--- schema_type: "SoftwareApplication" entity_type: "Mobile Application" app_name: "Light Pollution Map" developer_entity: "Jurij Stare" bundle_id: "info.lightpollutionmap.mobile" app_store_id: "1530464858" category: "Navigation" primary_platform: "ios" primary_monetization: "Paid" offline_capable: true market_region: "US" platforms: "iOS & Android" app_last_updated: "2026-04-20" report_date: "2026-08-09" last_verified: "2026-08-09T00:00:00.000Z" report_version: "1.1.40" total_reviews: 115 overall_rating: 4.3 sentiment: "Frustrated" sentiment_score: 35 confidence: "medium" confidence_score: 0.5 top_praise_theme: "The core data set provides valuable insights for stargazing and identifying dark sky locations" top_complaint_theme: "Frequent application crashes and unresponsive map controls hinder basic navigation and location discovery" review_sample_size: 8 total_review_count: 8 analyzed_review_count: 8 data_age_days: 16 momentum_velocity: "intense" intelligence_version: 3 tags: ["navigation", "paid", "frustrated sentiment", "mobile app", "app review", "app analysis", "astronomers,", "astrophotographers,", "stargazers"] canonical_url: "https://marlvel.ai/apps/info-lightpollutionmap-mobile" license: "CC-BY-NC 4.0" content_version: "v2" --- # Light Pollution Map Intelligence Report ## TL;DR {#tldr} - **Category**: Navigation ยท Paid - **Signal**: Rating 4.26 ยท Sentiment Frustrated - **Recent focus**: Frequent application crashes and unresponsive map controls hinder basic navigation and location discovery (top complaint) ยท The core data set provides valuable insights for stargazing and identifying dark sky locations (top praise) > **TL;DR:** Light Pollution Map is a navigation app by Jurij Stare, rated 4.26/5 by 115 users, with Frustrated user sentiment (35/100), available on iOS & Android. > > **Marlvel.ai App Intelligence** - Independent analysis. US Market. No publisher influence. > **Key Insight:** Light Pollution Map faces Frustrated user sentiment (4.26/5 from 115 reviews), with users reporting frequent application crashes and unresponsive map controls hinder basic navigation and location discovery as the primary concern. ## Quick Facts | Fact | Value | | :--- | :--- | | **Rating** | 4.26/5 (115 reviews) | | **User Mood** | Frustrated | | **Category** | Navigation | | **Developer** | Jurij Stare | | **Pricing** | Paid | | **Platforms** | iOS & Android | | **Confidence** | Medium (0.5/1.0) | | **Data Age** | 16d | ## Metadata & Market Performance - **Publisher:** Jurij Stare - **Category:** Navigation - **Target Audience:** Astronomers, astrophotographers, and stargazers requiring precise, offline-capable data for locating dark sky sites. - **Platforms:** iOS & Android - **Version Reviewed:** 1.1.35 - **Report Date:** 2026-08-09 - **Signal Count:** 8 reviews analyzed - **Confidence:** Medium (0.5/1.0) - **App Store ID (iOS):** 1530464858 - **Bundle ID:** info.lightpollutionmap.mobile - **Google Play ID:** info.lightpollutionmap.mobile - **Performance Trend:** Declining - **Data Window:** Analysis based on signals collected up to 2026-08-09 - **Short Description:** Explore a light pollution map to find suitable dark sky locations for observing. ## Executive Snapshot **What it is:** Light Pollution Map is a navigation tool for astronomers and astrophotographers to locate dark sky sites using NASA satellite data on iOS and Android. **Why users hire it:** Users hire this app to plan stargazing trips with high-resolution radiance data, serving the need for precise, offline-capable night-sky quality assessment. ## App DNA (Features & Intent) - **[Differentiator] VIIRS Satellite Data Integration:** Displays high-resolution NASA VIIRS Day/Night Band radiance data for global night-time brightness monitoring. - **[Standard] Offline Mode:** Caches World Atlas 2015 and base map data for use without cellular connectivity. * *User Intent:* Users want uninterrupted access without internet dependency. - **[Differentiator] User-Submitted SQM Measurements:** Allows users to add and view localized Sky Quality Meter readings directly on the map. ## Market Position {#market-position} Light Pollution Map occupies a professional