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Install PushNav

PushNav runs on macOS, Windows, and Linux. Pick your platform below, and you'll be up and running in a few minutes.

Download

Grab the latest release from GitHub:

Download PushNav

Platform What to download
Windows PushNav-windows-x64-setup.exe
macOS (Apple Silicon, M1/M2/M3/M4) PushNav-macOS-arm64.dmg
Linux PushNav-linux-x86_64.AppImage

Windows

Install

  1. Run the downloaded PushNav-windows-x64-setup.exe
  2. Click Yes when Windows asks for permission to install
  3. Follow the installer (the defaults are fine)
  4. PushNav appears in your Start Menu

First launch: firewall prompt

The first time PushNav starts, Windows Firewall will ask if you want to allow PushNav to communicate on your network. Tick "Private networks" and click Allow access. This lets other devices on your Wi-Fi (your phone for the mobile companion view, and telescope apps like SkySafari) connect to PushNav.

If PushNav won't start at all

If you see an error about a missing .dll file, you may need to install the Microsoft Visual C++ Runtime (a one-time, free download from Microsoft). Most Windows 10/11 machines already have it.

macOS

Install

  1. Open the downloaded .dmg file
  2. Drag PushNav into your Applications folder

First launch: security prompts

Because PushNav is a free, open-source app and isn't sold through the Mac App Store, macOS will show a couple of prompts the first time you open it. This is normal.

"PushNav is damaged and can't be opened. You should move it to the Bin."

The app is fine — this is macOS Gatekeeper refusing to launch an unsigned app that your browser flagged as "downloaded from the internet". The dialog has only Cancel and Move to Bin, with no "Open Anyway" option.

To fix it, open Terminal and run:

xattr -cr /Applications/PushNav.app

That removes the quarantine flag your browser set. Double-click PushNav again — it'll launch normally. You only need to do this once.

If you instead see "can't be opened because Apple cannot check it for malicious software" (older quarantine dialog with an "Open Anyway" path), that one you can solve in System Settings → Privacy & Security — scroll down and click Open Anyway. Either path lands at the same end state.

Camera access. macOS will ask if PushNav can use your camera. Click Allow. PushNav needs the camera to see the stars.

Network access. macOS will ask if PushNav can accept incoming network connections. Click Allow. This lets other devices on your Wi-Fi (your phone for the mobile companion view, and telescope apps like SkySafari) connect to PushNav.

Linux

Before you start: system packages

PushNav ships its own window toolkit (Qt/Chromium) inside the AppImage, so there's nothing GTK- or WebKit-related to install. You do need two small system pieces: FUSE (so the AppImage format can mount itself on first launch) and GStreamer (so the lock / lost / GOTO audio alerts can play). Most desktop Linux installs already have both, but on a fresh or minimal system install them first:

Ubuntu / Debian / Mint / Pop!_OS:

sudo apt install libfuse2 gstreamer1.0-tools

Fedora:

sudo dnf install fuse gstreamer1

Arch / Manjaro:

sudo pacman -S fuse2 gst-plugins-base

If FUSE is missing, the AppImage refuses to start with a message about mounting. If GStreamer is missing, you'll see "could not open audio device" warnings but the rest of the app still works.

What about PyGObject / GTK / WebKit2GTK?

Older versions of PushNav used pywebview's GTK backend and required python3-gi, gir1.2-webkit2-4.1, etc. The Linux build switched to Qt — none of those packages are needed anymore.

Install

  1. Download the .AppImage file
  2. Make it executable and run it: 
    chmod +x PushNav-linux-*.AppImage
./PushNav-linux-*.AppImage

Camera permission

If PushNav can't find your camera, you may need to add yourself to the video group (this is a one-time step):

sudo usermod -a -G video $USER

Log out and back in for the change to take effect.

Before you launch

You can launch PushNav with or without a camera plugged in. If you start it without one, the live-view area shows a "Camera not connected" placeholder with a Retry button — plug the camera in, click Retry, and PushNav picks up where it would have started. The rest of the app (Settings, Connectivity, the "What to See" catalog) is fully usable in the meantime, so you can plan a session indoors before stepping out to the scope.

When PushNav starts, you'll see a brief loading screen, then the main window with a live camera feed on the left (or the camera-not-connected placeholder) and a step-by-step panel on the right. The panel walks you through alignment. No prior experience needed.

Phone companion

PushNav has a built-in mobile view so you can check your push direction from your phone while you're at the eyepiece. No app to install, just scan a QR code.

  1. Open the Settings section in PushNav's side panel
  2. Point your phone's camera at the QR code shown there
  3. Tap the link that pops up; a live view opens in your phone's browser

Your phone and laptop need to be on the same Wi-Fi network. That's it.

If your phone can't connect

You probably clicked "Deny" or "Cancel" on the firewall/network prompt when PushNav first launched. See the macOS or Windows sections above for how to fix it.

What's next

Now that PushNav is running, connect it to Stellarium so you can pick targets from a sky chart and have PushNav guide you to them. See Stellarium Setup.