Luminos Pro

This update adds many new features, including Gaia DR3, Pulsars, new deep space images, improved searching, widgets, and much more! See the in-app release notes for a complete list.

This update adds information on nearly 250 newly discovered exoplanets. A highlight is the HD 110067 system, featuring six planets in remarkably resonant orbits. Also in this update is the November 2023 release of the Washington Double Star Catalog, ensuring you have the most current and accurate information for your observations!

Clear skies,
- John

This update brings a host of enhancements and fixes, further improving the user experience for both amateur and professional astronomers. Key features include an update to the Celestrak data URLs, ensuring users have access to the most current satellite data. Additionally, new categories for "GEO Protected Zone" and "GEO Protected Zone Plus" satellites have been added. This update also adds a setting that allows users to disable animations when changing locations, streamlining the app's usability.

Several improvements have also been made to enhance the app's accuracy and responsiveness. The phrasing of opposition events in the Tonight panel has been corrected to reflect accurate descriptions both before and after the event. For comet enthusiasts, the Tonight panel now displays the longer of two appearances when a comet is visible at both dawn and dusk. The layout of the satellite settings has been reworked for better clarity and ease of use. Lastly, the search function has been optimized to respond faster during its first use, significantly enhancing the overall responsiveness of the app.

This update adds compatibility with iOS 17

This update introduces a variety of enhancements. New JWST images are now available, along with the addition of the star Earendel, and refinements to moon phase data. The latest versions of the Washington Double Star (WDS) catalog, exoplanets database, and surface feature databases for various celestial bodies have been implemented. Additionally, several bugs have been fixed; please refer to the detailed release notes for a comprehensive list.

Update 10.6.1: A crash which could occur while rendering asteroid or comet orbits has been fixed

I'm pleased to present the latest update for Luminos Pro, which incorporates an array of innovative features and improvements designed to enhance your astronomical observing experience.

A standout addition is the new Augmented Reality (AR) mode in motion tracking. This feature overlays graphics onto live video, making it simpler to identify celestial objects and pinpoint observing targets. There are two AR modes for you to explore: one where graphics appear behind physical obstacles like buildings and trees, and another where the graphics overlay everything. While the former has a unique appeal, please note that ARKit's object detection may be less accurate in low light conditions, hence the latter mode is recommended for night-time usage. The classic Virtual Reality mode remains available and can be selected at the top of the screen during motion tracking.

Alongside this, new target "focus" modes have been incorporated in motion tracking, enabling you to highlight specific categories such as planets & stars, deep space, or satellites, while minimizing or removing other objects. The ability to manually adjust the compass alignment to better synchronize the graphics with the real sky has also been added to all motion tracking modes.

I am also introducing the All-Access Pass, which offers you all the advanced features of Luminos Pro for a one-time payment, eliminating the need for subscriptions. To celebrate this, I am offering a 25% discount for those who've subscribed for a year or more, and a limited-time 10% introductory discount for everyone. The pass is compatible with Apple's Family Sharing, meaning a single purchase covers your whole family.


The user interface for custom locations has been revamped for a more user-friendly experience. Your custom locations are stored in iCloud Drive and will sync across all your devices. The location files are in JSON format, and you can generate your own files, placing them in the iCloud Drive > Luminos > Locations folder for automatic recognition by the app. The app can now also automatically adjust its time zone to match the selected location, simplifying target finding and event viewing for different places.

This update also includes numerous other features like labels on the celestial poles, a re-designed pointer for offscreen objects, automatic labels for bright satellites, the ability to filter eclipse lists by eclipse type, and local times on eclipse map popups. Performance and battery life have been improved, and numerous bugs have been addressed, including random crashes, distance errors to galaxies, and enhanced detection for visible satellite flyovers. You can find a comprehensive list of new features and bug fixes in the in-app release notes.

I hope you'll enjoy exploring these new features and improvements. Your feedback is always welcome, and greatly contributes to the continuous enhancement of Luminos Pro.

