Star Finder: Night Sky Map

Night-sky map with constellations and planets — the sky is calculated on the device and works offline, no account and no server of ours

Privacy policy

Last updated: 5 September 2026

Star Finder is a night-sky map. We run no server for this app, there is no account or login, and the app contains no analytics, no advertising and no third-party SDKs. All sky calculations run on your device and work offline; all star data is bundled in the app. The only, optional network use goes to Apple Maps (Apple services, not to us): the text you type when searching for a city, and your coordinates when the app looks up the name of your place. We receive no data from you.

In short

Star Finder collects no data on our side. No account, no login, no analytics, no advertising, no trackers, no third-party SDKs, and we run no server for the app. All sky calculations run on your device and work offline.

What data does the app process?

• Location (optional, “while using the app”, approximate is enough): Used to calculate on the device which sky is above you. To show the name of your place, the coordinates are sent to Apple Maps (reverse geocoding by Apple). The location is never sent to us or any other third party.
• City search (optional): The text you type is sent to Apple Maps. We do not receive it.
• Motion sensors and compass: Read locally so the sky turns with the iPhone. Nothing is stored or transmitted.
• Event reminders (optional, off by default): The app asks for notification permission only if you switch on “Remind me before events”. Reminders are local notifications scheduled on your device: no server, no push, nothing goes to us.
• Last chosen place and settings (e.g. red night mode, compass correction): Stored on your device only; we cannot see them. Removing the app deletes them.

Without location access, or without a network, pick a city from the built-in offline list or enter latitude and longitude by hand; both work fully offline.

Where does this data go?

To us: nowhere. There is no server of ours, no cloud sync and no interface to analytics or advertising services. The only exception are the optional requests to Apple Maps described above (Apple Inc. / Apple Distribution International Ltd., USA/Ireland). Apple’s privacy policy applies to them; we have no influence on them and receive no responses or logs.

Permissions on your device

The app requests only Location (while using the app) and access to the motion sensors/compass, and Notifications only if you switch on reminders. All can be revoked at any time in your device settings; the app remains usable afterwards (pick a city by hand).

Data sources and purchase

Star positions: Yale Bright Star Catalogue (distributed via CDS, Strasbourg); Messier data: SIMBAD (CDS); star names: IAU Working Group on Star Names (CC BY); Milky Way image: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio. The sky calculations are our own implementation. All data are bundled in the app; nothing is downloaded.

The one-time purchase is handled by Apple through the App Store; we receive no payment data. There are no in-app purchases and no subscription.

Retention, deletion and your rights

We hold no data from Star Finder, so there is nothing to access, correct or delete on our side. The last chosen place and your settings live only on your device and disappear when you remove the app. For requests made to Apple Maps, contact Apple. Questions: info@babala.ch. Instructions are under “Delete data” at the top of this page.

Controller