Best iPad app for astronomy

Any recommendations on a good iPad app for displaying the night sky?

There are several good ones out there. "Distant Suns" is fairly comprehensive and "Stars" is pretty simple.

The most beautiful astronomy app, IMHO, is called simply "Observatory" and is for planets, the sun and the moon. It's design is very elegant.

"Phases" is good for tracking the moon and "Moon HD" is a fun interactive map.

More than you were asking, I know, and I'm sure there are many more out there that I don't know about.

I use Star Walk. It's $5 but I think it is worth it. I have been using it a lot either on the couch or out at night viewing. It's a lot easier than bringing a laptop, especially with the ipad's 10 hour battery life.

Thanks for the info guys. Do most of these behave like an iPhone, where you can hold it up to the sky and it'll identify an object? (roughly)

BKATX wrote in post #11542702
I use Star Walk. It's $5 but I think it is worth it. I have been using it a lot either on the couch or out at night viewing. It's a lot easier than bringing a laptop, especially with the ipad's 10 hour battery life.

Agreed. It's a fantastic app and well worth the 5 bucks.

Pick up Star Walk yesterday and it's really, really cool!

After reading your posts, I looked at it and decided to order it up also ( star walk ). It's very well done. Glad I spent the $5.00 on it. Well worth it.

I also downloaded SOLAR WALK. Another app on par with the other one. VERY nice.

I purchased the IPAD version. While I have the iphone, the larger screen of the IPAD is the only way to go with these apps.

I have pocket universe

I use starmap Pro, it cost's a fair bit but you can get the free one also. Its a very good app and i prefer it to star walk.

Star Walk is nice, but I love Spyglass. It tracks the sun, the moon and Polaris by default, you can pick a star to track from the list or load the coordinates manually and have fun! Just what a novice astronomer and photographer needs.