Good App For Stars At Night

How can I tell its a planet or star in the night sky?

Here you have some tips to tell the difference between a star and a planet on the sky with naked eye:First: if it’s even slight blueish or white-blue, is not a planet, is a star.Naked eye planets are whitish, yellowish and red-pale orange. (Venus, brilliant white-yellowish, Mars reddish-orange, Jupiter pale yellow-orange, Saturn yellowish. Mercury is harder to see, is too close to the Sun, but can appear low on dusk/dawn horizon like a very pale orange or white-gray dot)Second: compare the twinkle. If twinkle less than other stars of same brightens and same altitude, then chances are to be a planet (that’s because stars are like points, planets like small disks so less twinkle)Third: naked eye planets are usually bright, even the brightest "stars" in the sky, so if it’s dim, chances are that is not a planet. Also, if you live on Northern Hemisphere, the planets can be seen anywhere from east to zenith, to south or west, but never towards north. So, if it’s in North direction, it's not a planet.Fourth: not a quick tip and much harder to detect (needs days of careful observation) but is the best confirmation for a planet without a telescope. See if it moves, from night to night, relative with other stars.So enjoy and have clear skies!PS: Also special for the fans. :) If is slight gray-blue and it moves fast, then, well… “That's no moon…it's a space station” ;)

How can we locate the stars in the night sky without the help of the telescope?

About 3000 stars are visible to naked eye in a dark place free from light pollution,..With the help of as star chart/map you can identify the bright constellations first, international astronomical union have divided sky into 88 constellations./Mobile apps/computer software are freely available for this..It will show the night sky for nay date any place any time. .For a new person identifying stars and planets with map be little difficult. Find out whether there are any astronomical clubs in your area,. If yes join them.There experienced observers will help you to indemnify the constellations.down load/install software free. www.stellarium.com. picture credit C2A.

What is the best stargazing app?

I use Star Walk. There are 2 editions Star Walk and Star Walk 2. Both of the apps have interactive night sky map that follow the movements of the phone and show the names of celestial bodies above you. The apps determine your location and due to compass identify where you point your phone at. You can easily find out the name of the star or planet that stands out in the night sky tonightStar Walk - is the mature version but it is still updated and has lots of cool features like calendar of astronomical events, renewable astronomy pictures, nice notifications of coming events and really great widget. It is also available for Android devices.Star Walk 2 - is a newer version. It looks smoother and nicer. It has got great 3D models of constellations. It also has got built-in notifications of astronomical events, models of planets, satellites. It also has the Android version.

What are some good night sky navigation map apps for stargazing (Android)?

Star ChartApart from the augmented reality apps like Star Chart affords users, this app goes the extra mile when it comes to time travel, about 10,000 years forward or backward in time. You can also change your location to view the night sky from other points on Earth, and in-app purchases unlock enhanced star catalogues, meteor showers, comets etc.SkyView Sky View uses the back camera to give you information like the paths of objects in the sky and names of the bright lights you see. You can also search for and locate specific stars or space stations. Like something you see and want to share it with the world? Sharing is enabled on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.Sky MapWith Google Sky Map uses compass data and GPS to accurately identify the celestial object you are pointing your phone at. It can direct you to the section of the sky you should be observing, to find the object of your desire or you can ‘time travel’ and find out where the object will be at a different (later) hour of the night.Satellite Augmented RealityIf for some reason you would like to observe and track satellites instead of natural objects in the sky, this app can help you track the path and location of satellites orbiting our earth. You can search through a database to look for the one you want, and then point your device towards the sky and it will show you where it is.Astronomy Events - alerts you to forthcoming events in the sky - paid applicationE-Sky - star chart and finderSky View : Point your device at the sky to identify galaxies, stars, constellations, planets, and satellites (including the ISS and Hubble) passing overhead at your location.Celestron Sky Portal - a planetariumSky Safari / Sky Safari Pro: Point and hover your mobile device at the night sky to identify  constellations, planets, satellites, stars, and other sky objects from  your location. Mobile Observatory : Zoomable sky map showing stars, planets, asteroids, and more (above and below the horizon)- Interactive top-down view of the Solar System- Live mode (point device on sky and get information on what you see)Disclaimer:  THIS IS NOT AN ADVERTISEMENT!

How do I know where particular planets/stars are located in the night sky?

If you simply want to locate the planets and stars, the best way is to use one or the other of the apps that the others have suggested.But if you want to know the night-sky, you need to familiarize yourself with the night sky by first knowing the directions in the sky, how the stars move in the sky between sunset and sunrise, and between one month and the next, what are constellations and so on. For this, you need to read books on astronomy. There are some very good beginner's books available on line - you need to look for them and choose the one/s that suits you.Find out if there is an Astronomy Club in your town/city and join the group. You may even join one of the several astronomy forums on line, who normally welcome beginners.Astronomy is fascinating!

What are some good starting points of stargazing and learning the night sky?

Do you mean finding them yourself? There are a few easy to find constellations actually. Find Orion, or as I've always heard, the Ellen Yards. Don't ask me why. The Ellen yards themselves are three stars right in a line, better known as Orions Belt. If you look, you can see his eye, and a few stars that look like a bow, along with some legs below the belt. Look on a kind of cloudy night, or just when it gets dark enough to see stars a little. This way, there aren't tons of stars you have to sift through. ​Another easy one is the big dipper. It's in the northern sky, actually circling the north star. If you can find the big dipper, this thing:​Then you can follow the end to find the north star. A great app that I use is called Skyview. It works off your phone camera, and it shows you all the constellations, sattelites, moon, planets, and even history of constellations. I highly recommend

Is there an app that will analyze a photo of the night sky and identify the major stars, planets, constellations, etc.?

The program you seek is called a “plate solver”. Yes that is a reference to glass photographic plates, bu5 your digital images will be fine.There is one online one at:Astrometry.net