Clear skies,
- John

Changes in version 10.5.7:

• Feature - Added JWST Rho Ohiuchi image
• Feature - Deep space object diameter is included in the summary
• Feature - The Browser no longer automatically closes when clearing the selection
• Feature - Star downloads show a progress bar in the sky view while downloading
• Fixed - Location shows coordinates in Settings when not near a named place
• Fixed - The activity indicator works reliably on the Asteroids page
• Fixed - Meteor showers render correctly from space
• Fixed - The layout of items within certain gridded sections (tonight's best, meteor showers) has been improved

I'm pleased to present the latest update for Luminos Pro, which incorporates an array of innovative features and improvements designed to enhance your astronomical observing experience.

A standout addition is the new Augmented Reality (AR) mode in motion tracking. This feature overlays graphics onto live video, making it simpler to identify celestial objects and pinpoint observing targets. There are two AR modes for you to explore: one where graphics appear behind physical obstacles like buildings and trees, and another where the graphics overlay everything. While the former has a unique appeal, please note that ARKit's object detection may be less accurate in low light conditions, hence the latter mode is recommended for night-time usage. The classic Virtual Reality mode remains available and can be selected at the top of the screen during motion tracking.

Alongside this, new target "focus" modes have been incorporated in motion tracking, enabling you to highlight specific categories such as planets & stars, deep space, or satellites, while minimizing or removing other objects. The ability to manually adjust the compass alignment to better synchronize the graphics with the real sky has also been added to all motion tracking modes.

I am also introducing the All-Access Pass, which offers you all the advanced features of Luminos Pro for a one-time payment, eliminating the need for subscriptions. To celebrate this, I am offering a 25% discount for those who've subscribed for a year or more, and a limited-time 10% introductory discount for everyone. The pass is compatible with Apple's Family Sharing, meaning a single purchase covers your whole family.


The user interface for custom locations has been revamped for a more user-friendly experience. Your custom locations are stored in iCloud Drive and will sync across all your devices. The location files are in JSON format, and you can generate your own files, placing them in the iCloud Drive > Luminos > Locations folder for automatic recognition by the app. The app can now also automatically adjust its time zone to match the selected location, simplifying target finding and event viewing for different places.

This update also includes numerous other features like labels on the celestial poles, a re-designed pointer for offscreen objects, automatic labels for bright satellites, the ability to filter eclipse lists by eclipse type, and local times on eclipse map popups. Performance and battery life have been improved, and numerous bugs have been addressed, including random crashes, distance errors to galaxies, and enhanced detection for visible satellite flyovers. You can find a comprehensive list of new features and bug fixes in the in-app release notes.


I hope you'll enjoy exploring these new features and improvements. Your feedback is always welcome, and greatly contributes to the continuous enhancement of Luminos Pro.

Clear skies,
- John

I'm thrilled to present the latest update for Luminos Pro, which incorporates an array of innovative features and improvements designed to enhance your astronomical observing experience.

A standout addition is the new Augmented Reality (AR) mode in motion tracking. This feature overlays graphics onto live video, making it simpler to identify celestial objects and pinpoint observing targets. There are two AR modes for you to explore: one where graphics appear behind physical obstacles like buildings and trees, and another where the graphics overlay everything. While the former has a unique appeal, please note that ARKit's object detection may be less accurate in low light conditions, hence the latter mode is recommended for night-time usage. The classic Virtual Reality mode remains available and can be selected at the top of the screen during motion tracking.

Alongside this, new target "focus" modes have been incorporated in motion tracking, enabling you to highlight specific categories such as planets & stars, deep space, or satellites, while minimizing or removing other objects. The ability to manually adjust the compass alignment to better synchronize the graphics with the real sky has also been added to all motion tracking modes.

I am also introducing the All-Access Pass, which offers you all the advanced features of Luminos Pro for a one-time payment, eliminating the need for subscriptions. To celebrate this, I am offering a 25% discount for those who've subscribed for a year or more, and a limited-time 10% introductory discount for everyone. The pass is compatible with Apple's Family Sharing, meaning a single purchase covers your whole family.


The user interface for custom locations has been revamped for a more user-friendly experience. Your custom locations are stored in iCloud Drive and will sync across all your devices. The location files are in JSON format, and you can generate your own files, placing them in the iCloud Drive > Luminos > Locations folder for automatic recognition by the app. The app can now also automatically adjust its time zone to match the selected location, simplifying target finding and event viewing for different places.

