Support

I'm not getting notifications — why?

Check two places. First, iOS Settings → Notifications → Astraflare — make sure notifications are allowed. Second, inside the app go to the Alerts tab and toggle on the categories you want (geomagnetic storms, solar flares, conjunctions, eclipses, planet parades). All toggles are off by default.

Alerts feel delayed. Is that normal?

iOS batches background refresh tasks — a phone may only run Astraflare's alert check a few times an hour, and the timing is up to iOS. To cover the gap, a companion push backend at api.astraflare.eldwynlabs.com pushes SWPC bulletins directly via APNs so time-critical events (Kp threshold crossings, new alerts) arrive promptly.

Why does an event I care about not trigger an alert?

Each alert has a threshold you can tune. For geomagnetic storms it's the Kp value (1–9). For flares it's the minimum class (B / C / M / X). For conjunctions it's the maximum separation angle (0.5°–5°). Open the Alerts tab and drag the relevant slider — the event has to cross the threshold for you to be notified.

The app didn't ask for location — how do I enable it?

iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Astraflare → "While Using the App". Location is optional; it enables local aurora visibility, eclipse circumstances, Bortle light-pollution hints, satellite passes and planet visibility. The app works without it, but some cards show a prompt to enable.

Is my location sent anywhere?

Only to Open-Meteo for the cloud-cover forecast, and only rounded to two decimal places (about 1 km). It never reaches our backend. See the Privacy Policy for details.

Data isn't refreshing — what can I do?

Pull down on any dashboard to force a refresh. If it still doesn't update, the upstream source may be down — check the status links below. Astraflare caches the last good response so it'll still show you something useful.

An eclipse says "not visible from your location" — how does it know?

Astraflare computes every eclipse locally from bundled Espenak/NASA Besselian elements. If you have location permission enabled, it solves for your local circumstances (magnitude, duration, contact times). If not, it shows the global event data without the location-specific overlay.

Satellite passes look wrong.

Pass predictions use CelesTrak TLEs refreshed every few hours. Very recently launched satellites or post-manoeuvre orbits may not reflect reality until CelesTrak publishes fresh elements. For the ISS and Starlink this is usually accurate within a few seconds.

How accurate are aurora predictions?

As accurate as NOAA's OVATION model and the 3-day Kp forecast. Astraflare doesn't invent its own forecast; it surfaces the official one and layers clouds, moon and twilight so you can act on it. A day out, it's pretty good. Three days out, treat it as a rough guide.

What does the app need?

An iPhone running iOS 17 or later. iPad and Apple Watch are not supported yet.

The app crashes on launch.

Force-quit (swipe up from the bottom, swipe the Astraflare card up) and relaunch. If it persists, email us with your iOS version and iPhone model — we'll get a fix out.

How do I request a feature?

Email support@eldwynlabs.com. Roadmap is driven by real requests — short notes help more than long ones.