SkyPortal

Latest version doesn't work with the older WiFi module on any mount! (tried it on SE,AVX & SLT) Ver 3.4.1.1 worked fine on all devices. Updated one device to latest 3.4.1.7 and on that it now says it connects ok but mount is not responding. Tried again on the Android device with 3.4.1.1 and that STILL works. All latest firmware on mount and handset. Older versions and CPWI on my PC work fine on WIFI showing the mount and WiFi module connections are fine but this latest app version does not work.

This app has worked great for years, until the December update. Now, it is worthless. When I open it, it automatically starts a download of files, which stalls. Then tries to install the downloaded files, and stalls. I've uninstalled it twice and reinstalled it, same thing. It went from being my go to sky app to needing to be uninstalled and not reinstalled. Update. Tried on my new galaxy phone. It won't even open. Shows a nanosecond of opening screen and crashes. I loved this app! 😭

Something very wrong with this app. My phone can connect to my scope then Skyportal tells me that it can connect but the scope is not responding.. tried everything. My Evo scope has built in WiFi so Celestron need to get it working.

Apparently the most recent update was to correct a "stalling during downloads" glitch...which I never had a problem with. After the so called software fix, the program is unuseable. Seems the new update created the "program stall during updating" rather fixing it. Prior to the update, the program worked great for me. Totally useless now.

I was good I took a break in November then I came back to it in February and it wouldn't update so I spent three months trying to get it to update with no luck this used to be my goto app for astronomy but unfortunately it just doesn't work for me now.

Can you folks please get rid of the annoying zoom buttons on the lower right part of the screen or at least give us an option to turn it off? Seriously very annoying.

Stars and objects not loading even after downloading the database. Only the brightest stars are visible. Thanks for saving me from Celestron scopes.

Works, but can be frustrating. Simple changes could significantly improve the user experience. Slewing button positions are not placed well. Alignment can be confusing and very frustrating. Call me Celestron. I can help you.

I think the app is great except when it freezes for several seconds for no apparent reason. Seems to happen often when moving to a new position. I can wait or lock and unlock the screen. It is free so I guess I'll just have to live with it.

Horrible! I cannot get into the app at all. "Downloading additional files" Contacted developer and was told to redownload app. I did so three times. I'm done, uninstalled.

This app is broken beyond usability. Just gets hung up downloading resources every time I open it. I've been trying since Christmas to set this up with a new telescope. Might return the telescope too at this point. What an absolute waste.

Thank you very much..very usefull. Just a little suggestion, please add elongation data between two objects. Eg angular distance between sun and moon minutes after new moon.

I really love the app! It does everything well! It is a joy to do a search and then look through the eyepiece and see what it is showing, but the three stars only for one major reason; THE PLACEMENT OF THE DAMN DISCONNECT TAB. I use the app on my phone where everything is somewhat cramped, and if after aligning the scope I want to goto, or do a search, I might accidentally tap the disconnect tab, and have to go through alignment over again. This has happened sometimes three times in a night!

I love the concept of this, and it does make alignment easier. But, it drops the connection whenever the screen locks, requiring you to close and restart the app to reconnect. Because the alignment data is stored in the app instead of the telescope, this data is lost and you need to realign. The app either needs to manipulate the telescope's alignment process, and be able to pick that back up, or write the alignment data to persistent memory and ask to resume.

I'm going to split this review in two. On one hand, the app is amazing for viewing objects in the sky, reversing and forwarding time, predicting future events, etc. 5 stars for the main interface. Where this app gets 0 stars is controlling the scope. I am beyond frustrated. The app assumes you don't move your telescope each time you use it, so doesn't let you align with new objects every time. As far as I can tell, once you align, you cannot erase and start over, making this a disaster.

Made a lot of stability improvements to both the app and evolution telescopes. The only feedback I would give on the new app is to just emulate the focus control to behave more like the hand controller. By that I mean set the rate (1,2, or 3) and just press the button. The round "virtual" knob is too finicky, and the back and forth movements for mirror shift make it too hard to see how much improvement I'm making, I ended up just using the hand controller to focus for the rest of the night.

Awful app. Keeps freezing and wi-fi keeps disconnecting. Edit: After looking around for a alternative app to control my telescope, I came across an article which suggested that turning off the phone's Bluetooth might stop the disconnects & freezing issues in SkyPortal. I tried it out last night and it worked quite well - only one disconnect, but was able to reconnect without issue.

I like how I can use skyportal with my nexstar se. Lately I have been unable to calibrate the scope when I'm connected and its finding the planets I tell the app to go too. In the beginning I would just calibrate and after that, I didnt have to manually find anything but now the calibration doesn't work and throws a plate error. Also, the minute you go out of the app or the screen turns off, its game over and you have to start over. So much potential with this app celestron. Get it together!

This app is great whilst it is working properly. However, after being connected for around 10 minutes it drops the WiFi which forces a total realignment over and over again. The consequences of which is that it is not worth setting the scope up via the app I just use the hand controller that is not as convenient but at least it an be relied upon to work.

Great concept but the app continuously drops connection and / or struggles to connect at all to the scope. You need to set screen time to 10 min which seems to help with connection once it actually connects. It also drops/loses alignements before your able to lock in all 3. The app also sets weird rotation floors so you have to fully rotate on the vertical axis and re fix the scope. The best feature is the compass, that works quite well with the phone.

This one of the good sky map application with lots of options and good visual, it even have user friendly interface, easily understandable by people new to Astronomy as a hobby, it is a go to app for many people in Astronomy. It would be nice if the screen share option is given without taking the screenshot manually. A option to share the current screen by just one click from the app directly would be really great!!

Essentially unusable... It could be a great piece of software but there's some glaring bugs which make it impossible to use. It often loses alignment settings forcing you into auto alignment when you needed manual. Lose the wifi connection to the scope and you can't reconnect without turning off and starting over. If the app has retained alignment points when you didn't want them there's no way to clear. Overall you're best off with the hand controller.

The app is an amazing tool to look for stars and planets, but it is always losing connection with the telescope. It can be very frustrating trying to reconnect the app to the scope while your object moves out of view. I dont know if this is a problem with the app or the telescope but I am feeling that it is a problem with the app, as the telescope never has any issues moving. An update was installed on the telescope but the issue has still continued.

Pretty good, works great with the wifi module and has lots of cool things to look at in it's database. But after about a month I now get a screen that tells me it's downloading data files but never downloads and it completely prohibits me from using the app. If it's fixed I'd give it 4-5 starts but for now it stays at 1 :(

Very good. It seems to replace the old little machine(SkyScout) also by Celestron. It does lack a way of selecting or changing the type of Mount Azimuthal/Equatorial. It would also be nice to be able to have more options when selecting the landscape and projection types. The horizon always curves Convex/Concave which is annoying. The perspective view will eliminate this definitely.

Does not work! Cannot connect to WiFi, I've owned the telescope for 2 years and have never been able to use it.

This app is good for nothing now. I used to struggle with the compass but since the beginning of 2022 its been totally unusable.