Not only astronomy enthusiasts, but also those who want to explore and observe the summer sky and those who go hunting for shooting stars, can use the smartphone as if it were a small interactive telescope, to know all that is above us. In this article we see the best free astronomy applications to watch the stars on an Android smartphone or an iPhone to discover the sky above us, the planets, the satellites and the space stations.
Many of these applications use augmented reality technology paired with the device's camera to show exactly where the stars are.
You can point the device's camera to the sky and find the position of stars and constellations in real time .
READ ALSO: Best astronomy sites to watch stars and planets in the sky
1) Google Earth for Android, starting from 2020, allows you to explore space and the stars and see them in 3D. To explore the stars using Google Earth, when it opens on the Earth in the center, it is possible to shrink the Earth as if to move away and see how the celestial bodies populate in space. Then by moving the Earth in any direction, you can see the stars, nebulae and galaxies.
2) Star Map is an app available on both Android and iPhone phones, which shows the position of the stars at all times, both past and future. Point the camera towards the sky to know, from the screen, what you are looking at. You can view the night sky of the Solar System from different points on Earth, consult detailed catalogs of over 5, 000 celestial bodies between stars, planets and other Solar System.
3) Star Tracker, for Android and iPhone is a free astronomy app that automatically accesses your current position via GPS and shows the starry sky on the screen. You can hold your phone under the sky to observe stars, constellations and other objects in the sky, the 12 zodiac signs with artistic images are highlighted, you can enable the 3D mode of the star map.
4) Night Sky is the application for fans who want to look at the sky and the stars, to find excellent positions from which to observe the stars all over the world. The app also allows you to check the days with the best weather conditions to watch the stars in the sky. to come so you know if it's a night's worth to stand up for stargazing. This excellent application allows you to look at the stars in dynamic mode, traveling around the Earth and taking advantage of augmented reality so that you can also watch the starry sky from home, pointing your smartphone towards the ceiling, in 3D.
Night Sky can only be installed on the iPhone .
5) Star Walk is the best app for Android and iPhone, not free, for Android, to explore the sky by pointing the smartphone upwards. This is by far the best augmented reality app for looking at space and stars and getting information in an easy and fun way. With the app open, you can then point your smartphone camera towards the sky and see the names and information of all the stars and other celestial bodies.
This app came out with a new version of the star map, Star Walk 2 for Android and for iPhone, for free.
6) Solar Walk for Android and iPhone is similar to Star Walk, free, and focused on the planets, to know all about the Solar System visible in 3D.
7) SkyView Free is a beautiful iPhone- only application that uses the rear camera to give information on everything you see in the sky, with all the names of the stars.
It is also possible to search and locate specific stars or space stations and any information found can be shared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Once again, augmented reality draws the constellations on the screen by framing the sky with the camera.
8) ISS Detector ( Android only) is the app to see the International Space Station (ISS) and monitor the space station and know when it is possible to look at it with the naked eye.
You can also control amateur radio satellites, the Hubble space telescope or the Chinese Tiangong Space Station.
9) Sky Map is the app derived from Google Sky Map, a great application for Android that uses GPS to accurately identify each celestial object by pointing the phone towards a direction. Unfortunately, although still installable, it is no longer updated by Google.
10) Skeye Astronomy is a real virtual telescope, a planetarium to see the sky, stars and planets only on Android phones and tablets. Special features include a time machine, automatic location detection, constellation search, solar systems and stars based on location.
11) Star & Planet Finder is a really fun iPhone app that lets you know what you are looking at with the naked eye in the sky and the exact position of stars and planets. Frame the sky and start the application by pointing the camera in one direction to find out what's there.
12) Satellite AR ( Android only) is the app to observe and monitor satellites launched into space and their position in orbit around the Earth.
13) SkyWiki for Android, is another really valid option as an astronomy app released in 2019, with Periscope, Sky Map, Compass, Calendar, Images and News.
14) SkySafari for Android, is one of the best astronomy apps to turn your phone into a telescope, with a map of the stars that appears on the screen by framing the sky with the camera.
15) Sky Map, for Android, allows you to point the camera towards the sky and see the names of the stars, constellations, planets and much more on the screen.
16) Starlight for Android is an astronomy app for Android to see the stars, find the zodiac signs and constellations. You can use your fingers to move the sky or do it automatically.
17) Stellarium Mobile Sky Map (Android and for iPhone) is a good astronomy app, although not free, which has received many reviews and popularity.
18) Sky Guide is a professional-only iPhone app, recommended for astronomy enthusiasts, for a fee. With a very accurate interface and numerous features, this application allows you to read information and articles on astronomy, search for celestial bodies by name, know what the stars and constellations are called.
19) SkyView for Android and iPhone simple and perfect application to observe the stars, which uses your camera to accurately locate and identify celestial objects such as constellations, planets and galaxies far away in the sky, both day and night.
20) NASA App is the American space agency app for Android and iPhone.
This application allows you to know the details of the latest NASA missions at any time with images (updated daily), news, tweets and even live video streaming from NASA TV.
