Starmap: sky in palm

June 15, 2009, Posted by Elf at 1:40 pm

A glance at dazzling App Store, Starmap is one of my favorite app. Its official website introduced as below:

STARMAP is a pocket planetarium, using the breath taking technologies of the iPhone. It brings the present and future sky map at the tip of your fingers, at any time, anywhere.
Get connected to seasons and astronomical events. Learn the star names, the position of the planets and foresee the next meteors shower with STARMAP. This version has been designed for users who wish to discover the night sky, without special astronomy skills.

I am an amateur of sky night and have a lot of interests in astronomy, so I think Starmap is a very useful, convenient tool in my observation. Last month I have a vacation with my friends in Saipan Island, when we were on the way fly to there at night, I found there were some familiar stars just hanged outside the plane window. So I took out my iTouch entered time, the latitude and longitude coordinates(which broadcasted on screen of the plane) in Starmap ASAP, it quickly confirmed they were Regulus and Leo.

（Starmap Screenshots)

( Starmap Pro Screenshots)

If you are a enthusiast and have telescopes, you can choose another app called Starmap PRO Edition which is a more professional version. It provides “More than 2 500 000 stars, NGC/IC catalogues, 25000 objects with detailed information”, and can be connected through Wifi to control telescope, perhaps my next goal is to buy a telescope to match this fantastic app…

But I think Starmap is totally enough for ordinary user, now it has updated to version 1.3.

SOME FIVE STARS REVIEWS ON THE APP STORE

This is the most money I’v spent on an iphone app,and this one hasn’t dissapointed. I’v owned it for about a month now,and I love using it with my meade LX200GPS. It’s also a great ambassador application to show people the power of the iphone.

“This is the most money I’v spent on an iphone app,and this one hasn’t dissapointed. I’v owned it for about a month now,and I love using it with my meade LX200GPS. It’s also a great ambassador application to show people the power of the iphone.”

“I love it. I have been waiting for a planetrium program that is as in depth as this one to come out.personally,I have been an amature astronomer for almost 30 years. the pro version has everything that you would need for serious abserving. It works well on my iTouch. The owner is quick to answer replies which is one of the marks of a good product. just take a look at the 15min. movie on his web site if you are unsure.”

“finally, a fully featured,intuitive, and highly detailed astronomy tool for serious sky watchers and casual ovservers alike who want to know and see more. A pro level app with a big data base that’s worth every penny. And it runs on a phone! One of those rare apps that is well thought out,well organized and well executed. The first night you use it,you’ll be amazed. Don’t go into dark without it.”

“I am an astronomy grad student and I do a lot of abserving and am sure this app will come in handy. Great to use as a teaching aid while giving students demos with our roof-top telescope but also useful for planning observing runs and getting that invaluable quick-look at the sky without leaving the demo”

“I whileheartedly recommend starmap Pro to serious amateurs and professionals. If you just want to look up at night and have an informative guid to constellations and planets,stick with th original starmap. If you want a handy,fearure-packed star atlas to use with a telescope, you’ve found it with Starmap Pro”