This update also includes numerous other features like labels on the celestial poles, a re-designed pointer for offscreen objects, automatic labels for bright satellites, the ability to filter eclipse lists by eclipse type, and local times on eclipse map popups. Performance and battery life have been improved, and numerous bugs have been addressed, including random crashes, distance errors to galaxies, and enhanced detection for visible satellite flyovers. You can find a comprehensive list of new features and bug fixes in the in-app release notes.


I hope you'll enjoy exploring these new features and improvements. Your feedback is always welcome, and greatly contributes to the continuous enhancement of Luminos Pro.

Clear skies,
- John

Update 10.5.1: Fixed crash which could occur when canceling your subscription
Update 10.5.2: Fixed crash which occurred when zooming all the way in on stars, and fixed subscription wording to mention the all-access pass too
Update 10.5.3: Updated satellite articles, fixed translation errors, fixed label placement, fixed user-interface bugs
Update 10.5.4: Added more satellite articles, fixed time speed controls
Update 10.5.5: Improvements in manually entering coordinates and fixes for various settings

I'm thrilled to present the latest update for Luminos Pro, which incorporates an array of innovative features and improvements designed to enhance your astronomical observing experience.

A standout addition is the new Augmented Reality (AR) mode in motion tracking. This feature overlays graphics onto live video, making it simpler to identify celestial objects and pinpoint observing targets. There are two AR modes for you to explore: one where graphics appear behind physical obstacles like buildings and trees, and another where the graphics overlay everything. While the former has a unique appeal, please note that ARKit's object detection may be less accurate in low light conditions, hence the latter mode is recommended for night-time usage. The classic Virtual Reality mode remains available and can be selected at the top of the screen during motion tracking.

Alongside this, new target "focus" modes have been incorporated in motion tracking, enabling you to highlight specific categories such as planets & stars, deep space, or satellites, while minimizing or removing other objects. The ability to manually adjust the compass alignment to better synchronize the graphics with the real sky has also been added to all motion tracking modes.

I am also introducing the All-Access Pass, which offers you all the advanced features of Luminos Pro for a one-time payment, eliminating the need for subscriptions. To celebrate this, I am offering a 25% discount for those who've subscribed for a year or more, and a limited-time 10% introductory discount for everyone. The pass is compatible with Apple's Family Sharing, meaning a single purchase covers your whole family.


The user interface for custom locations has been revamped for a more user-friendly experience. Your custom locations are stored in iCloud Drive and will sync across all your devices. The location files are in JSON format, and you can generate your own files, placing them in the iCloud Drive > Luminos > Locations folder for automatic recognition by the app. The app can now also automatically adjust its time zone to match the selected location, simplifying target finding and event viewing for different places.

This update also includes numerous other features like labels on the celestial poles, a re-designed pointer for offscreen objects, automatic labels for bright satellites, the ability to filter eclipse lists by eclipse type, and local times on eclipse map popups. Performance and battery life have been improved, and numerous bugs have been addressed, including random crashes, distance errors to galaxies, and enhanced detection for visible satellite flyovers. You can find a comprehensive list of new features and bug fixes in the in-app release notes.


I hope you'll enjoy exploring these new features and improvements. Your feedback is always welcome, and greatly contributes to the continuous enhancement of Luminos Pro.

Clear skies,
- John

Update 10.5.1: Fixed crash which could occur when canceling your subscription
Update 10.5.2: Fixed crash which occurred when zooming all the way in on stars, and fixed subscription wording to mention the all-access pass too
Update 10.5.3: Updated satellite articles, fixed translation errors, fixed label placement, fixed user-interface bugs

I'm thrilled to present the latest update for Luminos Pro, which incorporates an array of innovative features and improvements designed to enhance your astronomical observing experience.

