Bon Appetit: 3 smartphone apps to help you explore space

If you grew up watching Star Wars, becoming a skywalker or perhaps a space guardian might have crossed your mind. Even though this might not be possible, finding out about what lies in the depths of space, beyond the boundary of Earth, has always been alluring. The cosmos, filled with planets, faraway stars and constellations, galaxies and several mysteries has always been fascinating. If you want to lie down at night, search for different star patterns and know more about outer space, these smartphone apps will help you figure out all this and more. Sky Map Whether you are an ace astronomer or a rookie star gazer, this app suits the needs of one and all. If you’ve had an argument with your friend about whether the glowing object in the sky is a star or a planet, you can resolve it by merely pointing your phone towards it. The phone’s sensors detect the screen’s orientation and Sky Map calculates the view of the sky for your exact location. The result — your very own ‘window to the sky’. You can search for constellations, stars and planets through the app. Mobile Observatory – Astronomy “Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are…” Well, wonder no more. This app can help you find out all about those little dots winking at you from above. Through this app, you can stay updated about the celestial events visible from your location. If you want to know when the next lunar eclipse will be visible from your location or when the next bright comet will be visible (for no spooky purpose of course), or the next time Jupiter and the Moon meet in the sky, a notification from Mobile Observatory can alert you of the phenomenon. Not only does the app give you a view of a live, zoomable sky map telling you what sky object you are looking at, but it also provides loads of detailed extra information on stars, planets, deep sky objects, meteor showers, comets, asteroids, lunar and solar eclipses. But be ready to shell out around Rs.340. NASA App It is really fascinating to read the tweets NASA’s space missions send out to other space missions. If you want to know what else they are up to out there, this app can be your guide. Through the app, you can get access to NASA’s latest images, videos, mission information, news, feature stories, tweets and live streaming of NASA TV. Users can get notifications about potential visible passes for the International Space Station (ISS). The beautiful pictures from space can also be used as wallpapers. You can also keep track of the launch schedules of NASA’s new missions and get firsthand info about them. And here’s the coolest feature —Third Rock Radio, an alternative rock radio station.   The Hindu