Hold up and point your mobile device up to the sky to find out which stars, constellations, and deep-sky objects are present via your phone’s built-in gyroscope, compass, and accelerometer - no internet connection required. If you want to know what’s going on in the sky directly above you, just call on Star Chart Infinite. Inspired to identify and understand what’s overhead? Here are some of the best cross-platform iOS and Android apps for star-gazing in 2021. Most apps are extremely easy to use and targeted to beginners and enthusiasts - just point your device’s camera toward the heavens and find the stars and constellations. Some use augmented reality (AR) through the device’s camera to show you exactly where stars are positioned. That’s because the best astronomy apps use the gyroscope and compass in your smartphone or tablet, along with date, time, and location services.īest of all, if you’re in the wilderness, far from a Wi-Fi or cell connection, you can still get the celestial information you need from astronomy apps. Mobile apps can present a vast amount of information about what’s happening overhead, regardless of time or place.
These days, backyard stargazers use smartphone and tablet apps instead of telescopes to discover a wealth of information on the location and identity of planets, stars, and galaxies.
