If your skygazing skill are limited to spotting themoonand occasionally theBig Dipper , you might profit from a littleexpert aid . Not everyone can FaceTime an stargazer whenever they experience like looking up — but everyone with an iPhone or iPad can download the Sky Guide app , which may be an even good selection .

Sky Guide , created by Fifth Star Labs , is basically a one - stop shop for all your skygazing question . The very uncomplicated of these is probably something to the burden of “ What am I looking at right now ? ” Just groom your gimmick on your view , and Sky Guide will describe each element in it , from individual stars toconstellationstosatellites .

Hoping to site a sure champion , theInternational Space Station , or some other specific object ? Enter it in the search saloon and an pointer will lead you straight to it . While you ’re following the pointer to your destination , Sky Guide will head out what you ’re passing along the path . It ’s a fun manner to find out that what you take was an especially bright star is actuallyJupiter .

Taurus as seen in Sky Guide.

The app also tells you what to keep an oculus out for in the coming Clarence Day and month , including meteor exhibitor , eclipses , and planets in opposition — along with instructive descriptions and tips for see each event .

Sky Guideusesyour gimmick ’s ambit to orientate its field of visual modality , and it can work without information or Wi - Fi . That tell , you may need to manually enter your locating in the app if you have Location Services turned off . It ’s authoritative to make indisputable your twist ’s engagement and time background are exact , too .

Apple user candownload the Sky Guide app for free here . It ’s currently not useable to other smartphone users , but there ’s a interchangeable ( and likewise highly rated)astronomyapp — Star Walk 2 — that is . Learn more about it here .