Astronomy Apps to identify stars and plantets
There are thousands and thousands of apps, but some of the most popular continue to be those that can be used for stargazing.
If you’re looking for an app that will help you learn — and continue social distancing — PC Mike Wendland has three great choices.
Sky Guide just keeps getting better and better – perhaps it’s why Sky Guide is no. 1 in the App Store’s Reference category. The app points out constellations and their exact locations, so you can look up at the real sky and find and identify everything. The app is $2.99 and available for iOS.
SkyView is another top choice, and is currently no. 1 in the App Store’s Education category. Point your smartphone or tablet at the sky to identify stars, constellations, planets, satellites, and more. You can get alerts for upcoming celestial events. One great feature of SkyView is that it 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 rounds out the list by delivering an effortless journey through thousands of stars, comets, and constellations and, yes, it’s also as simple as 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. The app is $2.99 for iOS and Android.
Mike Wendland
Mike is a veteran journalist whose video "PC Mike" reports have been distributed weekly to all 215 NBC-TV stations since 1994, making him one of the most experienced tech reporters in the country. His tech stories and videos have appeared on MSNBC, CNBC, the Today Show, The New York Times, USA Today and in numerous national newspapers and magazines. In addition to the PC Mike tech blog, he also publishes the Roadtreking.com RV Travel Blog in which he travels North America in an RV reporting about interesting people and places.