A standout addition is the new Augmented Reality (AR) mode in motion tracking. This feature overlays graphics onto live video, making it simpler to identify celestial objects and pinpoint observing targets. There are two AR modes for you to explore: one where graphics appear behind physical obstacles like buildings and trees, and another where the graphics overlay everything. While the former has a unique appeal, please note that ARKit's object detection may be less accurate in low light conditions, hence the latter mode is recommended for night-time usage. The classic Virtual Reality mode remains available and can be selected at the top of the screen during motion tracking.

Alongside this, new target "focus" modes have been incorporated in motion tracking, enabling you to highlight specific categories such as planets & stars, deep space, or satellites, while minimizing or removing other objects. The ability to manually adjust the compass alignment to better synchronize the graphics with the real sky has also been added to all motion tracking modes.

I am also introducing the All-Access Pass, which offers you all the advanced features of Luminos Pro for a one-time payment, eliminating the need for subscriptions. To celebrate this, I am offering a 25% discount for those who've subscribed for a year or more, and a limited-time 10% introductory discount for everyone. The pass is compatible with Apple's Family Sharing, meaning a single purchase covers your whole family.


The user interface for custom locations has been revamped for a more user-friendly experience. Your custom locations are stored in iCloud Drive and will sync across all your devices. The location files are in JSON format, and you can generate your own files, placing them in the iCloud Drive > Luminos > Locations folder for automatic recognition by the app. The app can now also automatically adjust its time zone to match the selected location, simplifying target finding and event viewing for different places.

This update also includes numerous other features like labels on the celestial poles, a re-designed pointer for offscreen objects, automatic labels for bright satellites, the ability to filter eclipse lists by eclipse type, and local times on eclipse map popups. Performance and battery life have been improved, and numerous bugs have been addressed, including random crashes, distance errors to galaxies, and enhanced detection for visible satellite flyovers. You can find a comprehensive list of new features and bug fixes in the in-app release notes.


I hope you'll enjoy exploring these new features and improvements. Your feedback is always welcome, and greatly contributes to the continuous enhancement of Luminos Pro.

Clear skies,
- John

Update 10.5.1: Fixed crash which could occur when canceling your subscription
Update 10.5.2: Fixed crash which occurred when zooming all the way in on stars, and fixed subscription wording to mention the all-access pass too

I'm thrilled to present the latest update for Luminos Pro, which incorporates an array of innovative features and improvements designed to enhance your astronomical observing experience.

A standout addition is the new Augmented Reality (AR) mode in motion tracking. This feature overlays graphics onto live video, making it simpler to identify celestial objects and pinpoint observing targets. There are two AR modes for you to explore: one where graphics appear behind physical obstacles like buildings and trees, and another where the graphics overlay everything. While the former has a unique appeal, please note that ARKit's object detection may be less accurate in low light conditions, hence the latter mode is recommended for night-time usage. The classic Virtual Reality mode remains available and can be selected at the top of the screen during motion tracking.

Alongside this, new target "focus" modes have been incorporated in motion tracking, enabling you to highlight specific categories such as planets & stars, deep space, or satellites, while minimizing or removing other objects. The ability to manually adjust the compass alignment to better synchronize the graphics with the real sky has also been added to all motion tracking modes.

I am also introducing the All-Access Pass, which offers you all the advanced features of Luminos Pro for a one-time payment, eliminating the need for subscriptions. To celebrate this, I am offering a 25% discount for those who've subscribed for a year or more, and a limited-time 10% introductory discount for everyone. The pass is compatible with Apple's Family Sharing, meaning a single purchase covers your whole family.


The user interface for custom locations has been revamped for a more user-friendly experience. Your custom locations are stored in iCloud Drive and will sync across all your devices. The location files are in JSON format, and you can generate your own files, placing them in the iCloud Drive > Luminos > Locations folder for automatic recognition by the app. The app can now also automatically adjust its time zone to match the selected location, simplifying target finding and event viewing for different places.

This update also includes numerous other features like labels on the celestial poles, a re-designed pointer for offscreen objects, automatic labels for bright satellites, the ability to filter eclipse lists by eclipse type, and local times on eclipse map popups. Performance and battery life have been improved, and numerous bugs have been addressed, including random crashes, distance errors to galaxies, and enhanced detection for visible satellite flyovers. You can find a comprehensive list of new features and bug fixes in the in-app release notes.


