Recommended Apps - Stellarium

A few months ago we recommended a brilliant piece of free software, Stellarium, to help you explore the night sky using your PC or MAC. Well now Stellarium have released a free app for the iPhone / iTouch and an high definition "XL version" for the iPad. These powerful applications put a complete planetarium in your pocket, allowing you explore the night sky or plan a telescope session. Each app shows a realistic night sky (including atmosphere) and allows you find stellar objects (planets, nebulae, galaxies or constellations) quickly and easily. The objects shift as they do in real time and full co-ordinates are provided so you can take out your telescope and see them in real life too. The apps allow you zoom in or even change the time and location from where you are viewing (perfect if you are planning a radio telescope session). These powerful apps are a must or any astronomy enthususiast.

Stellarium for the iPhone is available for free here and the XL version for iPad is available here at a nominal cost of just €0.79.