Night Simulator places your images at their precise coordinates in a navigable VR observatory. The beta opens soon — get notified at launch.
We'll notify you when beta testing opens. No spam.
VR at its best doesn't pull you away from the real world. It pushes you deeper into it. Night Simulator is built around that idea.
Not a planetarium, not a solar system tour — a proper learning environment for how astronomy actually works. Operate the historic Plaskett telescope through a deep-sky catalogue. Learn the coordinate systems, the mount types, the filters. Watch the seasonal sky in fast-forward or real time. Scale from Earth out to the farthest galaxies. Then go online and share the experience with other space enthusiasts.
Night Simulator is the entry point. Whether you've never looked through a telescope or you already own a mount but want to learn the catalogues — VR lets you explore at your own pace without spending a dime on gear first.
Most people who try Night Simulator come away with a shortlist of targets they actually want to photograph. That's the idea. Learn the sky virtually. Then go take the shot for real.
"Being in the dome as an operator, instead of just a visitor, let me capture the details that matter for a simulation."
Darren, founderNightSim started with a family visit to the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory in Victoria. As an XR developer, I walked in as a curious visitor and walked out volunteering to modernize their presentations — which led to drone surveys, laser measurements, telescope operator training, and eventually a full digital twin of the observatory.
The simulator grew from a simple question: what if someone who couldn't visit a real observatory could still experience operating one? Not a screensaver. A real instrument, with a real catalogue, that teaches you something every time you use it.
When alpha testers started asking where they could log and share the images they were planning — that conversation became Sky Log.
Night Simulator is where you learn the catalogues, the coordinates, and the targets worth chasing. When you're ready to point a real telescope at them, Sky Log is where the images live.
Sky Log is the astrophotography platform built by the same team. Organize your captures by catalogue — Messier, NGC, Caldwell, Moon Atlas. Upload multiple shots of the same object and watch your skills evolve over time.
Free to start · Plans from $2.99 CAD/mo
Explore Sky Log →