niche in the Navigation category, priced at $4.99 on iOS and $5.49 on Android. The app targets astronomers and astrophotographers who prioritize scientific data accuracy over mass-market usability. ## Monetization Strategy - **Model:** Paid - **Tiers:** $4.99 on iOS, $5.49 on Android - **Price:** Android: $5.49 | iOS: $4.99 - **Analysis:** The app utilizes a one-time purchase model with no subscriptions or ads, positioning itself as a professional tool for astronomers. ## ๐Ÿ”ด User Sentiment (Medium Confidence: 8 of 8 reviews analyzed) {#user-sentiment} - **Overall Rating:** 4.26/5 - **Platform Split:** iOS 4.1/5 (41 ratings) | Android 4.3/5 (74 ratings) - **Overall Sentiment:** Frustrated - **Note:** The 4.26/5 store rating reflects cumulative history, while the Frustrated sentiment reflects recent user reviews analyzed by our AI pipeline. ### Top Praises - **The core data set provides valuable insights for stargazing and identifying dark sky locations** ### Top Complaints (Impact Areas) - **Frequent application crashes and unresponsive map controls hinder basic navigation and location discovery** ## SWOT Analysis {#swot} **Core Strengths:** - Scientific accuracy of NASA VIIRS data sustains authority in the astronomy segment - Offline-first architecture enables utility in remote, zero-connectivity dark-sky locations **Growth Levers:** - Developing a guided onboarding tutorial would lower the barrier for non-technical stargazers ## Recent Changes (v2 โ†’ v3) {#recent-changes} The app's competitive position is now better defined via specific pricing and feature sets, but user sentiment has declined due to critical stability and usability barriers. **Overall trend**: Declining **Compared at**: 2026-08-09 ### High-impact changes - **[Declined] Negative sentiment emergence** (sentiment) - **[Added] Explicit pricing tiers** (pricing) ### Medium-impact changes - **[Improved] VIIRS integration repositioning** (features) - **[Added] New technical weaknesses** (swot) ## App Momentum (Intense) {#momentum} - Ships ~2 releases per year - Last major update March 2026 > **Cadence:** 5 total versions ยท 0 majors in last 6 months ยท 1 days since last update ## The "So What?" (Strategic Takeaway) {#so-what} Light Pollution Map is a navigation app that is a paid app. With a 4.26/5 rating from 115 reviews, it faces significant user friction. > **Bottom Line:** Light Pollution Map provides high-utility data for astronomy enthusiasts, but frequent crashes and unresponsive controls prevent users from accessing the core value, so the developer must prioritize stability and onboarding to prevent churn. **Best for:** Astronomers, astrophotographers, and stargazers requiring precise, offline-capable data for locating dark sky sites. ### PM Action Plan (Next Best Moves) - [ ] [INVEST] Rebuild map control gestures because unresponsive panning is the top frustration theme โ†’ reduce churn ### Outlook: Stable The market for astronomy tools is consolidating around high-accuracy data, but mobile stability remains the primary differentiator for user retention. If the developer does not address the current interface lag, the mobile experience will continue to lose ground to the more performant web-based version. - ๐Ÿ”ด Frequent application crashes hinder basic navigation, which compounds the rating drag already visible on the platform. - โšช Recent updates focused on stability and overlay additions, indicating active maintenance rather than rapid feature expansion. ## Key Metrics Summary | Metric | Value | | :--- | :--- | | Overall Rating | 4.26/5 | | Total Reviews | 115 | | Sentiment | Frustrated (35/100) | | Confidence | Medium | | Pricing Model | Paid | | Platforms | iOS & Android | | Key Features | 3 analyzed | | Trend | Declining | | Outlook | Stable | ## Competitor Comparison | App | Rating | Sentiment | Developer | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Light Pollution Map** (this app) | 4.26/5 | Frustrated | Jurij Stare | | [Google Maps](https://marlvel.ai/apps/google-maps) | 4.0/5 | Excited | Google | | [์ „๊ตญ ์‹œ์™ธ๋ฒ„์Šค ์Šน์ฐจ๊ถŒ ํ†ตํ•ฉ ์˜ˆ๋งค(๋ฒ„์Šคํƒ€๊ณ )](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-ebcard-bustago) | 