Solar Eclipse Catalog
A complete database of every solar eclipse from 2000 to 2200, including partial, annular, and total events.
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 Solar Eclipse Catalog update is the biggest feature release in the app history.
SolarWatch has a 4.7-star App Store rating, over 600,000 downloads, and has been featured multiple times on the App Store. Its watchOS app also appeared in a WWDC slide.
What is new
A complete eclipse planning system
Interactive Path Maps
Tap anywhere on Earth to see contact times, local obscuration, and totality duration where applicable.
Moon Shadow Simulation
A 3D globe renders the umbra and penumbra in real time as the Moon shadow crosses Earth.
STEM Educational Content
Accessible explanations of Baily beads, the diamond ring effect, the solar corona, saros cycles, and more.
Eclipse Countdown Widget
A dedicated Home Screen widget keeps the next eclipse visible at a glance.
Feature Media
The Moon shadow in motion
SolarWatch can animate the eclipse across Earth, showing the umbra, penumbra, local contact points, and totality path as a navigable map.
Simulation controls
Scrub, pause, and step through the eclipse while the shadow updates on the globe.
Saved city conditions
Quickly compare favorite cities against the same eclipse path.
Eclipse Screenshots
From catalog to local circumstances
Solar Eclipse Catalog
Browse upcoming total, annular, and partial eclipses from the in-app catalog.
August 2026 path overview
Explore totality, obscuration bands, and the full path across Western Europe.
Tap anywhere for local conditions
See totality, contact times, duration, look direction, and Sun height for a selected place.
Local planning detail
Review C1-C4, totality duration, viewing geometry, and the local obscuration curve.
Favorite city comparisons
Compare saved cities against the eclipse path and see where totality is possible.
Lunar shadow simulation
Scrub through the Moon shadow as it crosses the Earth.
Eclipse Science
Validated eclipse calculations
SolarWatch uses astronomical algorithms validated against NASA published eclipse records. Contact times, path calculations, and shadow geometry are derived from first principles and cross-checked against known historical eclipses.
Precise local contact times
C1, C2, maximum eclipse, C3, and C4 are calculated for the selected location.
Local viewing geometry
Obscuration, magnitude, Sun altitude, and visual eclipse phase are presented together.
Shadow path modeling
The path of totality, obscuration bands, and Moon shadow simulation share the same eclipse dataset.
More SolarWatch Features
Built around the rhythm of the Sun
Sunrise and sunset quality forecasts
Real atmospheric data is turned into a simple quality score before users decide to set an alarm.
Smart alarms
Alarms only fire when the forecast clears a user-defined quality threshold.
Sun position and twilight data
Precise sunrise, sunset, golden hour, blue hour, solar elevation, and azimuth data.
AR mode
Overlay the Sun path on the real world for any day of the year to plan photos, rooms, plants, furniture, or solar panels.
Full Apple ecosystem
Native experiences for iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch.
App Screenshots
Core SolarWatch tools
AR mode
See the Sun path for any day of the year to plan photo shoots, room sunlight, plants, furniture, and solar panels.
Solar wheel and day rhythm
Track sunrise, sunset, golden hour, solar elevation, and azimuth for any city.
Favorite cities
Compare local time, solar time, sunrise, sunset, and daylight across saved places.
Sunrise quality alarms
Wake only when the forecast quality clears the threshold you choose.
3D shadow map
Visualize solar direction, elevation, and realistic building shadows.
Home Screen widgets
Keep solar conditions, Sun position, Vitamin D, and eclipse countdowns visible.
About the Developer
Built by Engin Kurutepe
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
"I wanted the best possible eclipse app and couldn't find one, so I built it."x.com/ekurutepe[email protected]
Key facts at a glance
- Developer
- Engin Kurutepe, solo indie developer
- SolarWatch on the App Store since
- 2017
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch
- Planned release date
- May 4, 2026
- Eclipse coverage
- Every solar eclipse from 2000 to 2200
- August 2026 eclipse
- Total solar eclipse across Western Europe
- Price
- Free download; $14.99 / 14.99€ per year 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
- [email protected]
Media Assets
Available for press and reviewers
A TestFlight build of the Solar Eclipse Catalog update is available for press and reviewers before the planned May 4, 2026 release. Please contact us for advance access and embargo timing. The downloadable kit includes current press copy, app icons, screenshots, eclipse artwork, and lunar shadow playback media.
SolarWatch is free to download. Premium features unlock with a $14.99 / 14.99€ yearly subscription with a 7-day trial, or a $29.99 / 29.99€ lifetime purchase.
Download press kitIncluded in the ZIP
- Press kit copy as Markdown
- App icon: 1024x1024 and 512x512 PNG
- Solar Eclipse Catalog screenshots and lunar shadow playback video
- Core SolarWatch screenshots for AR mode, favorites, widgets, alarms, city detail, and 3D shadow maps
- SolarWatch Open Graph image