We are excited to announce the release of Astro-COLIBRI v2.27.0! This update brings two major shifts in how you interact with our platform, focusing on personalization for web users and a groundbreaking way to visualize the transient sky on mobile.
What’s New?
1. Fully Customizable Web Interface One of the most requested features is finally here. You can now fully customize the layout of the web interface. Whether you want to prioritize the sky map, the visibility plots, or the event list, you can move and resize components to create a workspace that fits your specific observation needs. Enable the layout edit mode via the Map & Coordinates configuration panel: 
2. Vera C. Rubin Observatory In preparation of the Legacy Survey of Space and Time (LSST), the Vera C. Rubin Observatory started to publish alerts and associated photometric data in the early hours of Feb. 25, 2026. We have integrated new detections published on the IAU Transient Name Server. Rubin photometric data is retrieved via the Fink broker and made available in our lightcurves and photometry download. A first glimpse of the enormous sensitivity of the new observatory is given by the lightcurve of AT 2026eqf, an intriguing, slowly rising transient which would have gone unnoticed by the previous generation of large optical surveys (cf. the flux upper limits by ATLAS).
3. Integrated Augmented Reality (AR) Mode
Our new AR mode isn’t just a visual aid; it’s a portable science tool integrated directly into the Astro-COLIBRI ecosystem.
- Science-Grade Star Catalog: Built on the Yale Bright Star Catalog (BSC5) and augmented with official IAU WGSN names and Gaia DR3 metadata.
- Deep Research Tools: Tapping an object (like a star, planet, sun, moon) opens a “Science Panel” providing a wealth of data including stellar multiplicity, variability, exoplanet information, and much more.
- Detailed description of all AR features: AR Mode Overview
4. Real-Time Solar, Lunar, and Aurora Data (AR & Standard Mode)
We have significantly upgraded our environmental tracking. These features are available in the new AR mode and the standard map interface:
- Real-Time Sun & Aurora: Tap the Sun to access near real-time solar imagery (supporting multiple SUVI bands) and solar activity summaries.
- The new Earth Panel (accessible via the Sun/Horizon) provides live Aurora forecasts for both hemispheres.
- Advanced Moon Tracking: The Moon panel now shows the phase name, waxing/waning trend, and illumination. It also includes a high-fidelity hourly Moon rendering, current Alt/Az, rise/set times, and precise timing for the next New/Full Moon.
A Note on Sustainability and the AR Mode
As you will notice, the new AR mode is accessible via a paid subscription. This was a difficult decision, and we want to be transparent with our community about why we chose this path.
Astro-COLIBRI remains committed to being a free, open-access resource for the global astronomical community. However, developing and maintaining advanced features like AR, and keeping our real-time, high-performance servers running 24/7, requires significant resources. By introducing a subscription for the AR mode, we aim to:
- Cover development costs for complex new features, additional data streams, etc..
- Ensure the long-term stability of the core platform, which will always remain free for everyone.
- Remain independent, allowing us to continue building tools specifically for professional and amateur astronomers without relying solely on external grants.
We hope you understand that your contribution helps us keep the “Colibri” flying for years to come.
As always, we are eager to hear your feedback! Let us know how the new customizable layout works for you and what you think of the AR integration.
Clear skies,
The Astro-COLIBRI Team
