The 8 Best Stargazing Apps of 2022
The 8 Best Stargazing Apps of 2022
Nothing beats a quiet night gazing at the stars. Well, nothing except knowing which stars you're seeing. That's where a stargazing app is useful. These apps can map out exactly which stars and planets you're seeing, but they're not all created equal. These are the best.
1. Best for AR Views of the Night Sky: SkyView Lite
SkyView Lite is a simple to use app that lets you point your camera at the sky and see which constellations and planets are there (whether you can see them or not). A neat thing you can do is point down to see what stars are showing on the other side of the world (you might even find a satellite here and there).
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You'll also find a center circle that you can place over a star or planet to learn its name and see its trajectory. You can also snap and share pictures from right within the app. though it's basic, this one will help you quickly identify what you're seeing in the sky tonight or from years in the past.
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2. Best for a Labeled View of What You're Looking at: Star Tracker Lite
This app delivers a visual display of the sky. All you have to do is point your device in whatever direction you want to know about in the sky. Since StarTracker Lite doesn't use your camera, you can point it in any direction or at any object for a clear view of what the sky in that direction contains.
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You can also view a list of sunrise and sunset or moonrise and moonset times and get related notifications. Plus, you can easily change your location to anywhere in the world to get a view of how the sky might look in another country.
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3. Best for Choosing How You Want to View: Star Walk 2
There's more to the sky than stars, and Star Walk 2 Free will help you find it. You can use an AR camera to view the sky without the camera and flip through what's Visible Tonight to see the planets that are in the sky. Change your location or the date and time (down to hours and minutes) to get a clear view of the sky at any time in history.
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The only frustration you might encounter is that the AR camera doesn't always show full images, and the occasional ads can be somewhat intrusive. Fortunately, they aren't completely overwhelming.
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4. Best for Detailed Info About the Sky: Night Sky
Night Sky is not a free app, but you get many additional features for the nominal monthly fee, like the ability to drill down onto a celestial body and learn more about it. You can also use the app on your iPhone, Apple Watch, and macOS. View the sky with or without the AR overlay.
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The AR overlay is a little touchy, and you need to hold your device still to get a good view of what you're seeing, but otherwise works nicely. Some users may find less than helpful is the number of stars and other objects the app detects (down to satellites and rocket bodies).
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5. Best for the Budding Astrologist: Star Gazer+
If your interest is in learning about astrology and the things you'll see in the sky, Star Gazer+ will give you a good leg up. This app offers lots of detailed information in addition to what you'd expect to find when you point a stargazing app at the sky. You can even turn on or off the location of satellites in the sky.
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6. Best for the Astronomy Nerd: SkySafari
If you love the details, then SkySafari is worth the money you'll pay for it. At less than $5, this app gives you tons of information about what you'll see in the sky, including the ability to drill down into articles by clicking on a celestial body.
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The only frustrations we encountered were that there's no augmented reality option to work with your camera, and on iOS, you can't try the app before you buy it (even so, it's worth what you pay for it).
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7. Best for Knowing What's Above on a Given Night: Sky Live: Heavens Above Viewer
Sky Live is a simple app that tells you what you can expect to see in the night sky on a given date. The app opens to the Today view, which provides you with a percentage of visibility for whatever is in range to look at, and you can swipe left to see days in the future, but there is no camera function at all. Pointing your device at the sky won't even give you a simulated view of what you see, so you can follow along and learn identification skills.
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8. Best for Learning About Astral Bodies: Astronomy Now Magazine
While this isn't technically a stargazing app, anyone who wants to learn more about the stars and other celestial bodies should consider it. The Astronomy Now Magazine is UK-based but contains loads of information for anyone curious. And the app is a pleasure to look at on both iOS and Android devices.
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So, you can't track stars with this app, but if stargazing is your interest, you can learn a whole lot about what you're seeing.
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5 Best Spy Camera Apps for 2022
Spying on others using your phone may sound sneaky and nefarious, but there are legitimate (and non-creepy) reasons you may want to do so, such as ensuring the safety of your kids or pets, keeping an eye on service providers, or nabbing burglars. Once these spy camera apps are installed on your phone, they can capture photos or videos, without giving themselves away with sound or visual cues.
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1. Alfred Security Camera
This app requires two devices, which is easy if you have an old mobile phone or tablet lying around. Install the app on both, and the old one becomes the “camera” that surveys the area you want to monitor. The other, your regular phone, is the “viewer” through which you can see what’s being picked up by the camera. Passively view what’s happening in the camera area, or record parts of the action. Use the walkie-talkie feature to talk between the two devices or scare away intruders. Alfred is free to download and has in-app purchases.
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2. Silent Secret Camera HD
Designed for stealth photo ops, this Android app helps you take silent photos of your sleeping baby, a hushed library, outdoor wildlife, or in any other quiet environment. The silent operation, in conjunction with secret screen settings, is also helpful for taking spontaneous photos without friends or family knowing you’re doing it. Silent Secret Camera HD is free with in-app purchases.
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3. Background Video Recorder
One of the best video recording apps for Android, Background Video Recorder (BVR) records video with an option to disable camera sounds so others around you won’t know you’re recording. You can also schedule a recording for a future time. The app has additional features that allow you to use your front or back camera, trim videos after you record them, store videos, and set the maximum video recording time. BVR is free with in-app purchases.
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4. SP Camera
Use this app to capture photo and video images on the sly. It uses fake on-screen images (such as a web browser or a clock) to hide the fact that you’re using it. Leave the camera set up in a particular location (such as a room in your home), and it will record when any motion happens there. Or, set it up to automatically capture photos every few seconds. Your photos and videos remain secure in a password-protected folder. SP Camera costs $9.99.
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5. Presence
This home security solution enables you to use an old device as your in-house camera along with your current one to monitor it. Set it up to monitor activities in your home and get motion alerts in real-time. Unlike some of the others on this list, Presence is compatible with wireless sensors that can detect window and door entry, water leaks, temperature, and more, for an even more advanced security system. You can even set up the app to control other electronic devices in your home. Presence is free for the basic version, or upgrade to Pro for additional features.