Track the stars with the best astronomy apps for iPhone and Android
Starry-eyed humans have admired the cosmos for centuries. Astronomers of the past would have burned in envy of modern-day stargazers. The best astronomy apps of 2022 let you understand the stars better than your ancestors could.
Take Stellarium Web, for example. Instead of heading to the local planetarium, you can use this free app to learn about the stars and planets from home. Tap or click here to see which constellations and planets are out tonight.
In addition to this great resource, there are a ton of star finder apps that demystify the majestic night sky. You can check out a few apps we’ve rounded up to explore the cosmos. It’s the next best thing to riding a spaceship!
Here are the best stargazing apps for iPhones and Androids
If you have sky-high goals of becoming an astronomer, whip out your smartphone and check your app store. Some of the best astronomy apps use augmented reality to create dazzling virtual star maps. There’s just one problem: A ton of them are incredibly costly.
When researching the best stargazing apps of 2022, you might come across the highly-acclaimed SkySafari 7 Pro.
You can connect the app to a telescope, see what’s visible in your sky tonight and even record your observations. SkySafari 7 Pro even notifies you of celestial events, like eclipses, meteor showers and more. These fancy features come at an eye-watering price of $24.99.
RELATED: Use this site to find the best place to stargaze near you
If you’re an Android user, you can’t use the most recent version since developers haven’t created a non-iOS SkySafari 7 Pro. You’ll have to settle for the less current version, SkySafari 6 Pro, which costs $19.99.
Some call it the number one astronomy app for iPhone and Android. But other apps can turn you from a curious observer into an expert stargazer. Better yet, they don’t cost you an arm and a leg.
How to see which constellations and planets are out tonight
Depending on where you live, the night sky might not be clear to view. Tap or click here to see what NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope photographed on your birthday. Even if you have a clear view of the stars and planets, it’s hard to know what is what without an astronomy background.
Spectacular 'Christmas Star' will appear for the first time in 800 years
If you had to describe 2020, you probably wouldn’t say that it was the year the planets aligned. That phrase is reserved for use in good times, and the past year hasn’t been a lucky one for most.
But while things haven’t exactly fallen into place for 2020 thanks to the pandemic, we will be closing the year off with a spectacular space show in which everything lines up just right. Later this month, two planets in our solar system will align, creating a double planet for the first time in 800 years.
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