I hope you'll enjoy exploring these new features and improvements. Your feedback is always welcome, and greatly contributes to the continuous enhancement of Luminos Pro.

Clear skies,
- John

• Feature - Updated star names with IAU 2022 changes
• Feature - Multi-star systems are named for the Flamsteed name of the primary star, when available (Bayer names are already used in this way)
• Feature - Bayer ids support partial searching
• Feature - Updated Washington Double Star Catalog to January 2023
• Feature - Comets descibe their closest approach to Earth if it's within the next year
• Feature - Visible comets are listed in Tonight's events
• Feature - Altitude charts highlight the best viewing time
• Fixed - Bayer / variable stars with latin letter names, such as P Cygni, are no longer case sensitive during searches
• Fixed - Fixed broken Tycho - Gaia DR2 crossmatches
• Fixed - Fixed names for Hipparcos stars with numbers greater than HIP 100000
• Fixed - Stray lines no longer appear in constellation stick figures
• Fixed - Provisional designations for comets are formatted correctly
• Fixed - Deep space settings look better when expanding or collapsing
• Fixed - Labels for faint stars are prioritized correctly
• Fixed - The Orion Nebula image is aligned correctly in the Sky View
• Fixed - LBN and LDN objects are no longer displayed in the Sky View, but they can still be searched and browsed in the Browse menu
• Fixed - Added missing translations

This update adds a new exoplanet category for detected molecules, and also adds a brightness control to allow deep space symbols to be adjusted independently of the label brightness. The Sky View has also been modified to always show Messier objects and to suppress large faint objects when the field of view is very wide (greater than 30°). Here is the full list of changes in this update:

• Feature - Added a new category for exoplanets with detected molecules
• Feature - The brightness of deep space symbols can be adjusted independently of the label brightness
• Feature - Messier objects are always shown in the sky view unless specifically disabled
• Feature - ESO and LBN objects are not shown at very wide (> 30°) fields of view
• Fixed - Detected molecules and elements for exoplanets look nicer
• Fixed - The app no longer crashes at startup when app metadata is missing

The JWST is up and running and sending cool images! I've added those first four JWST images to the gallery for this update, and this update also changes asteroids so they move in real time at higher time speeds (go to the Orrery view and spin the time wheel to see this). There are also some translation changes, and some minor fixes as well. Here's the complete list of changes in this update:

Feature - Added James Webb Space Telescope's first four images to the gallery
Feature - Asteroids and Comets move in real time at higher time speeds
Feature - Galaxy clusters and dark nebulae are featured in lists based on their size instead of magnitude
Feature - Hubble image descriptions have been translated into French and Spanish
Fixed - Eclipse maps are translated
Fixed - Planet labels have priority over constellation labels
Fixed - Renamed the Home button in Spanish
Fixed - Spacecraft list highlights correctly when tapped
Fixed - Orbit lines no longer disappear completely near the end

Clear skies,
- John

Welcome to Luminos Pro 10.2! This update adds several new features including galaxy clusters, Sagittarius A*, Herschel 400 part II, several dozen new images, support for PMC-Eight mounts, and the ability to save and restore settings. Here's the complete list of changes:

