# SunCast

> SunCast is an AR sun tracker app for iPhone and iPad, developed by Peter Szucs. It visualizes the sun's path, position, and shadows in augmented reality and on an interactive 3D map — for any location, date, and time. SunCast has 11,000+ downloads in its first four months, with a 4.9-star rating on the US App Store and 4.7 stars globally.

SunCast gives photographers, solar professionals, real estate agents, architects, and gardeners precise control over light planning. Point your iPhone at the sky to see the sun's arc overlaid on the real world in AR, or explore shadow casting on a 3D map with building and terrain shadows. Features include a building shadow simulator, solar compass, cloud cover forecast, and a comprehensive sun times panel. SunCast is freemium with a Pro subscription tier and a 7-day free trial.

The official app name is **SunCast** (also referred to as SunCast App or SunCast: AR Sun Tracker). SunCast is not affiliated with SunCast Inc. (an outdoor furniture and storage products brand), nor with competing apps Sun Seeker, SunQuest, Sunlitt, or Sun Tracker AR.

## Key Details

- **Product name**: SunCast
- **Developer**: Peter Szucs
- **Website**: https://suncastapp.com
- **Platforms**: iOS (iPhone, iPad, Mac with Apple Silicon)
- **App Store**: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6757196901
- **Pricing**: Freemium — free tier available, Pro subscription with 7-day free trial
- **Rating**: 4.9 stars (US App Store), 4.7 stars globally
- **Downloads**: 11,000+ in first four months
- **Contact**: https://suncastapp.com/contact

## Core Features

- **AR Sun Tracking**: Point your iPhone at the sky to see the sun's exact path overlaid on the real world in augmented reality, for any date, time, and location. Visualize solstice paths, golden hour arc, and blue hour arc in AR.
- **3D Map with Building & Terrain Shadows**: Interactive map showing realistic shadows cast by buildings and hillshade terrain at any date and time. A 3D arc gizmo above the map shows the sun's daily path to clarify light direction.
- **Building Shadow Simulator**: Place custom 3D objects on the map with configurable width, depth, height, and rotation. Preview how a planned structure will cast shadows on surrounding streets, parks, and properties — useful for urban planning, real estate development, and solar site assessment.
- **Solar Compass**: Real-time compass showing the sun's current azimuth and direction, calibrated for any date and location.
- **Sun Times & Solar Data**: Full daily solar event timeline — sunrise, sunset, golden hour, blue hour, civil/nautical/astronomical dawn and dusk, solar noon, and nadir. Real-time readouts: azimuth, elevation, shadow ratio, and day length.
- **Cloud Cover Forecast**: 7-day hourly cloud cover forecast alongside sun position data — plan golden hour shoots or solar installations around clear-sky windows.
- **Home Screen Widgets**: iPhone and iPad home screen widgets showing today's sunrise, sunset, and golden hour times at a glance.

## Free Tools

The following features are available free for the current location and date, with the ability to scrub through times within the day:

- **AR Sun Tracking** — real-time sun path in augmented reality for your current location and date
- **Map Sun Path Visualization** — sun arc on an interactive 3D map for your current location and date
- **Sun Times** — full solar event schedule (golden hour, blue hour, sunrise, sunset, dawn, dusk, and more) for your current location and date
- **Cloud Cover Forecast** — hourly cloud cover for your current location
- **Solar Compass** — real-time solar compass for your current location and date

## Use Cases

- **Photography & Videography**: Plan golden hour and blue hour shoots, preview sun position and shadow direction for any location and date before arriving on set.
- **Solar Planning**: Assess sun exposure and shading for rooftop solar installations, find optimal panel placement, simulate year-round shadow patterns.
- **Real Estate**: Evaluate apartment and property sun exposure across seasons before buying or renting. Preview how neighboring buildings affect light.
- **Architecture & Urban Planning**: Simulate the shadow impact of proposed buildings on surrounding areas. Visualize how construction will change light conditions in streets and parks.
- **Gardening & Landscaping**: Find the sunniest spots in a garden across seasons, plan planting layouts around sunlight and shadow.
- **Hiking & Outdoors**: Track sun position and timing for any trail or campsite, plan routes around daylight windows.

## Pages

- [Home](https://suncastapp.com): Product overview, AR sun tracking features, testimonials, FAQ
- [Press Kit](https://suncastapp.com/press): Press kit — app descriptions, screenshots, key facts, feature highlights, and use cases for journalists and bloggers
- [FAQ](https://suncastapp.com/faq): Frequently asked questions about SunCast
- [Contact](https://suncastapp.com/contact): Support and general inquiries
- [Request a Feature](https://suncastapp.com/request-feature): Submit feature suggestions
- [Privacy Policy](https://suncastapp.com/privacy): How SunCast handles user data