NightWatch Sky
An AI sky-quality and satellite alert app for amateur astronomers, astrophotographers, and dark-sky communities that warns you when a Reflect Orbital pass, Starlink flare, or rocket body reentry will affect your planned observation or shot.
Amateur astronomers and astrophotographers whose nights are increasingly ruined by satellite streaks and proposed orbital light reflectors
- Personal observation planner that overlays scheduled satellite passes, mirror flashes, and aurora/cloud forecasts on your target list for tonight
- Push alerts 30 minutes before any bright satellite or predicted mirror pass within 20° of your planned target
- One-tap 'report what you saw' that sends your photo and time to a community dataset, helping researchers model the real impact of orbital reflectors
- Dark-sky site directory with current light-pollution and 'orbital light' scores for each location
FCC's approval of Reflect Orbital's Earendil-1 test satellite — with 50,000 more planned — makes satellite and orbital light interference a near-term problem for every observer, not a hypothetical.
Multiple major outlets (Space.com, NASA Space News, OrbitalToday) cover astronomer alarm over Reflect Orbital's Earendil-1 with quotes calling impact 'catastrophic'; HN post hit 99 points; broader astrophotography app market is $847M in 2025 growing 10.2% CAGR per DataIntelo.Company's plan to launch 4,000 space mirrors alarms scientists ↗Astrophotography App Market Research Report 2033 ↗
SkySafari ($14.99-$39.99) includes 'every satellite' tracking, Stellarium Plus ($9.99) shows satellites, and Heavens-Above/ISS Detector already predict passes — but none specifically warn when a satellite or Reflect Orbital pass will streak through your *planned observation window*, integrated with sky quality/seeing forecasts.Best Astronomy Apps & Tools 2026 - Complete Guide ↗SkySafari | Powering the Future of Observing & Smart Astrophotography ↗
Amateur astronomers already pay $9.99-$39.99 for SkySafari/Stellarium Plus and $1.99 for ISS Detector; the $847M astrophotography app market demonstrates willingness to pay, though Heavens-Above's free tier sets a strong price anchor.Astrophotography App Market Research Report 2033 ↗Best Astronomy Apps & Tools 2026 - Complete Guide ↗
Reflect Orbital plans ~4,000 mirrors in initial constellation (50,000 longer-term per the company), Starlink keeps expanding, and reentry/debris events are increasing — the problem compounds annually for at least the next decade.4,000 Orbital Mirrors Could Catastrophically Brighten Night Sky, Astronomers Warn ↗
Buildable using public CelesTrak TLE data with SGP4 propagators, existing satellite APIs, Light Pollution Map overlays, and observation-planning calendars — a mobile app with push notifications is well within reach.Best Astronomy Apps & Tools 2026 - Complete Guide ↗