Stargazing Apps

With a new moon expected in the next week, it will be one of the best times of the summer to get out and do some stargazing.

Many people have found using an app while watching the skies can make it an even better experience, as PC Mike Wendland reports.

Sky Guide shows a detailed picture of the heavenly bodies above, as well as what’s over the horizon and on the other side of the world. The app points out constellations and their exact locations, so you can look up at the real sky and find everything. If you want to know more about a constellation, or even individual stars, tap it and hit the info button for a detailed description and history. The app is $2.99 and available for iOS.

SkyView lets you simply point your smartphone or tablet at the sky to identify stars, constellations, planets, satellites, and more. You can get alerts for upcoming celestial events. Best of all, the app works without a WiFi or data connection, which means you can take it camping, boating, and more. The app is $1.99 for iOS, Android and Amazon devices.

Star Walk 2 delivers an effortless journey through thousands of stars, comets, and constellations by also pointing your smartphone at the sky. View more than 200,000 stars, planets, constellations, and satellites in the night sky, many presented in 3D views, too. The app is $2.99 for iOS, Android, and Windows Phone devices.