Stars and planets have always been a mystery for many – so far and yet as visible as a neighbor’s home. Do you also feel the grandiosity of the universe upon seeing them? Do they spark an awe about their existence?
Well, even though they are out of your reach (yet), you can bring them closer to you by knowing them better. For this, we at Insiderbits have brought here 5 astronomy apps that will fulfill your curiosity about the miracles of the sky.
1. Sky Map
Notable features:
- Allows you to contribute to its functionalities
- Gives you an offline access
- Identifies stars, planets, and nebulae
- Participate in the beta testing program to access the latest features
Available on: Android
Sky Map is created to make your celestial observation more than just a vague gaze into the unknown by helping you identify stars, planets, and nebulae. It is an open-source app and invites everyone to contribute towards making it better.
Usually, you won’t need internet access to use this app, but some of its features such as GPS will ask you to have it. The best part about this astronomy and planetarium app is that it is completely ad-free and free of charge.
2. Stellarium Mobile
Notable features:
- Display an accurate night sky simulation in real time
- Dive into a vast collection of stars, nebulas, galaxies, and more
- Explore how constellations appear in different sky cultures
- Connect and control telescopes compatible with NexStar, SynScan, or LX200
Stellarium provides you with an accurate and real-time simulation of the night sky. With its intuitive interface, it helps you know about stars, constellations, planets, comets, and satellites by simply pointing your phone at the sky.
Its pro version gives you deeper access to its database of over 1.69 billion stars and 2 million deep sky objects and advanced observing tools. Stellarium’s simplicity and minimalistic design make it an ideal astronomy app for kids and adults.
4.7/5
3. SkyView® Lite
Notable features:
- Identify galaxies, stars, constellations, planets, and satellites
- Capture and share captivating images of the night sky
- Use your device’s camera to spot celestial objects in the sky
- Explore the sky on different dates and times
SkyView is created for people with astronomical expertise at all levels. So, whether you are a novice starting to explore your curiosity or a professional looking to further your interests, SkyView has a lot of value to offer.
To start with, just point your phone’s camera to identify all the celestial objects at day or night. Not only that, it also focuses on making your viewing experience better with night mode and augmented reality mode.
You don’t need internet access to use it. Thus, it is a perfect astronomy app to be used while camping, boating, and flying. With such a great utility, SkyView was recognized as the Google Editor’s Choice in 2017.
4.3/5
4. Star Tracker
Notable features:
- All data is available offline
- Explore the Solar System, 88 constellations, and 8000+ stars
- Automatically enter AR track mode when you point your device to the sky
- Smooth motion flow and high-quality graphic display
StarTracker invites you to immerse yourself in the wonders of the universe with the engaging and user-friendly stargazing experience it provides. It is fun when you go for an outing with your friends.
It offers you offline access to a vast database of celestial objects such as the Sun, moon, planets, 88 constellations, and over 8000 visible stars.
But, you can make your experience even better with its premium features that come at only $2.99. With it, you will be able to get more out of it with no ads, more comfortable outdoor stargazing, more precise object positioning, and enhanced exploration.
4.6/5
5. Sky Tonight
Notable features:
- Get real-time positions of celestial objects
- Determine celestial bodies’ positions at different periods
- Set reminders for solar eclipses, full moons, etc.
- Enjoy a seamless stargazing experience with AR mode
What is that bright dot in the sky? What astronomical events can I see tonight? How can I find the object I’m interested in? If you have any of these 3 questions, Sky Tonight is just the right app for you to find the answers to them.
It caters to an audience with diverse preferences with customizable features such as adjusting constellation appearances, setting reminders for celestial configurations, and updating you with news about the astronomy world.
However, its free experience is quite limited. If you want to be prepared and improve your observations, we recommend you buy its paid version. It offers you affordable monthly, yearly, and lifetime plans.
4.6/5
Related: Palm Reading App: All You Need to Know
5 Astronomy Apps – Conclusion
The sky is just as amazing as it is mysterious. But, now you can know better about the miracles that have always been revolving around you. Try any of these astronomy apps to not only gaze at the wonders of the sky but also to know them.
