Chasing Stars

Inspiration

The worldwide stargazing community consists of approximately 300,000 amateurs (Book: Casual Stargazer to Amateur Astronomer, Dave Eagle) and hundreds of associations. The pain point we are solving is the lack of an app that provides them with reliable information on star visibility conditions. Chasing Stars addresses issues like light pollution and unpredictable weather by providing users with information on the best stargazing locations and conditions, helping them plan successful stargazing trips and enjoy the beauty of the night sky. Another point we address is the lack of a vibrant community of stargazers. Many who are interested in stargazing may feel isolated or lack the knowledge and resources to fully engage with the hobby.

What it does

Our solution is an innovative app that provides users with information on the best stargazing spots based on their interests and location. We use advanced algorithms to provide information about local weather conditions and calculate star visibility in any location, even in areas with high levels of light pollution. These resources help plan their trips more effectively and increase their chances of having an enjoyable stargazing experience. Chasing Stars' algorithm is a truly innovative feature that sets us apart from other stargazing apps on the market, and this innovative approach allows our app to provide users with the most up-to-date and accurate information on the best stargazing spots available, making stargazing more accessible and enjoyable for everyone. Our app also aims to raise awareness of light pollution and its impact on the visibility of stars, helping to educate users on the importance of preserving natural darkness and reducing light pollution.

How we built it

The app is built with Ruby on Rails. This was a group project for CS 166 Capstone Project and Marco brought it out of the class room and into the Spark incubator at Brandeis with Jake, who is a business major. We also are on the second round of MassChallenge. The app is usable on chasingmystars.com

What's next for Chasing Stars

In year 1, our goal is to establish Chasing Stars as a go-to resource for stargazers around the world, with a vibrant and engaged community of users. We also aim to raise awareness of light pollution and its impact on stargazing through educational initiatives and partnerships with like-minded organizations.

5 years in, we have plans for expansion, offering information on celestial events, stargazing gear recommendations, etc. We are also going to expand our reach and impact by partnering with more travel and equipment providers and adding more premium features and services to our app. We hope to set up 360-degree cameras in areas with good visibility conditions and integrate the app into the metaverse, allowing people to view stars in real-time from the comfort of their homes using VR headsets.

Team Members

• Marco Qin CS+Math Undergraduate
• Jacob Mikelberg Business Undergraduate
• Jingqian Cheng Computer Science Master
• Jian He Computer Science Master

Built With

• javascript
• light-pollution-api
• ruby
• ruby-on-rails