Stargazer astronomy software

Whether it's looking up the constellations on a mobile star app or turning to some other astronomical aid, the best stargazing apps put a planetarium in your palm. And things are only getting more sophisticated thanks to augmented reality, which can superimpose information on the night sky or recreate the stars above when you're stuck indoors.

Our sister site Space. Night Sky on iOS is a gorgeous app that takes full advantage of Apple's push for AR apps to deliver a really nice-looking augmented reality sky map.

Users can view thousands of stars, satellites, planets and constellations in this best stargazing app for iOS. Night Sky takes things further with Apple Watch support that brings the sky map down to your wrist. Users can hold up the Apple Watch to identify objects in the sky, or look down to view a "celestial compass" that gives an overview of objects visible tonight. A new addition with the introduction of ARKit in past versions of iOS is the AR Grand Orrery that displays a virtual model of the solar system that you can circle around and view.

Terminal Eleven's SkyView gives you a good idea of what to expect from good all-in-one stargazing and sky guide apps. SkyView uses your phone's screen and sensors to give you an augmented reality view of what's up in the sky. Users can turn their smartphones and tablets into AR viewfinders for identifying stars, planets and constellations; the app can display an object's track in the sky as well as information on select objects, planets, and satellites.

SkyView also includes a "time travel" feature that allows you to view the sky as it would have appeared in the past, or will appear in the future, based on what we know of each object's movements. The official NASA app is a great way to explore the vast reaches of the cosmos without having to put down your smartphone. SkySafari has long provided excellent sky guide apps for amateurs and professionals alike. The current version of this best stagazing app offers up a rich offline database of stars, planets, and other celestial objects that you can view on an AR star chart, complete with animated visualizations and info about the history, mythology and science behind these celestial objects.

Even more advanced versions, SkySafari Plus and SkySafari Pro , include an expanded database and more features such as support for WiFi-controlled telescopes. SkyGazer Version 4. Overview : View the sky from any place on Earth or in the Solar System, over a timespan of ten thousand years from the present. Display over , stars and over 14, star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies.

Show hundreds of colorful deep sky object images generated from the 2nd-generation digitized sky survey. Solar system database includes all eight major planets and their moons, plus thousands of asteroids and hundeds of comets. Display realistic, close-up 3D views of the planets using NASA spacecraft imagery Uses interactive animations to demonstrate basic astronomical concepts like eclipses, the seasons, and precession.

Contains a colorful illustrated guide to astronomical topics such as time, coordinates, the solar system, stars, and constellations.

Print impressive color sky charts that you can use to find your way around the sky with binoculars or a small telescope. Stunning Sky Charts Create detailed star charts that you can use to explore the night sky with binoculars or a small telescope, customized for your particular observing location or time.

Realistic Planet Graphics We've updated our maps of the Earth, Moon, and Mars; and added new high resolution maps of Saturn's moons from the Cassini mission. Solar and Lunar Eclipses Show lunar and solar eclipses as seen from the earth or from any point in space. Stargazer Planetarium Sit back and be amazed as our new laser projectors display vividly realistic images upon a meter-diameter tilted dome, allowing stargazers to travel anywhere in the universe. Watch the video on YouTube.

Created Cosmos Visit stars, nebulae, galaxies, superclusters, and more as you tour the known universe. Aliens: Fact or Fiction? What Was the Christmas Star? Seasonal show, typically available during the Christmas season. Learn More. Prepare to Believe Subscribe to Museum Emails.

Thank You! Your email subscription is complete. Finish your subscription You're almost done! By: Alan MacRobert March 4, Here's a great free download that uses a deck of playing cards to introduce you to the night's sky's constellations in a fun, entertaining way.

By: Michael K. Shepard January 3, Our Constellation Basics webinar provides background information about the major winter constellations. Here are some accompanying online resources. By: Tony Flanders January 15, Asterisms appeal to our playful side but also serve as key waypoints in the sky for identifying fainter stars and constellations. By: Bob King January 13, Binoculars: Guides and Recommendations.

Ordinary binoculars are your ideal "first telescope. By: Ed Ting July 30, With a subtle beauty all its own, the earthshine we see glowing in the lunar night invites us to consider Earth's many connections to the Moon. By: Bob King August 27, They come in a wide range of apertures.