The mobile version of the well-known open-source desktop app, this is a superb app that’s notable for the quality of its constellation illustrations. Stellarium: Best stargazing app for realistic night skies Download SkyView: Android (opens in new tab), iOs (opens in new tab).Read our full SkySafari 6 Pro review (opens in new tab).As an educational tool, SkySafari 6 Pro can be hard to beat, and there are a lot more features that we go into in our review. We also love the fact that it backs up your settings and provides telescopic images and object information. A great feature is ‘Tonight’s Best’ - a guided tour of the finest sights on show that changes as the year goes on. Get it installed on your phone and tablet and point it at the night sky, however, and the investment you’ve made makes itself plain: the app can identify constellations, or you can connect it to your telescope and have it guide you around the stars. It’s $39.99 with IAPs on top, so you have to really want it. That comes at a price, however, and this is an expensive app. To help you choose the right star map app for your needs, we’ve assembled a collection of the best stargazing apps currently available.Ī comprehensive app from the more expensive end of the market, Skysafari 6 Pro is festooned with information about the night sky - you’re almost guaranteed to learn something from it, even if you’re a veteran stargazer steeped in astronomical lore. Star-charting apps share some things in common – to locate heavenly bodies you simply point your phone at a patch of sky and the app will display the name and information about the object you’re pointing towards – but they vary in complexity, features, presentation and price. Or perhaps you're planning some astrophotography and have your map sorted but want to know which kit to take, in which case take a look at the best cameras for astrophotography and best lenses for astrophotography. For dedicated astronomers out in the field, however, the best stargazing apps make for an invaluable tool when paired with the best telescopes (opens in new tab) or best binoculars (opens in new tab). You can map and plan from the comfort of your own home or car because the apps use your smartphone's GPS to locate the constellations and deep space objects from wherever you are. 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 while enhancing your interest in astronomy and astrophotography.

Stellarium astronomy ios apps