Best Stargazing apps (For Apple Iphone & Android) for 2023
Have you ever looked up at the sky and wondered how on earth do people know what is going on up there!? Which star is what? I do it all the time. Thankfully, technology has granted us the ability to explore the vast depths of the universe right from the palm of our hands.
Whether you own an Apple iPhone or an Android device there are hundreds of different star gazing apps available that bring the marvels of the night sky closer than ever before. Some are fantastic! From identifying constellations to tracking satellites (like starlink). Not only do they offer a perfect combination of education and entertainment, but you may also pick up some really helpful navigation and seasonal knowledge.
If you really can't be bothered to download, delete, download, delete your apps to find the one that suits you best, then you can take a little look at our top best star gazing apps for both Apple iphone and android. Some have paywall, others are free with ads: whatever you need, there should be an app that is perfect for what you need.
Stellarium Mobile (Apple Iphone & Android)
Stellarium Labs is a company that produces several apps, but their stargazing app is one of the best you can find on both Google and Apple play/app stores.
It seems that you may pay for the app, but we downloaded it for free in the UK with in-app purchases on the IOS app store.
The app itself is really beautiful and uses a state-of-the-art astronomical engine which uses a huge database of online images to produce an incredibly accurate night sky simulation. You can see all the constellations, planets and a database of facts.
The Stellarium Mobile (Plus) app is award-winning and has a great score on the app store of 4.8 stars with 3.1k reviews. You can even get it on your browser. For more info, check out the app right here: https://stellarium-labs.com/
Heavens Above (Android)
Heavens above is a little less about constellations and more about our impact on the night sky. The app is designed to track satellites and human-made objects in orbit (like the international space station).
The app uses your GPS location to accurately predict when, and where, the space station will be in the sky you're looking at, and can predict everything from radio satalites to communications devices and even starlink.
The app is super simple and doesn't take up a lot of space on your device.
It seems as though this stargazing app is only on Android (at the time of writing) but is completely free, with in-app purchases. You can download it via the google store. Check out their website for more information about the app itself: https://heavens-above.com/
Cosmic-Watch
If you think your Apple watch is fancy, then it has absolutely nothing on Cosmic-Watch. It is a beautiful 3D astronomical clock that shows what the time is around the planet and the position of the sun.
The app uses your GPS location to predict the time, when the constellations will be and other objects orbit the Earth. While it doesn't have the slick real-world view of the constellations like some of the other star gazing apps there are so many options on this app that you could be lost for hours.
Whether you want to explore the earth, our solar system or galaxy, this app is certainly one of the very best.
The app is currently £5.99 on the Apple app store but is also available on the google app store too. It is well worth the money you'll be spending so check out all the features by visiting their website: https://cosmic-watch.com/
Sky Safari (Iphone & Android
SkySafari is one of the best reviewed stargazing apps on both the apple and google app stores. While the app costs £4.99 (with in-app purchases), it does pretty much the same as most of the free versions you'll find.
What makes the plus version worth it is they show 2.5 million stars and 32,000 deep-sky objects that aren't usually shown on other apps. The Pro version of th app contains 100 million starss, a huge three million galaxies, and it records over 750,000 other objects in our solar system.
They also both work well with Wi-Fi-controlled telescopes. An added bonus.
Other than having a load of functionality, the app is somewhat like a social media platform, and there are rooms where you can share your experiences and also watch other users in real-time. Pretty cool right?
You can learn more about SkySafari via their website: https://skysafariastronomy.com/
Sky Guide (Iphone & Android
The Sky Guide app is one of the most beautiful, if not the best, Stargazing app for casual stargazing. It is produced by Fifth Star Labs LLC which is the producer of several other pretty interesting apps.
What makes this app great is how simple it is, and the fact that it perfectly encapsulates the night's sky easliy, with a slick user experience and without too many options. Some of these apps are great, but overwhelming if you only wish to see the stars.
The app contains a cosmic calendar and even weather forecasts, with updates from Dr Jenifer Millard who is a science communicator. There are ways to upgrade the app with in-app purchases.
Sky Guide is a great choice for a stargazing app if you're after something really easy to use and super beautiful. It is free on both the Google and Apple App stores.
You can learn more about Sky Guide via their website: https://www.fifthstarlabs.com/
Well, hopefully, you have enjoyed our post about the best stargazing apps on iPhone and android. If you are a keen sky-scanner and want to share your experiences with the apps, or want to suggest the one you're using for us to try, then add your comment in the comments section. If you want to read something similar, we have a guide about the best places to see the Milky Way in the UK.