Clear Skies Don’t Wait
Nova helps you stay locked on your Deep Sky targets with real-time tracking, moon illumination, and visibility insights.
Automatically fetch DSO data, monitor altitude and azimuth live, and never miss the perfect imaging window again.
Track
Track DSO positions in the sky in real time
Focus
Take notes to be prepared when the skies clear
Plan
Plan sessions when the conditions are best
Your Night at a Glance
The Main Screen shows all your tracked deep-sky objects, live-sorted by altitude. See at a glance what’s rising, peaking, or fading – along with moon illumination, visibility time, and angular separation.
Easily filter and sort to match your gear, sky window, or imaging goals. Your preferences stay active as the sky evolves – updated every minute.
Visualize the Night
The Graph Screen gives you a detailed altitude plot for each object, showing its journey across the sky from dusk till dawn. Track how altitude, visibility, and moon position change hour by hour — all in one clear, intuitive chart.
Instantly spot the best imaging windows, transit times, and potential conflicts with the Moon. Use the plot to plan your night with precision — whether you’re imaging, observing, or just exploring.
Object data is enhanced via SIMBAD, and with one click, you can send targets directly to Stellarium for visual planning and framing.
Find the Perfect Moment
The Imaging Opportunities screen highlights the best upcoming nights to capture your favorite deep-sky objects – based on altitude, visibility duration, moon conditions, and separation.
Each opportunity is scored and rated, helping you choose nights that align with your imaging goals. Whether you’re after high altitude, dark skies, or long visibility windows, this tool has you covered.
Featured Articles
TRACKING DEEP-SKY OBJECTS
by: Bryan Cockfield
“…anything that can reduce the amount of time spent looking for objects and increasing the amount of time looking at them is a welcome addition…”
A Brilliant Tool for Imaging Planning
by: Dr. Michael Werkl
“…a comprehensive assistant for any astrophotographer who wants to maximize both imaging time and data quality.”
Nova is free to use and open source
Get Started with Nova Tracker!
You have options for setting up the tracker: install manually using Python (with a virtual environment) or run it easily as a Docker container.
If you prefer a graphical interface over the command line, check out the Docker Desktop App guide in the Installation section – it’s the simplest way to begin!
You can also take a preview here: