Simple, honest pricing.
The platform is free to use. Pro unlocks real-time data. No dark patterns, no annual lock-in.
Free
No credit card required
- Tonight's Sky — full hemisphere-aware panel, real-time
- Sky Map — Stellarium Web interactive viewer
- Community — all channels, full chat history
- Telescope recommendations — curated editorial picks
- NASA APOD daily image — real-time
- Sky & Telescope news — all headlines, real-time
- ESA / Hubble press releases — real-time
- Comet ephemeris — current bright comets from MPC
- Space weather — Kp index and aurora alert level
- GCN transient alerts — 5 most recent circulars
- Near-Earth Objects — 5 closest approaches
- Arxiv astro-ph — 24-hour delayed preprints
Pro
Real-timeCancel anytime
- Everything in Free
- Arxiv astro-ph — real-time as papers publish
- NASA GCN — all circulars, no limit
- Minor Planet Center — full real-time feed
- Near-Earth Objects — complete close-approach table
- Keyword feed notifications — alert on your topics
- Observation Log — personal session and equipment tracker
Support the Observatory
StarScope is free because the data should be accessible to everyone. A one-time contribution helps keep the servers running and the feeds live. It unlocks nothing — it is purely a way to support the observatory. No account required.
Processed securely via Stripe. No account required for donations.
Common Questions
What is genuinely free?
Tonight's Sky, Sky Map, Community, Telescope picks, APOD, Sky & Telescope, ESA Hubble, comets, and space weather are all fully free with no account required for most features. No expiry, no credit card.
What does Pro actually add?
Real-time Arxiv preprints (no 24-hour delay), the full GCN and MPC feeds without the 5-item cap, the complete NEO close-approach table, keyword notifications, and the Observation Log for tracking your sessions.
What is the donation for?
A one-off contribution to keep the platform running — servers, data feeds, and development. It unlocks nothing. It is purely a way to support the observatory if you find it useful.
What's the 24-hour delay on the free tier?
Free accounts see Arxiv preprints published more than 24 hours ago. For most casual browsing this is fine. Pro subscribers see items the moment they publish.
Can I cancel Pro at any time?
Yes. Cancel from the billing portal and your access continues until the end of the current billing period. No penalties.
Is the community board really free?
Yes, permanently. We believe open discussion is a public good for the amateur astronomy community.
Where do the feeds come from?
Arxiv astro-ph (Cornell), NASA GCN (Goddard), Minor Planet Center (IAU), NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, and NASA CNEOS. All public data sources.