There are tons of apps out there that will educate you on the night sky, teach you about constellations, and enlighten you on the many planets that lay above, however these are not them. This collection of apps will however help you out by telling you when the best conditions for stargazing will be. These companion utility apps will not only tell you the weather conditions, but also give you a heads up on cool stuff to watch out for on a day-to-day basis.
Highest scored apps in the category
3D guide to the solar system for aspiring astronomers
Planets is not a top choice in this category because it leaves much to be desired. Although it has a wide variety of views such as 2D, 3D and Globe view, it is not initially clear how to use them. Other problems with the app range from lack of landscape mode to that fact that no information about space objects is available. Overall, it's not our top recommendation, but it is free and universal, so it might be a good place to start.
Apps with average score
As featured in Astronomy Now and Sky At Night Magazines!
Double Stars is an astronomy app for hunting down and resolving the beautiful double stars throughout the night sky. The app features a catalogue of hundreds of known double stars, and will identify for you which ones you will be able...
Which star belongs to you? Name a star now as the most original gift of the universe! Search, find and gaze at your star with this FREE app which is available in 20 languages!
With the OSR Star Finder App you have the universe in the palm of your hand. You...
Star Map Tracker is a stargazing augmented reality app with more than 3k stars and constellations.
This app will guide you through most known stars and show all necessary information (right ascension, declination, azimuth, elevation and etc.) You can use all of this data for pointing your telescope or point your...
Find out how well you’ll be able to see the stars tonight with Sky Live.
Sky Live provides the stargazing conditions for planning your observations. Check the weather forecast, light pollution, visible objects, and the moon light.
"Every amateur astronomer yearns for clear, dark skies, and this exhaustive app helps you find them."
- Sky At Night Magazine 2017
"Several astronomy-oriented weather apps are available, but Scope Nights has become my favorite… it does a fine job of summarizing the data in a clear and understandable fashion."
- Sky &...
Note: The only in-app purchases available are tips. All functionality is included.
Polar Scope Align will calculate the position of Polaris or σ Octantis in your Polar Scope reticle for your location (using your phone's GPS or entering a location), allowing a quick and accurate polar alignment. It is one of...
SkyWeek Plus is the new, enhanced version of SkyWeek — a day-by-day calendar of events to observe in the changing night sky. SkyWeek Plus takes the guesswork out of finding the best celestial sights. It’s a daily diary of the most interesting astronomical happenings. It comes with an interactive sky...
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Star Discovery - Simply Magical
Star Discovery is a magical new app that enables you to identify the stars, planets, galaxies, constellations and even satellites you can see above. Just stand anywhere and hold your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad up to...
SkyWeek is the new, interactive, mobile version of Sky & Telescope magazine’s super-popular “This Week’s Sky at a Glance” web page — a day-by-day calendar of events to observe in the changing night sky. “This Week’s Sky at a Glance” has been Sky & Telescope’s most popular online offering for...