21) GoSkyWatch Planetarium is an iPad- only app that uses the large screen of the Apple tablet to see the starry sky and the inner universe to know anything about stars and planets that can be seen with the naked eye.
READ ALSO: Online telescope to explore space, stars and sky in 3D
Many of these applications use augmented reality technology paired with the device's camera to show exactly where the stars are.
You can point the device's camera to the sky and find the position of stars and constellations in real time .
READ ALSO: Best astronomy sites to watch stars and planets in the sky
1) Google Earth for Android, starting from 2020, allows you to explore space and the stars and see them in 3D. To explore the stars using Google Earth, when it opens on the Earth in the center, it is possible to shrink the Earth as if to move away and see how the celestial bodies populate in space. Then by moving the Earth in any direction, you can see the stars, nebulae and galaxies.
2) Star Map is an app available on both Android and iPhone phones, which shows the position of the stars at all times, both past and future. Point the camera towards the sky to know, from the screen, what you are looking at. You can view the night sky of the Solar System from different points on Earth, consult detailed catalogs of over 5, 000 celestial bodies between stars, planets and other Solar System.
3) Star Tracker, for Android and iPhone is a free astronomy app that automatically accesses your current position via GPS and shows the starry sky on the screen. You can hold your phone under the sky to observe stars, constellations and other objects in the sky, the 12 zodiac signs with artistic images are highlighted, you can enable the 3D mode of the star map.
4) Night Sky is the application for fans who want to look at the sky and the stars, to find excellent positions from which to observe the stars all over the world. The app also allows you to check the days with the best weather conditions to watch the stars in the sky. to come so you know if it's a night's worth to stand up for stargazing. This excellent application allows you to look at the stars in dynamic mode, traveling around the Earth and taking advantage of augmented reality so that you can also watch the starry sky from home, pointing your smartphone towards the ceiling, in 3D.
Night Sky can only be installed on the iPhone .
5) Star Walk is the best app for Android and iPhone, not free, for Android, to explore the sky by pointing the smartphone upwards. This is by far the best augmented reality app for looking at space and stars and getting information in an easy and fun way. With the app open, you can then point your smartphone camera towards the sky and see the names and information of all the stars and other celestial bodies.
This app came out with a new version of the star map, Star Walk 2 for Android and for iPhone, for free.
6) Solar Walk for Android and iPhone is similar to Star Walk, free, and focused on the planets, to know all about the Solar System visible in 3D.
7) SkyView Free is a beautiful iPhone- only application that uses the rear camera to give information on everything you see in the sky, with all the names of the stars.
It is also possible to search and locate specific stars or space stations and any information found can be shared on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Once again, augmented reality draws the constellations on the screen by framing the sky with the camera.
8) ISS Detector ( Android only) is the app to see the International Space Station (ISS) and monitor the space station and know when it is possible to look at it with the naked eye.
You can also control amateur radio satellites, the Hubble space telescope or the Chinese Tiangong Space Station.
9) Sky Map is the app derived from Google Sky Map, a great application for Android that uses GPS to accurately identify each celestial object by pointing the phone towards a direction. Unfortunately, although still installable, it is no longer updated by Google.
10) Skeye Astronomy is a real virtual telescope, a planetarium to see the sky, stars and planets only on Android phones and tablets. Special features include a time machine, automatic location detection, constellation search, solar systems and stars based on location.
11) Star & Planet Finder is a really fun iPhone app that lets you know what you are looking at with the naked eye in the sky and the exact position of stars and planets. Frame the sky and start the application by pointing the camera in one direction to find out what's there.
12) Satellite AR ( Android only) is the app to observe and monitor satellites launched into space and their position in orbit around the Earth.
13) SkyWiki for Android, is another really valid option as an astronomy app released in 2019, with Periscope, Sky Map, Compass, Calendar, Images and News.
14) SkySafari for Android, is one of the best astronomy apps to turn your phone into a telescope, with a map of the stars that appears on the screen by framing the sky with the camera.
15) Sky Map, for Android, allows you to point the camera towards the sky and see the names of the stars, constellations, planets and much more on the screen.
16) Starlight for Android is an astronomy app for Android to see the stars, find the zodiac signs and constellations. You can use your fingers to move the sky or do it automatically.
17) Stellarium Mobile Sky Map (Android and for iPhone) is a good astronomy app, although not free, which has received many reviews and popularity.
18) Sky Guide is a professional-only iPhone app, recommended for astronomy enthusiasts, for a fee. With a very accurate interface and numerous features, this application allows you to read information and articles on astronomy, search for celestial bodies by name, know what the stars and constellations are called.
19) SkyView for Android and iPhone simple and perfect application to observe the stars, which uses your camera to accurately locate and identify celestial objects such as constellations, planets and galaxies far away in the sky, both day and night.
20) NASA App is the American space agency app for Android and iPhone.
This application allows you to know the details of the latest NASA missions at any time with images (updated daily), news, tweets and even live video streaming from NASA TV.
21) GoSkyWatch Planetarium is an iPad- only app that uses the large screen of the Apple tablet to see the starry sky and the inner universe to know anything about stars and planets that can be seen with the naked eye.
READ ALSO: Online telescope to explore space, stars and sky in 3D
