You probably have a powerful astronomy tool in your pocket - your smart phone. Invest in a phone or tablet app like SkySafari and you'll have a handheld planetarium to guide you through the night sky!
At the September 9 China Lake Astronomical Society meeting, I'll be giving a program on using a phone (or tablet) planetarium app that you can point at the sky to identify constellations and asterisms, find planets, and locate comets, galaxies, nebulas, and more to view in a telescope.
SkySafari app
For simplicity, I'll be demonstrating one popular app, SkySafari from Simulation Curriculum. It's easy to use and available for Apple iOS and Android, both phones and tablets. It's the app I use and the one I always recommend. (There are many competing apps out there, but SkySafari is a leader and I don't think you'll be disappointed. (It's also ad-free.)
One of the best features of these apps is that they make extensive use of the compass and gyros built into you device to display on the screen what you're pointing at in the sky! This is a very powerful and entertaining feature.
You can search the built-in databases to see pictures and learn more about what you're seeing overhead.
Get SkySafari 7 and bring it to our meeting
Instead of asking you to turn off your phones at the meeting, you can get the app and follow along. We'll demonstrate many of the features and settings of this powerful software.
One nice feature is that, after downloading the app, an internet or cell connection is not needed to use it.
SkySafari search options
The app has many lists to aid in your search for sky objects.
Tonight's Best objects to view
SkySafari can show you the best objects visible tonight.
Details on many objects
Look up detailed information on your selected object.
Which version should I get?
Note that there are three versions: basic, Plus, and Pro. (You can find a full comparison chart here.) Any of these will work for our program and star parties, but here are some things to consider:
SkySafari 7 (Basic) ($4.99, 820MB)
SkySafari 7 for iOS * SkySafari 7 Basic for Android
This version is probably all you'll need. It will show you all the constellations, the planets and their moons, and bright comets and asteroids. It has a database of 222 of the night sky's most popular objects, such as the Messier Catalog of 110 deep-sky objects, a favorite target list for amateur astronomers.
If you want to use the app for more serious telescope observations, the basic version lacks the NGC and IC catalogs that contain many of the targets you'll be viewing. In that case, I'd consider upgrading to Plus.
SkySafari 7 Plus ($14.99, 1.2GB)
SkySafari 7 Plus for iOS * SkySafari 7 Plus for Android
The Plus version of SkySafari adds some useful features for more serious astronomers:
- More deep-sky objects (32,537) including complete NGC and IC catalogs
- Wireless control of compatible telescopes
- Field-of-view indicators for your cameras and eyepieces.
(The Plus version has a database of over 2.5 million, but I doubt that ever makes a practical difference!)
In a lifetime of observing at the telescope, you'll probably never exceed the thousands of deep-sky objects in the NGC and IC database.
If you have a compatible GoTo telescope (Wi-Fi or wired), you can control it from your tablet or phone with SkySafari's planetarium display. And you can create handy field-of-view indicators for your eyepieces and cameras.
SkySafari 7 Pro ($24.99, 2.5GB)
SkySafari 7 Pro for iOS * SkySafari 7 Pro for Android
This is what I'd call the Overkill Edition. But if you'd like your database to include 29,042,794 stars (and have 2.5GB storage free on your device), go for it! It also includes 784,248 deep-sky objects, most of which you'll never be able to see in an amateur telescope!
I can't see any other useful features for most amateurs. For advanced observers, however, it does add:
- Astronomy League Supernova and Quasar Database
- High-resolution Moon map
- GCVS Variable Stars Database
- High Resolution Object Images
And you can add the optional GAIA database of over 109 million stars. Hmmm. Be sure to check your available storage.
Phone or tablet?
When I purchased SkySafari Pro several years ago from the Apple App Store, you could install a single purchase on both your phone and tablet. (Check the fine print if this is important to you.)
Most of the time, the phone version is what I'd recommend, unless your phone has a too-small screen. Although I have a tablet, I almost always use SkySafari on my iPhone 13 Pro (6-in. diagonal screen), because the phone is usually in my pocket. It's also easier to hold up than the tablet.
For Wi-Fi control of a telescope, I'd probably prefer the tablet, which has more screen real estate for the available tools.
In-app purchases
Like most apps, SkySafari offers various in-app purchases as tools to separate you from your money. I haven't found any of these useful.
Disclaimer
The author or CLAS have no affiliation with Simulation Curriculum. I recommend the app because it has worked well for me, and get nothing in return from the them (except bills when I upgrade to a new version).
From the point of view of star parties and instruction, it's eadier for me if everyone uses the same app! :-) But if you an app you prefer, by all means use it! (I might even be able to help you figure out how to use it.)