Support

Need help with AstroHelm? Start with the common issues below, or reach out directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Plate solving requires a clear, dark sky with at least 8 visible stars in frame, and the phone must be mounted steady — it will not work handheld.

Make sure no artificial lights (streetlamps, buildings) are in the camera’s view. The star extraction step can mistake bright point sources for stars and produce a false pattern.
If you have a multi-lens smartphone, try switching to the telephoto lens for better star detection in less-than-ideal conditions.

If the problem persists, enable Save Debug Images under Settings → Advanced → Diagnostics.

iOS: Open the Files app and go to On My iPhone → AstroHelm → solve_images. This folder is cleared each time the app launches.
Android: Use Save Folder → Choose to select a folder, or select one when prompted as you enable Save Debug Images. Open that folder in your phone’s file manager to review the saved images. Use Change to choose a different folder.

Review the saved images to see exactly what the camera sees, then email them to support if the cause isn’t obvious.

Confirm you have aligned the reticle against a real-world landmark before observing. See Quick Start for instructions.
Re-trigger plate solving by tapping the status indicator in the top-left corner.
Verify your device clock is set automatically. On iOS, go to Settings → General → Date & Time → Set Automatically. On Android, search your phone’s Settings for Date & time and enable automatic time; the exact menu varies by device.

Email Support

For bug reports, feature requests, or account questions, email us at [email protected]. We aim to respond within 2 business days.

Review AstroHelm

Love the app? A review on the App Store or Google Play helps other astronomers discover AstroHelm and takes less than a minute.

AstroHelm performs all plate solving on-device. No images, sky coordinates, or observing logs are transmitted to external servers.