Have you ever stared at the night sky from your stargazing tent, wondering what those celestial objects are? Utilizing astronomy apps brings you closer than ever to constellations with their virtual star maps. So what are you waiting for, a star sign? Get yourself one of these 6 astronomy apps today.

Utilizing Astronomy Apps to Enhance Stargazing

If you love stargazing, get yourself an astronomy app and a stargazing calendar. Learning about the night sky and identifying constellations and planets is an amazing experience and an enjoyable camping activity for everyone.

Luckily, there are lots of astronomy apps available, using both advanced augmented reality (AR) and virtual representations to direct you where to look and what precisely you’re gazing up at. Also, because you have to seek out dark skies and rural areas (with limited WiFi), astronomy apps have the advantage of working without internet connections.

Another thing to keep in mind? Utilizing astronomy apps can drain your phone rather quickly, especially the ones with highly detailed graphics and real-time simulations. So be sure to pack an extra charger just in case.

6 Astronomy Apps for Beginner and Advanced Astrologers

#1 Stellarium Mobile

The free Stellarium offers an open-source planetarium and star map for your desktop. However, for those in the field, it also provides the Stellarium Mobile astronomy app. In it, you’ll find a very comprehensive library of all known stars (thanks to the Gaia DR2 catalog of over 1.4 Billion stars), including planets, comets, satellites, and asteroids – more than any other astronomy app! It even catalogs deep sky objects, totaling over 3 million nebulae and galaxies.

Beginner astronomers enjoy the astronomy app because it offers a simple user-friendly interface, allowing you to tilt toward the direction in the sky you wish to explore. Stellarium’s red-screen night mode preserves your night vision while navigating the stars.

Stellarium Mobile’s Plus version grants you 3D views, a telescope control module, and a stargazing calendar to plan your camping trip for upcoming events.

Price: Free (Stellarium Plus version $19.99)

Available On:

• Android / GooglePlay
• Apple / iOS

#2 SkySafari Plus

SkySafari Plus has been hailed as the “#1 recommended app for amateur astronomers since 2009.” SkySafari does cost, but offers some smart features astronomers will appreciate. Features such as Sky Tonight, allowing you to plan your stargazing night knowing exactly what to look for. SkySafari Plus also offers SkyCast, which lets you create a shareable link to guide your friends and crew, making your experience a shareable one.

While great for amateur astronomers, SkySafari takes time to learn how to use its wide range of features properly. With all these advanced features, utilizing this astronomy app does require specific hardware and accessories, and can drain your battery life, especially when using the WiFi or Bluetooth telescope control. Also, SkySafari has an advanced version, the SkySafari Pro, which has even more additional features.

Price: $19.99

Available On:

• Android / GooglePlay
• Apple / iOS

#3 Star Walk

Another astrology app that is perfect for beginners is Star Walk. You may not have the extensive database that Stellarium or SkySafari offers, but if you want an affordable and portable constellation guide for those occasional stargazing moments, Star Walk is ideal. All you have to do is hold the phone up to see what you’re gazing at.

Star Walk is a nice option for astrophotographers taking photographs of the night sky, as it helps to plan the camera angle and direct the shot. The AR function overlays the constellations, planets, and satellites, showing you what is what. However, the lack of telescope control is a drawback.

Price: $.99 - $2.99 (depending on versions and ads)

Available On:

• Android / GooglePlay
• Apple / iOS

 Shalaka Gamage on Unsplash

#4 Mobile Observatory

Made by Wolfgang Zima, Mobile Observatory is a pretty robust astronomy app with a steep learning curve. In short: it’s made for more advanced stargazers. Customizable observing tools, detailed ephemeris data, and its AR feature give this astronomy app an upgrade, allowing you to overlay star maps against the sky to seek out celestial objects you might never otherwise see. Extra features like event notifications ensure you never miss a significant stargazing event. Plus, there’s educational content to teach you about what you see.

Mobile Observatory doesn’t come for free, and there are in-app purchases, but the initial cost is roughly the cost of coffee.

Price: $4.99

Available On:

• Android / GooglePlay

#5 Scope Nights Astronomy Weather

Utilizing astronomy apps will help you locate beautiful and awe-inspiring constellations. But it all becomes moot when you encounter obstructions like clouds and light pollution. To tackle that, we recommend downloading more than a weather app to plan your stargazing sessions. Instead, choose something like Scope Nights, which will guide you toward clear skies.

Get weekly weather forecasts, including temperature, cloudiness, sunset and sunrise times, and moon phases. This astronomy weather app also provides coordinates and names of Dark Sky Locations where you can see stars better with minimal light pollution, along with the light pollution levels to help steer you to find your own dark skies.

All in all, a pretty useful astronomy app to add to your stargazing arsenal. You never know when it’ll come in handy.

Price: $4.99

Available On:

• Apple / iOS

#6 Nightshift Stargazing

Scope Nights is only available on Apple and iOS, but if you’re an Android user, don’t panic! We have you covered. Nightshift Stargazing offers many of the same features to pinpoint stellar stargazing conditions worldwide. Pull up this astronomy app whenever weather is in question, inspecting cloud coverage and a twilight diagram. You can even receive notifications to alert your favorite constellations and dark skies have optimal viewing conditions.

Price: Free

Available On:

• Android / GooglePlay

Utilizing Multiple Astronomy Apps

 

 Paul on Unsplash

Many astronomers use multiple astronomy apps to learn and explore about the cosmos. You might find you prefer one feature of an astronomy app over another. And that’s okay! Each astronomy app has its advantages and, when tinkering around with each, you may learn your preferences in time.

For example, some folks suggest Stellarium for most stargazing tasks but lean into another astronomy app like SkyView to track orbit paths.

If you’re a novice astrologer or just looking for a fun outdoor activity for the kiddos, download a free astronomy app to start. Then, when you’re thirsty for more cosmic knowledge, upgrade to a Plus version or paid app that offers more features.