Oh My Stars: Stargazing Apps

Astronomy is the new astrology and it’s fascinating. Each day, the orbiting space telescopes like Hubble, Kepler and Spitzer are providing fascinating insights into the origins of the universe and answers to the mystery of life itself.

Knowing the difference between the “water signs” and “earth signs” is passé at best. The new cool when dealing with the stars and heavens is having a working understanding of the universe.

Start with a stargazing app that helps you point out the visible planets (Mars, Venus) and make conversation. Knowing where they can be found in the sky of the Southern Hemisphere isn’t easy. But since you’re traveling with a smartphone ….

One app is enough, and don’t be afraid to spend a few bucks. Starmap, available for Android and iOS, will allow you to point toward the sky using your location to comfortably speak to 500,000 stars, the location of more than 150 galaxies and clusters no matter where you are.

It provides a wealth of complimentary reading and gives you the “night’s best selection.” You’ll never miss a meteor shower or comet’s passing.

You can zoom in and out and point it to the sky to have instant information.