalogue
From planets to deep sky, available without a catalogue account.
Explore Solar System, Messier, Caldwell and NGC targets. Curated Messier and Caldwell entries include descriptions, observing notes, scientific facts and credited imagery.
7,839
NGC designations
219
curated Messier/Caldwell targets
9
Solar System targets
3
interface languages
Download
Portable builds. No installer and no NightScope account.
Each platform package is validated and released independently, so the current Windows and Linux version numbers are intentionally different.
Windows
v1.47.0
Windows portable
Extract the archive into a writable folder and run NightScope. Your database, preferences and personal images stay beside the application.
Get Windows release
Linux
v1.43.0
Linux portable
Download the tarball and its adjacent SHA-256 file. Desktop Qt, D-Bus, GeoClue and Secret Service dependencies remain host services.
Get Linux releaseWindows 1.47.0 adds practical observing windows, IMO meteor calendars, local meteor windows, COBS comet guidance and faster database startup. Linux remains at 1.43.0 and does not yet include these improvements. Version numbers refer to published packages; development source may be newer.
Windows 1.47.0 was released on September 20, 2026. COBS comet guidance uses qualified recent observations and retains JPL predictions when data are unsuitable. COBS data use CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 for noncommercial use; NightScope code remains MPL 2.0.
Prefer to inspect or run the source?
NightScope is licensed under MPL 2.0. The repository includes setup, architecture, testing, data-provenance and packaging documentation.
Before you begin
Common questions, direct answers.
NightScope is deliberately focused: it supports planning decisions and leaves sky-chart and hardware-control work to dedicated tools.
Is NightScope a planetarium or telescope-control application?
No. NightScope is a decision-support planner. It recommends targets, time windows and equipment context; it is not a star atlas, mount controller or substitute for safe observing practice.
Does NightScope require an online account?
No NightScope account is required. Core astronomical calculations and the celestial catalogue are local. Optional weather and environmental providers need internet access, and some offer their own credentials.
Why do Windows and Linux have different release numbers?
The portable bundles are built, audited and published independently. Windows currently has version 1.47.0; the latest public Linux package remains version 1.43.0 until a newer Linux bundle completes validation.
Where can I read the complete documentation?
Start with the multilingual user manual or explore the technical documentation in the GitHub repository.
Your sky. Your setup. Your night.
Spend less time comparing data and more time observing.
Download NightScope for free, build your equipment profile and let the next useful observing window become obvious.