Feature - Added new Galaxy Clusters category to Deep Space
Feature - Settings can be saved to named profiles and shared
Feature - Added the Herschel 400 Part II list
Feature - Added support for controlling PMC-Eight mounts
Feature - Added over 30 images of H-II regions, H-alpha regions, and galaxy clusters
Feature - Deep space categories have tailored pages with a link to the full list
Feature - Telescopes have a lock option to keep the sky view centered on the telescope while browsing
Feature - Added Abell and Arp IDs for deep space objects
Feature - Added "Insert equipment" button to the notes editor
Feature - Tonight's Brightest sections include the green "seen" checkmark on seen objects
Feature - The Sun's page includes live images from the Solar Dynamics Observatory
Feature - Added Sagittarius A*
Fixed - Clearing the selection while the time controls are shown no longer leaves the action bar hidden
Fixed - Asterism labels are displayed correctly
Fixed - The meridian line is no longer shown when in space
Fixed - Time controls no longer sometimes overlap with the toolbar buttons
Fixed - The background for the Moon's page shows the Moon
Fixed - Search results show object icons
Fixed - Stars no longer sometimes flash when returning to the app
Fixed - Planetary conjunctions are localized correctly in the Tonight panel
Fixed - RCW and Sharpless objects are precessed accurately from their B1950 coordinates
Fixed - Telescope tracking and centering rate controls don't judder when changing settings
Fixed - Deep space images are faded out during daylight
Fixed - Mount features such as parking and shutter controls have been tidied up and fixed for night vision
Fixed - Milky way background fades out at extreme zooms to avoid tearing and flashing
Fixed - Satellite appearances are separated in visibility charts
Fixed - Planetary conjunction news no longer shows "all night" for planets which are not up all night
Fixed - Generic DSO icons are higher resolution
Fixed - DSO symbols and labels respond quickly to settings changes
Fixed - Unwanted flashing in the time picker is fixed
Fixed - Night vision bugs in the time picker are fixed
Fixed - The top-left sky view buttons move out of the way of the Field of View controls
Fixed - Icons for deep space objects always use the whole image

Version 10.1: This update adds many new features, including the James Webb Space Telescope, built-in satellite descriptions, more deep space names, improved LX200 compatibility, and much more. Here is the complete list of changes:

Feature - Added the James Webb Space Telescope to Spacecraft
Feature - Satellites include National Space Science Data Center descriptions when available
Feature - Added scrolling motion effects
Feature - Jim Kaler's STARS articles are translated into French, Spanish, and German
Feature - Spacecraft include live data and coordinates
Feature - Any satellite can be labeled in the sky view
Feature - Updated surface features with latest IAU names
Feature - Celestial pole markers can be turned on and off with a switch in the Grid settings
Feature - Added "Warn before Goto" option to telescope control
Feature - Added "Don't sleep while connected" option to telescope control
Feature - Added many new names for deep space objects
Fixed - Corrected various minor translation errors
Fixed - Deep space search results are prioritized correctly
Fixed - Deep space labels and symbols respond quickly to settings changes
Fixed - The Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118) displays an image
Fixed - The direction arrow no longer sometimes points away from exoplanets when orbiting them
Fixed - Activity indicator shows up reliably when calculating Tonight's Brightest sections
Fixed - Revised NGCIC data pages show descriptive object types instead of two-letter codes
Fixed - Mount configuration is saved reliably
Fixed - Action buttons in the selection bar are more spread out
Fixed - A memory leak which sometimes caused performance to slowly deteriorate has been fixed
Fixed - Taps which miss their intended upper-left buttons (Home, Now, etc…) no longer accidentally select objects
Fixed - Canceling a connection to an unresponsive mount is much faster
Fixed - Equipment calculator shows up to two lines for names
Fixed - The watch app loads satellites and draws stars correctly
Fixed - The LX200 driver slews correctly and is generally more compatible with a variety of devices
Fixed - Telescope sync buttons highlight correctly after sync'ing
Fixed - Night vision support has been fixed throughout the app
Fixed - A small number of rare bugs were found and fixed through user crash reports - thank you for sharing them!

Additional bugs fixed in 10.1.1:

Fixed - The telescope protocol list is downloaded at startup to ensure it's always available
Fixed - Barnard components are listed correctly
Fixed - Toolbar buttons stay in the right place after using the image or eclipse viewers
Fixed - Taps in the sky view select the correct object when Apple's "Display Zoom" feature is enabled
Fixed - Time controls no longer sometimes disappear immediately after showing them
Fixed - The coordinates display reappears after clearing the selection
Fixed - The Sun and Moon show transit times on their altitude charts

Clear skies,
- John

Update 10.0.3: This maintenance update improves battery conservation, especially when using battery-saver mode. Several bugs have been fixed, including making the time and fov wheels work correctly with trackpads, fixing deep space images so the viewer works reliably, and fixing a crash when changing telescope protocols. This update also fixes a few rare crashes, which were found through user crash reports - thank you for sharing those! Clear skies, John