# SolarWatch — Solar Eclipse Catalog Press Kit

**App Name:** SolarWatch  
**Developer:** Engin Kurutepe (Solo Indie Developer)  
**Platform:** iPhone · iPad · Mac · Apple Watch  
**App Store:** https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1191365122?pt=80462  
**Website:** https://solarwatch.app  
**Press Contact:** press@fifteenjugglers.com  
**Social:** https://x.com/solarwatch · https://www.instagram.com/solarwat.ch/  
**Planned Feature Release:** May 4, 2026

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## The Story

A total solar eclipse will sweep across Western Europe in August 2026, and millions of people are about to experience totality for the first time. SolarWatch is ready to be their guide.

Built by a solo developer with a STEM background, SolarWatch has been a trusted companion for sun-watchers since 2017. The upcoming Solar Eclipse Catalog update is the biggest feature release in the app's history: a comprehensive, research-grade eclipse companion for everyone from first-timers to seasoned chasers.

SolarWatch has a 4.7-star App Store rating, over 600,000 downloads, and has been featured multiple times on the App Store. The watchOS app also appeared in a WWDC slide.

## About the Developer

SolarWatch is built by Engin Kurutepe, a Berlin-based solo indie developer originally from Istanbul. He moved to Germany for a PhD in electrical engineering, submitted his first app on App Store launch day in 2008, and has been building apps ever since.

- Berlin-based solo developer
- Building apps since the App Store launched in 2008
- PhD background in electrical engineering

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## What's New: Solar Eclipse Catalog

### Solar Eclipse Catalog
A complete database of every solar eclipse from **2000 to 2200**: partial, annular, and total. Users can browse upcoming eclipses, explore historical events, and plan future trips around the ones that matter most to them.

### Interactive Path Maps
Tap anywhere on Earth to instantly see:
- Precise **contact times** (C1, C2, C3, C4) for that location
- **Local obscuration** percentage
- Duration of totality where applicable
- Look direction and Sun height for the selected location

### Moon Shadow Simulation
A 3D globe renders the **umbra and penumbra in real time** as the Moon's shadow races across Earth's surface. Users can scrub through time in simulation mode and watch the shadow path move across the globe.

### STEM Educational Content
Rich, in-app explanations of the science behind every eclipse phenomenon: Baily's beads, the diamond ring effect, the solar corona, saros cycles, and more.

### Eclipse Countdown Widget
A dedicated **Home Screen widget** keeps the next eclipse one glance away.

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## Key Facts at a Glance

| | |
|---|---|
| **Developer** | Engin Kurutepe (solo indie) |
| **SolarWatch on the App Store since** | 2017 |
| **Platforms** | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch |
| **Planned release date** | May 4, 2026 |
| **Eclipse coverage** | 2000-2200 (every solar eclipse) |
| **August 2026 eclipse** | Total solar eclipse across Western Europe |
| **Price** | Free download; $14.99 / 14.99€ yearly subscription with 7-day trial or $29.99 / 29.99€ lifetime unlock |
| **App Store rating** | 4.7 stars |
| **Downloads** | Over 600,000 |
| **Recognition** | Featured multiple times on the App Store; watchOS app appeared in a WWDC slide |
| **Press contact** | press@fifteenjugglers.com |
| **App Store** | https://apps.apple.com/app/apple-store/id1191365122?pt=80462 |
| **Website** | https://solarwatch.app |

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## Core SolarWatch Features

SolarWatch also includes AR mode, sunrise and sunset quality forecasts, smart solar alarms, 3D solar shadow maps, Home Screen widgets, and precise sun position and twilight data.

AR mode uses the camera view to overlay the Sun path onto the real world for any day of the year, making it useful for planning photo shoots, checking which rooms get sunlight, placing furniture and plants, or evaluating solar panel locations.

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## Advance Reviewer Availability

A TestFlight build of the Solar Eclipse Catalog update is available for press and reviewers before the planned May 4, 2026 release. Please contact **press@fifteenjugglers.com** for advance access and embargo timing.

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## Media Assets

The downloadable press kit includes:

- Press kit copy
- App icons
- Solar Eclipse Catalog screenshots
- Lunar shadow playback video
- Core SolarWatch screenshots, including AR mode
- Open Graph image

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SolarWatch (c) Engin Kurutepe. All rights reserved.
