Skywatcher

Key Features

• Real-time view of the Sun, Moon, and visible planets based on your current time and location
• 360° sky view that shows the entire horizon around you in a single glance
• Line-of-sight view focused on the direction you’re facing, with a clear horizon line
• Quick access to Sun and Moon details, including rise and set times and key lunar events
• Optional Dark Mode for comfort and night-vision preservation
• Time Warp controls to jump forwards or backwards by months and watch the sky change

How It Works

Basic Controls

Skywatcher is designed to feel natural on both button-only and touchscreen devices:

• Next / Prev buttons, or swipe up / down on touchscreens, move time in 15-minute steps from “now”.
• Select opens detail pages for the Sun and Moon, including rise/set and upcoming lunar events.
• Menu opens the settings menu, where you can change view modes, Dark Mode, and Time Warp options.

View Modes

360° Sky View

The default view is a top-down map of the sky around you:

• The top of the screen represents the sky in front of you.
• The center of the screen is directly overhead.
• The outer edge of the circle represents the horizon all around you in a full 360° view.

This mode is ideal when you want to understand where everything is in the sky at once — especially when planning observations or learning the layout of the night sky.

Line-of-Sight View

Line-of-Sight View focuses on the part of the sky you’re actually facing. The top of the screen is directly above you, and the horizon is shown as a black horizon line across the display.

Use this mode when you want to quickly confirm what object you’re looking at, or see which planets are just above the horizon in front of you.

Visible Objects vs. Show All

By default, Skywatcher only shows objects that are realistically visible — for example, the Sun and Moon during daylight, and planets when they’re above the horizon.

If you’d like to see all tracked objects regardless of visibility (for learning or planning), switch the view mode to Show All Objects in the menu.

Dark Mode

In normal mode, the background color shifts between day, twilight, and night to match the current lighting. When you enable Dark Mode, the background is always black, which:

• Reduces distraction
• Helps preserve night vision
• Makes stars and planets stand out more clearly

Time Warp

Use the Time Warp option in the menu to jump forwards or backwards in time by whole months. This is perfect for:

• Seeing how the positions of planets change over weeks and months
• Planning future observing sessions or trips
• Exploring seasonal differences in the night sky

Requirements & Compatibility

Skywatcher is designed for compatible Garmin devices that support the Connect IQ platform. For best results, your watch should:

• Support the app type used by Skywatcher (check the Connect IQ Store listing)
• Have access to GPS so your current location can be determined

Skywatcher depends on your current location to place objects correctly in the sky. If the app shows “Waiting for GPS”, step outside with a clear view of the sky and give your watch a moment to acquire a position.

Once a location has been acquired, the app caches your most recent GPS coordinates and uses them as a quick starting point on future launches. Location is refreshed periodically while the app is running when GPS is available.

Screens