The 11 Best Astronomy Apps For Amateur Star Gazers
SkySafari shows you a map of the sky one million years into the past or future.
Starmap provides a list of suggested celestial bodies to observe each night.
App: Starmap (Buy it for iOS here)
Price: $4.99
Starmap has about 350,000 stars, 150 galaxies and clusters, and 50 asteroids and dwarf planets. The app gives you the "night's best selection" so you know what you should be looking for on any given night and it identifies shooting star zones. This app is also a point and locate that uses the iPhone's compass to identify the planets and stars right in front of you. You can zoom in on a particular object and the app has a night vision mode — the backlight on your phone dims and the images on the screen glow red so your night vision isn't ruined.
Pocket Universe gives you observation tips and quizzes to test your knowledge about what you've seen.
App: Pocket Universe (Buy it for iOS here)
Price $2.99.
Pocket Universe is an especially great app for beginners. You can point your phone up at the sky to identify planets and stars near you, but the app also provides a list of suggested objects to observe based on the date. It even gives you a list of observation tips. Pocket Universe also has quizzes you can take on the planets, stars, and constellations so you can see how much you're learning.
Solar Walk has an interactive 3D solar system model.
App: Solar Walk (Buy it for iOS here)
Price $2.99.
The Solar Walk app includes an interactive model of the galaxy. You can tap on planets and stars to learn about their trajectories, structural make up, and the history of their exploration. The app also lets you plug in a specific date, past or present, and it will display how the planets were aligned. Solar Walk also has 3D models of some of the man made satellites orbiting in space.
Deluxe Moon HD helps you keep track of the phases of the moon.
App: Deluxe Moon HD (Buy it for iOS here)
Price $1.99
Deluxe Moon lets you keep track of the moon phases, what zodiac sign the moon is in, daily moonrise and moonset times, and what distance the moon is from the Earth. You'll never miss another full moon or lunar eclipse.
Star Walk helps you pinpoint planets and stars so you can find them with a telescope.
App: Star Walk (Buy it for iOS here)
Price: $2.99
All you have to do is point your phone at the night sky, and Star Walk locates and pinpoints the exact location of the celestial object you want to see. You can use the precise location to find the object in your telescope. You can access information about every celestial body that shows up in the app. It also includes a calendar of upcoming celestial events so you can plan your next stargaze.
Star Chart is a free app that can still use your phone's compass to locate planets and stars near you.
App: Star Chart (download it for iOS here or Android here)
Price: free
Star Chart is similar to Star Walk, but its free. You can also manually set the location to see what the sky looks like from the other side of the planet. It displays stars and planets in real time and it includes a time shift feature that lets you see what the sky will look like 10,000 years into the past or future.
Distant Suns has information on 300,000 stars and provides weather updates.
App: Distant Suns (buy it for iOS here or Android here)
Price $3.99
Distant Suns is also a point and locate app and has information on over 300,000 stars. It uses images from the Hubble Space Telescope and includes data and information on everything you observe. It also provides you with weather updates so you know when your view might be blocked by clouds. You can keep up with the latest space news from Astronomy Magazine using the app. This app has gotten some pretty impressive reviews: its average is five out of five stars.
NASA App keeps you up to date on the latest space research and exploration.
Sky View lets you follow the daily tracks of the sun, moon, and planets and share pictures on social media.
App: Sky View (buy it for iOS here)
Price: $1.99
Use Sky View if you want to explore more than just our solar system. The app helps you find all 88 constellations, all planets in the solar system, and even the International Space Station. You can even capture and share images on social media through the app. It also has a time machine feature so you can observe what past and future skies will look like.
The Night Sky Lite is a free Android app that still identifies planets and stars based on your location.
App: Night Sky Lite (download it for Android here)
Price: free
The Night Sky Lite is another point and locate app, but this one is free for Android phones. It uses the GPS and compass in your phone or tablet and pulls up an overlay map of the planets, stars, and galaxies in your location.
You've seen some of the coolest astronomy apps. Now check out some great astronomy images.
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