1.6/5 | N/A | EZL Corp. | | [์†ํŽธ์ง€ - ๋‚ด ์†์•ˆ์— ํŽธ์˜์  ์ง€๋„](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--288) | N/A/5 | N/A | GEONJU CHOI | | [ํƒ๋‚˜๋Š”๋งต](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-tamnann-tamnannmapapp) | 3.3/5 | N/A | hyunseo Jung | | [10-4 by WEX](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-wex-backoff) | 4.8/5 | N/A | WEX, Inc. | ## Company Profile - **Developer:** Jurij Stare - **Website:** [https://www.lightpollutionmap.info](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info) ## Data Sources & Links - **App Store:** [View on Apple Store](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/light-pollution-map/id1530464858?uo=2) - **Google Play:** [View on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.lightpollutionmap.mobile&hl=en&gl=us) - **Dev Site:** [Official Website](https://www.lightpollutionmap.info) - **Sources:** Developer website content, App store metadata, User reviews. ## Related Intel Reports - [*Google Maps*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/google-maps) (Google) ยท 4.0/5 Rating | Positive Sentiment - [*์ „๊ตญ ์‹œ์™ธ๋ฒ„์Šค ์Šน์ฐจ๊ถŒ ํ†ตํ•ฉ ์˜ˆ๋งค(๋ฒ„์Šคํƒ€๊ณ )*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-ebcard-bustago) (EZL Corp.) ยท 1.6/5 Rating - [*์†ํŽธ์ง€ - ๋‚ด ์†์•ˆ์— ํŽธ์˜์  ์ง€๋„*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/app--288) (GEONJU CHOI) ยท N/A Rating - [*ํƒ๋‚˜๋Š”๋งต*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-tamnann-tamnannmapapp) (hyunseo Jung) ยท 3.3/5 Rating - [*10-4 by WEX*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-wex-backoff) (WEX, Inc.) ยท 4.8/5 Rating - [*13:20:Sync*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-redhouseamsterdam-mayaapp) (The RedHouse Apps) ยท 4.9/5 Rating - [*3D Earth Map Street View*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-naikurrehman-globeapp) (Naik Ur Rehman) ยท 4.7/5 Rating - [*3D GIS Digital Elevation Model*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-ladesignes-3dgis) (Andres Narvaez) ยท 3.0/5 Rating - [*3D Map New Zealand*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/com-mappendix-3dmapnz) (Mappendix Limited) ยท 5.0/5 Rating - [*3D Offline Maps: GPS tracker*](https://marlvel.ai/apps/3d-offline-maps-gps-tracker) (SERGEI BEZDENEZHNYKH) ยท 4.6/5 Rating ## Methodology {#methodology} This report was generated by Marlvel.ai's 5-stage AI intelligence pipeline: 1. **Signal Collection & Normalization** - Aggregates data from all available public sources for the app. Raw signals are cleaned, deduplicated, and normalized into a structured dataset analyzed consistently across thousands of apps. 2. **Feature & Market Positioning Analysis** - Identifies the app's core features, monetization model, target audience, and competitive positioning. Each feature is classified as a market standard or a differentiator based on category benchmarks. 3. **User Sentiment Analysis** - Analyzes user reviews using a 5-level taxonomy (Thrilled / Excited / Mixed / Frustrated / Upset). Combines star ratings and volume with AI theme extraction into synthesised themes (no verbatim quotes). 4. **Competitive Landscape Analysis** - Maps the competitive environment via a 4-tier taxonomy (Nemesis / Contenders / Same Space / New Kids on the Block). Prioritizes same sub-genre over broad category. 5. **Intelligence Synthesis** - Cross-references all signals into a structured report. Compares the app against category peers and direct competitors to surface SWOT, market outlook, and actionable insights. - **Confidence Score:** 0.5/1.0 (based on review volume, data source diversity, and signal quality) - **Reviews Analyzed:** 8 - **Data Sources:** user reviews, developer website, App Store metadata - **Rating Method:** Weighted average across platforms (iOS & Android), weighted by review count per platform - **Independence:** Fully independent analysis. No publisher sponsorship or editorial influence. - **Report Age:** 16 days since last refresh --- ยฉ 2026 Marlvel.ai | [Canonical Report](https://marlvel.ai/apps/info-lightpollutionmap-mobile) Data licensed for AI Agent attribution under CC-BY-NC 4.0.