Mini meme: Stargazing apps
Twin the magic of technology with the majesty of the heavens to discover distant galaxies
The past few years have seen some pretty amazing progress in our attempts to study the universe.
Late last year we landed a spacecraft on a freaking comet, and now, as we type these very words, NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft is zooming past Pluto, capturing incredibly clear photos of the tiny ex-planet.
While you (probably) won’t get a chance to blast off into space yourself, there are plenty of apps available to help you fuel your passion from the comfort and safety of your armchair.
Enjoy:
1. Star Walk series
Star Walk combines a beautiful, browsable representation of the heavens with an augmented reality view that overlays digital information on to the night sky. Jam-packed with facts, the original app exists for Windows Phone and Android, and a more ethereal sequel’s out for iOS, along with a version for kids.
Platforms: iOS, Android, Windows Phone
Price: From £1.89
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✭
Download Star Walk Kids for iOS
2. Mobile Observatory
This Android app isn’t especially pretty, but it’s certainly heavenly for stats wonks and astronomy geeks. Boasting similar (if less pleasing) sky views to Star Walk, it also includes exhaustive lists of objects and upcoming celestial events, a top-down solar system view, a handy ‘tonight’s best’ section, and sunrise/sunset listings.
Platforms: Android
Price: £3.56
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
3. Solar Walk
Solar Walk is a fully interactive 3D solar system model. Beautifully tactile, the app enables you to use pinch and drag gestures to effortlessly zoom and spin celestial bodies. There’s a fun 3D mode, and each planet has a detailed info page with photos, statistics and a glimpse at its internal structure.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: From £1.82 (plus IAP)
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
4. Pocket Universe
It’s less elegant than Star Walk, but Pocket Universe’s features make it a worthwhile download for iOS-based stargazers. There are lists of nightly and monthly highlights, intriguing virtual Mars- and Moon-walks, and a star map voiceover, for if you’ve attached your device to a telescope and need to know what you’re looking at.
Platforms: iOS
Price: £2.29
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
5. Exoplanet
If you stare into space and dream of other planets rather than stars, Exoplanet is a must. Its database lists known exoplanets, and correlation diagrams can be created based on user-selected criteria. The best bit, though, is the Milky Way map, which enables you to explore where these planets are in relation to Earth.
Platforms: iOS
Price: Free (plus IAP)
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✭✩
6. NASA
No round-up of apps for stargazers would be complete without NASA’s own. The interface is pretty clunky, but that’s forgotten when you’re delving into the wealth of information on NASA missions, or browsing the huge collection of beautiful images and engaging videos that help you learn more about the universe we live in.
Platforms: iOS, Android
Price: Free
Stuff says: ✭✭✭✩✩
Craig Grannell
Contributor 
