Apple Rejects Astronomy App 'Dark Hours' as Astrology
08 Aug 2026
App Store Rejection of the Week: Apple Flags Astronomy App as Astrology
Developer Terry Godier's astronomy app, Dark Hours, was rejected by Apple's App Store over alleged astrology content—a decision that highlights how App Store review classifications can diverge sharply from a developer's own description of their product.
What happened
Godier built Dark Hours for his astronomy website and submitted it to the App Store. Apple rejected the app on the grounds that it constituted astrology content. Godier appealed, but the App Review Board upheld the rejection, citing what it described as a "live tarot reading feature" in the app.
Godier disputes this characterization directly. He stated the app "has no tarot function, no horoscopes, and nothing that I, or anyone else I've asked, would associate with astrology."
Sources differ on the core facts of the case: Godier maintains there is no tarot or astrology-related functionality in Dark Hours, while the App Review Board insists the app includes a live tarot reading feature. The report does not clarify what specific app content or metadata triggered the original astrology classification, nor what exact feature the Board interpreted as tarot-related.
Notably, Godier had written a rant about astrology and astronomy two years before this submission attempt—though the report does not explain any connection between that earlier writing and the current rejection. It's also unclear whether Godier pursued further appeals or modified the app after the Board's decision.
Why founders should care
This case may signal a broader risk for founders building products in categories that sit near sensitive or ambiguous App Store classifications. A few takeaways worth weighing:
- App Store reviewers could classify an app in ways that conflict with the developer's own stated intent, which suggests founders should anticipate and preempt possible misclassifications when preparing submission materials.
- The disagreement between Godier and the App Review Board indicates that appeals processes may not reliably resolve factual disputes about what an app actually does—meaning founders could face rejections that are difficult to overturn even with a clear rebuttal.
- Founders operating in niche or adjacent categories—astronomy versus astrology being a clear example here—may benefit from proactively documenting and demonstrating the absence of flagged features before submission, rather than assuming a straightforward description will suffice.
The bigger picture
The dispute points to a possible gap or ambiguity in how App Store guidelines distinguish between adjacent content categories. For founders, this is a reminder that review outcomes aren't always predictable from a plain reading of an app's functionality—and that building a paper trail or supporting evidence ahead of submission could reduce the risk of a stalled or blocked launch.