App of the Week – Sky Guide

Published on November 14, 2017

“Do you think that’s a star, or is it Venus?”

“I see the Big Dipper… Look! No, over there! Right next to that… big thingy.”

“Is that the North Star? Wait, aren’t we facing south?”

If any of those lines sound familiar to you, then you’re probably among the millions of amateur stargazers who love to look up at the heavens… But who could also really use a guide to understanding how the whole, beautiful tapestry works.

Well, believe it or not, the key to unlocking the sky is actually in your pocket, right now.

With the Sky Guide app, your smartphone automatically becomes a complete and detailed roadmap to the visible galaxy. Just point your phone upward, and Sky Guide will instantly orient you in time and space. The app’s detailed, intricately-rendered star maps are full of fascinating details on planets, constellations, and other celestial objects, and its variety of filters will allow you to get the best view possible, even if you’re in the middle of a city.

Even better, Sky Guide offers a bounty of other great features perfect for astronomers of all levels, including a celestial event calculator (letting you know, say, where and when you can expect to see a sunrise, a meteor shower, or an ISS flyover); robust search functionality; and cinematic time controls, allowing you to see what the sky will look like later in the evening, or even in the distant past.

What’s more, Sky Guide will work without Wi-Fi, cellular data, or a GPS signal – meaning that whether you’re cramming for that big astronomy test or camping out in the middle of the woods, you’ll always have the app’s awesome capabilities at your fingertips.

Ready to take a tour of the night sky? Your guide is waiting! You can download Sky Guide for iOS or Android devices for $2.99.

Have any other geeky, science-y apps you think our team would love to try? We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a line on Facebook or Twitter to keep the conversation going!