Stargazing apps?

I seem to remember a few years ago people were talking about using some stargazing apps for their phones where you just hold your phone up and it shows you what you are looking at.

I was envious!     Now that I have a smartphone (iphone) I've got one to play with.  

Anyone else use an app for this?  The one I got is called Sky Guide.  I have 2 on my Kindle Fire and I'm not crazy about them.  You have to manually input your GPS coordinates to try to get it accurate.  Plus its a little heavy to hold up to the sky for long.  

I downloaded it 2 nights ago and so far I've only gotten to play with it while looking out the back door of my house.  I'm seriously considering getting a recliner type lawn chair and dressing to keep the bugs off so I can go just lay back and stargaze with it.  The mosquitos have been crazy lately; biting my legs in the garden even when I'm well covered with bug spray.  I wear a long sleeve shirt to work in the garden so my arms are ok.  It's been hot during the day so the nights are comfortable.  My backyard thermometer says it's 76 and it's the middle of the night.  That's awesome for stargazing!  I'll have to be careful I don't fall asleep though. 

This is the one you are likely referring to.  It's the one I have and it shows you what you are looking at in the sky.

Google Sky Map

This is a free app that also offers the ability to point Android devices to the sky and map out constellations. In addition, users can search for planets, grids, deep sky objects, and also use the search functionality to find something specific in the atmosphere. It provides a simple interface and is a great tool for identifying anything in the sky. (Android)

Not sure if there is one for iPhone.

There is also this one. I haven't tried it.

Star3Map

Here’s another great Android app for stargazing that offers similar functionality as some of the more feature-rich iOS apps. It includes constellation/satellite/planet tracking, as well as search functionality and social sharing. There’s also an Earth View mode that lets you see our planet from space with cool day/night shading, as well as viewing bands to determine when satellites are visible from where you are.

My husband really likes Star Walk. He's used it (on his iPad) while giving public astronomy talks, it's very cool. 

Natalie_ca said:

 
This is the one you are likely referring to.  It's the one I have and it shows you what you are looking at in the sky.

Google Sky Map

This is a free app that also offers the ability to point Android devices to the sky and map out constellations. In addition, users can search for planets, grids, deep sky objects, and also use the search functionality to find something specific in the atmosphere. It provides a simple interface and is a great tool for identifying anything in the sky. (Android)

Not sure if there is one for iPhone.

There is also this one. I haven't tried it.

Star3Map

Here’s another great Android app for stargazing that offers similar functionality as some of the more feature-rich iOS apps. It includes constellation/satellite/planet tracking, as well as search functionality and social sharing. There’s also an Earth View mode that lets you see our planet from space with cool day/night shading, as well as viewing bands to determine when satellites are visible from where you are.

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I'll look and see if those are in the Kindle fire.  That is android based so it might have a version.

SwampWitch said:

 
My husband really likes Star Walk. He's used it (on his iPad) while giving public astronomy talks, it's very cool. 

Click to expand...

I'm going to look that up!!

By the way, you don't even need to point it at the sky, it shows the stars in the direction that you have the phone aimed, even indoors.

I love stargazing. As for apps, I know that with my iPhone or iPad I can just hold it up and align it with the north star, and go from there.

Also, just an FYI: Get an app that has a "night mode." You'll know it's night mode when the screen is all black, and the stars and text are in red. The reason for this is that it takes our eyes a half hour or more to adjust to total darkness. For reasons I don't totally understand, red light does not stimulate the "rods" in the eyes that are stimulated by other light sources. This is also why, if you join an astronomy group and go out stargazing, the only light sources are allowed are red light. You'll know you really reached a point where your eyes have totally adjusted when you can see feint stars emerge, and suddenly the entire night sky is blazing with stars.

I once wrote a story about a local astronomy group and had the rod/cone thing explained to me in some detail by an eye doctor who was a member of that group. Another member showed me another galaxy (!) through his telescope, and on the site they chose for stargazing -- which was in a remote state park -- you can actually see a ribbon of our own Milky Way with the naked eye. I grew up just outside NYC, and with the ambient light pollution both locally and in the city, I never really saw stars growing up, so this was amazing to me.

Here is how "night mode" looks on a tablet or smartphone. I believe this screenshot is from the app "Starwalker":

I was out on Saturday and oddly enough someone starting shower me his star gazing app! :lol3: He has StarGlobe and it looked kind of cool.

Starglobe; another to look up!  Years ago DH surprised me with a small telescope for my birthday. Nothing fancy but it does work!  I haven't had time to take it out in years though.  I was so excited (but pregnant and exhausted ) when we moved from the city to the country 5 years ago.  Unfortunately there is still a big light on my neighbor's barn right behind my house.  It's partially blocked by a tall privet hedge row; but still! 

I used to get a magazine specifically for beginning stargazers; it was great!  I read it from cover to cover and kept every issue.  Then they decided to stop publishing it and transferred my subscription to their regular magazine.  It was over my head and interest level at the time so I never renewed.  Back then there were telescopes that came with gps computers that would direct you to things; but they were so out of my price range!  Technology has come a LOOONG way!

I did make sure the apps I've used have the night mode.  I need to find DH's headlamp with the red light.  I have a small lantern with one; but it blinks to act like an emergency beacon.