IPad Astronomy
Since astronomy is almost exclusively a visual pursuit, it comes as no surprise that one can find a vast number of apps related to space science and enjoy what I call, IPad Astronomy. Having reached extreme popularity among astronomy enthusiasts and professionals, the iPad as opposed to the iPhone became the number one “go-to” device for scanning the skies.
Exploring celestial objects in the night sky is definitely an appealing and fun pastime. Therefore, if you are interested in stargazing and own an iPhone or iPad, then check out the best astronomy apps you could find below:
Luminos – Astronomy companion for iOS
By Wobbleworks LLC
Have the vastness and beauty of the universe delivered to you with excellent rendered views of the night sky. Instantly zoom in to HD quality views of our solar system’s planets and moons with only a couple of taps on the display. Simply open the app, hold it against the sky and it will effortlessly guide you to find whatever star or planet you are looking for.
Its strongest points, besides those mentioned so far, are its entertaining stories on the history, knowledge and mythology of planets, moons and stars. Also, thanks to its large deep space picture archive you have hours and hours of “places” to explore.
Redshift – Astronomy
By USM
This astronomy app brings the vastness of the night sky to your iPad in an SF fashion. It includes all major planets, dwarf planets, constellations and giant stars in top-notch quality.
What’s great about Redshift is that it goes beyond the basic planetarium through displaying a three dimensional model of our Galaxy. This means that you can perform exciting 3D flights in our Solar System: you can visit the Moon and planets. Thanks to the detailed surface maps, you can zoom in on areas of interest and explore them. A really cool feature of this app is the orbit function. Simply choose a celestial object and enter into an orbit around it.
Star Chart
By ESCAPE VELOCITY LIMITED
Having a virtual star chart in your pocket is always handy when you’re passionate about astronomy, especially during those hot and clear summer nights when the night sky is ablaze with stars. Thanks to Star Chart, you can now explore the universe via your iPhone or iPad’s camera: just point your device of choice at the sky and this high-tech app will tell you precisely what you are starting at.
By using state of the art GPS technology and a three dimensional model of the universe, Star Chart is able to calculate in real time the exact location of every star, planet and moon visible from your stand point!
All things considered, astronomy apps sure come in handy for exploring the universe and learning more about the skies above us. Whether you’re an astronomy enthusiast or professional, these apps will surely suit your needs. From planetarium programs to NASA worthy apps, these ipad astronomy apps for iPads (and iPhones) will surely please even the pickiest astronomy fan.