Sun Surveyor, by Adam Ratana, is a location-lighting planner for photographers, filmmakers, and outdoor professionals. The app predicts sun, moon, and Milky Way positions across places and dates, letting you plan shoots and installations with precise celestial timelines. Its core tools include an augmented-reality camera overlay, an interactive map with path overlays, and a 3D compass for on-site alignment. You can schedule golden and blue hour work, scout remotely, and prepare night-sky or architectural projects.

How the app turns astronomical data into actionable shoot plans

You get time-based visualizations that move beyond tables to visual planning. The Visual Time Machine lets you slide through hours and dates to see sun and moon placement, while the AR Live Camera View projects those paths onto the actual landscape so you can judge framing and obstructions before you set up. Ephemeris readouts list golden hour, blue hour, and twilight times so you can schedule exact shooting windows.

How it supports scouting on and off location

The app runs on mobile devices and preserves core tracking features for offline use, which helps when you’re in remote terrain. Map-based overlays and the integrated Street View require a data connection to load imagery, but the app’s offline ephemeris and compass maintain positioning without internet. The developer also corrects for magnetic declination in the sensor-driven compass, improving alignment accuracy when you are on-site.

How the workflow fits beginners and field professionals

You can approach the app as a guided planner or a precision instrument. The Photo Opportunities tool suggests ideal moments for common shots, which helps quick turnarounds and novice users. More experienced users can rely on the 3D compass and AR overlays for precise alignment and advanced timing. Community feedback highlights the Time Machine slider and AR mode as particularly useful for fast scouting.

Where it excels for night work and where you may need complements

The app supports night-sky planning with Milky Way and star-trail tracking and includes a shadow length calculator to preview shadow direction and size. Offline capability extends usefulness in wilderness shoots. The app does not provide meteorological data such as cloud cover, so you should pair its precise celestial predictions with a separate weather resource for visibility-dependent shoots. User ratings cited with the app reflect strong accuracy and utility.

A practical gateway for creators who plan light-dependent outdoor work

If you need predictable natural-light scheduling, the app gives you a practical planning framework that moves scouting from guesswork to planned timing. It suits photographers and outdoor professionals who want measurable placement of sun, moon, and stars; expect to combine it with atmosphere and weather tools when visibility or cloud cover matters.