The best stargazing apps allow you to map the universe from almost any location on the planet. They are a fantastic entry point for anyone curious to learn more about the universe, and our place in it.
Using a stargazing app can expose you to the wonders of the night sky in a way that is more accessible and more comprehensible than any other source, and can help you develop a deep understanding of the existence of the cosmos that you can carry with you throughout your lifetime.
You can map and plan from the comfort of your own home or car because the apps use your phone's gps to locate the constellations and deep space objects from wherever you are. The best stargazing apps can be used with the best telescopes and best binoculars. If you want to know which kit to take, you can take a look at the best cameras for Astrophotography and the best lens for Astrophotography.
To locate heavenly bodies, star-charting apps share some things in common, but they vary in complexity.
We have gathered a collection of the best stargazing apps currently available to help you choose the right one.
Skysafari 6 Pro is a comprehensive app from the more expensive end of the market, and it's almost guaranteed to teach you something if you're a veteran stargazer.
This is an expensive app and comes at a price. You have to really want it because it's only $39.99 with IAPs on top. You can install the app on your phone or tablet and point it at the night sky, but you can also connect it to your telescope and have it guide you around the stars. A great feature is a guided tour of the finest sights on show that changes as the year goes on.
It backs up your settings and provides telescopic images. SkySafari 6 Pro is an educational tool that can be hard to beat, and there are a lot more features that we go into in our review. The price is the only complaint.
The mobile version of the well-known open-source desktop app is notable for the quality of its constellation illustrations. You need to pay for it. It's fair that programmers have to make a living as well.
The database that you get for your money contains more stars than any other app, but not as many asteroids as SkySafari. The sky you see on your phone will be similar to the real sky above you, though it isn't as polished as that app. You can locate and label your favorite constellations and planets, and even track satellites as they traverse the sky above, as well as access lore and stats about the stars and planets you select, including stories from different cultures.
You can see HD photos of nebulae and galaxies if you zoom in, but some could use an update. The app can connect to most telescopes, and you can point your phone at the sky to see objects. This is one of the better astronomy apps out there.
Star Walk 2 is an augmented reality experience for the night sky that is available as a paid-for and free version. It is well-suited to beginners.
You can use the app to view the sky through your phone's camera. The International space Station and the Starlink satellites can be tracked if you pay for the upgrade. You can turn off the calm audio track at any time.
We liked the section called "Visible Tonight" that shows you spectacular objects you can see on a given evening, with photos and a link to its Wikipedia page for more information. The free version of Star Walk 2 is a great way to experience augmented astronomy, even if you can't afford it.
The app has been around for a long time and has received many upgrades along the way. When you cross the centre of the screen, the interactive star map shows your path.
You need to be very precise in your positioning to get the information you need. If you move away from the object you are interested in, the details disappear. The graphics are clear and the illustrations of constellations are attractive, even though the screen is extremely dark for viewing at night.
There is a lot of info on offer, as you can bring up full descriptions, and even link out to the object's Wikipedia entry for more.
The free version of the app has less information than the paid-for one. You can upgrade by purchasing packs of extra stars and satellites. Telescope integration is limited, but there is enough detail and function on offer to make it attractive to amateur astronomer.
The size of Star Rover's database isn't as large as it could be, which makes it a bit less attractive because it doesn't contain as many stars and other objects as its competitors do.
This doesn't make Star Rover a bad app because it contains all the most interesting and bright ones. It gives an augmented view of the night sky with constellations marked with illustrations, and tracks for the planets and other notable objects. There is a search feature that can ferret out any area of the sky you are interested in looking at, but there is no additional information on offer once you have found what you are looking for.
The app is starting to look dated due to its basic interface and blurry fonts, and could do with an update. It is perfectly usable, has a complete moon-phase and eclipse calendar, and is extremely competitively priced.
The app is cheap and comes with an ad-supported free version.
There is a lot of information on offer in the app. If you tap the screen twice, you will get to know more about it. If you're interested in man-made objects such as the International Space Station, you won't find it here.
There is not much detail about dimmer stars that can be obscured by light pollution. If you stick to the bright objects in the night sky, you'll get a good idea of what's going on.
If you're serious about this beginner's guide to the galaxy, you'll get a better experience if you pay for it. It's only $2, but you could get one of the other options that we rate slightly better. There is a main reason to go for this option. It has a limited database so you can focus on learning the main stars when you are stargazing.
For a stargazing app that offers such a rich, dense resource to observe the night sky with, it's remarkable that most of its features are free. It isn't the most user-friendly of stargazing apps, with little of the visual polish that distinguishes others on this list, but the app is still fairly simple to use, once you have taken the time to explore it a little.
The basic version of SkEye is free, while the pro version has the advantage of highlighting over 100 satellites, 800 comets, and adds the ability to create a custom catalog for quick access to your favourite objects.
Although it is a great app for enthusiasts, novices may find it a little inscrutable at first due to its penchant for abbreviations and advanced metrics. If you don't need the app to find a particular object, SkEye has a great search function that will give you directions to a chosen object.
SkEye is compatible with itsOTA, which makes it a good choice to pair with a telescope. The app has a function that makes the process a little easier.
The fact that it is free makes it a very attractive app, and most stargazers will find everything they need for a rewarding night of observation in it.
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