It does not matter if you have just entered the world of astronomy, or if you have studied the celestial bodies scattered throughout the universe for a long time; An indispensable tool on your mobile is an application that allows you to see the stars and know where they are at any time the planets, constellations and other astronomical objects.
Fortunately, on Android we can find dozens of applications of this type, perfect for completing nights of astronomical observation, or photo sessions using your Google Pixel's astrophotography mode that allows you to capture photos like the one at the top of this article - and of which by the way, you can see more examples in the our analysis of the Pixel 4 XL -, which you can also have on any other mobile if you use the Google camera app.
App to see the position of the stars in real time: the 7 best
With the apps that we are going to select, not only will you be able to see the stars in real time. You will also be able to identify the stars, the constellations and the rest of the astronomical elements that inhabit the universe.
Find OSR stars
Through a system based on augmented reality, OSR Star Finder It allows see and locate stars and constellations in real time by pointing your mobile at the sky.
In addition, the app offers a library with detailed information on 88 constellations and some of the most important stars.
Starlight - Explore the stars
With over half a million installations, Starlight it's one of the best, if not the best app to see the stars.
Like the previous one, it can be downloaded in such a way totally free, and also in this case it offers the possibility to visualize the exact position of the stars and constellations, colored according to the category to which they correspond.
Starlight includes information on 88 constellations and more than 100.000 stars thanks to the Hipparcos database.
Sky map
At the time it was a Google star-seeing application, but in 2012 the company decided to discontinue the project, which was taken over by a group of engineers and transformed into an open source app.
Now Sky Map is still one of the most used astronomical tools on Android and one of the app for gazing at the most popular stars around.
This app to see the stars on Android is free and does not include ads of any kind. However, it is still one of the most recommended options for beginners.
Its operation is simple: open the app, point your mobile at the sky and Sky Map will show the name of the stars, planets and the rest of the celestial elements.
SkySafari and SkySafari Pro
Without detracting from the other applications, if there is one that really stands out among all the tools in its category, it is Skysafari.
It is one of a program for see the stars in real time, which its creators define as a "powerful planetarium that fits in your pocket".
Operation is similar to that of the rest of the apps. However, it does include interesting features such as the ability to "travel back in time" and see, for example, what the universe was like in 500 BC.
it is also possible simulate what you would see from anywhere else in the world, in past or future times.
Of course, both these and the many other features included in Sky Safari come at a price. Although there is a free version, to enjoy of the largest database ever seen in an astronomy app, with each of the celestial elements discovered and with impressive accuracy and certainty, you will have to go to the box and purchase the "Pro" version, priced at 21,99 euros.
Star chaser
Another great alternative to the aforementioned apps for observe le stars è Star Tracker. While its interface isn't as modern as that of other tools, it stands out for its ease of use and for offering one view of the stars at 60 FPS. The app is free, although it does contain purchases.
Starwalk 2 is free
It has been selected as one of the best star-seeing apps by the publishers of Google Play, and it's no wonder.
Star Walk 2 is an entire pocket-sized celestial encyclopedia, with real-time visualization of stars, constellations, planets and more, all for free, including in-app payments, although they serve to eliminate advertising.
Taking photos of the stars with your phone is easy if you know how
Now that's probably you know the exact position of the stars and constellations, you will probably want to take the opportunity to take the best possible photo.
And it doesn't matter if you don't have a professional camera, because you can do it perfectly with your mobile.
At the time we had already developed a complete guide to photographing the stars with a mobile phone, and not long ago Google offered us other tricks to do it.
However, you can also use an application that it's part of the job for you, like Photo Pills. Although its price is a bit high - € 10,99 -, it is a complete tool that offers information on sunrise and sunset, twilight, supermoons or lunar calendar, as well as offering functions for to capture star trails, or to keep the stars fixed in our image.
