Tech To Help With Stargazing

The night sky is a whole new world to discover. Stargazing used to be reserved for those who had professional telescopes, but now even amateurs can access high-tech apps that help them spot and recognise stars, wherever they are.

 

What Is Stargazing?

 

Stargazing is the hobby of observing stars, planets and other astronomical elements in the sky. For thousands of years, humans have looked to the skies to answer some of the universe’s greatest questions.

Whilst stargazing can be done with the naked eye, typically stargazers use telescopes or binoculars to be able to observe objects more clearly.

In years gone by, scientists who were stargazers were some of the pioneers of modern physics, understanding our solar system and the way it works.

 

What Are The Benefits Of Stargazing?

 

Aside from being beautiful to look at, stargazing can be a great tool for mental health. By taking time to simply look up and marvel at the sky, individuals can foster a deeper sense of peace and connectivity with the universe.

For those in creative industries, stargazing can also help find inspiration. Almost meditative, stargazing can help individuals feel more at peace with nature, leading to better mindfulness.

 

The Rise Of Stargazing Apps

 

As technology becomes more advanced, we now have more than ever at our fingertips to help with hobbies like stargazing.

From a detailed map of the stars and celestial bodies, to information about the stars you’re seeing, a star-spotting app can help you reveal the secrets of the skies.

Need some inspiration for your next stargazing evening? Look no further…

 

Star Tracker

 

 

With 99 constellations and over 8,000 deep-sky objects, as well as the sun, moon and planets – all in real time – the Star Tracker app acts as a mobile planetarium.

This app allows you to hold your phone up to the sky and get to know the stars, constellations and deep-sky objects you can currently see. Not only that, but for astrology-lovers it also has a graphics feature for the 12 zodiac signs.

 

SkySafari

 

 

For those who take their astronomy seriously, SkySafari 7 Pro is the tool for you.

With the largest database of any astronomy app, it features every solar system object ever discovered. The app also lets you plan stargazing trips and share your findings with friends.

 

Night Sky

 

 

This stargazing app works indoors, allowing you to track stars right from the comfort of your living room! It can even sync all of your apple devices so that you can bring your star tracking adventures to a bigger screen.

With over 1.7 billion stars streamed from the cloud, and a super deep zoom more than 10x than before, Night Sky allows you to go beyond with your stargazing.

 

Skyview

 

 

This is an easy-to-use stargazing app that lets you point your device at the sky to see stars, constellations, galaxies, planets and even the International Space Station.

With the Sky Path feature, you can track space objects, analysing their exact location at any time and date.

 

 

Star Walk

 

 

Star Walk 2 relies on GPS and phone sensors to show you a map of the night sky in real time.

From keeping you up to date with astronomical events to viewing the sky at different dates and times with the astronomy calendar, this app is perfect for those looking to discover the night sky in real time.

 

Cosmic Watch

 

 

This app is for lovers of the night sky, going beyond the stars to explore how the sun, moon and planets move over time. It allows you to become part of the Solar system, tracking your position relative to celestial bodies from your very own phone.

This Swiss-based startup also provides the world’s first 3D interactive astronomical clock.

 

Stellarium

 

 

For anyone who wants to learn more about the night sky, Stellarium Mobile Plus has the perfect database.

Not only that, it boasts some of the most realistic depictions of the stars along with beautiful visuals, making it easy and clear for users.

 

PhotoPills

 

 

With PhotoPills, users can immortalise the beauty of the night sky, capturing the sun, moon and milky way in an amazing photo.

This app helps you determine the exact time and location to photograph from to help you get the perfect snap of the sky.

 

Google Sky

 

 

Not technically an app, this website offers a telescopic view to anyone that uses it.

With a huge amount of free information available, you can explore space through the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, the Digitised Sky Survey and the Hubble Space Telescope. Its features let you play around to learn more about the constellations, galaxies and solar system, as well as exploring x-ray, UV and infrared views of the universe.