Seeking the best free astronomy apps, please

[Radiationpoisoned]

Seeking the best free astronomy apps.  On a desktop I used stellarium and it was great, although now I have an iPad and am hoping to find out what else might be out there.  

I live in an area with high light pollution and near a lop-sided planetarium that only shows once a month and I don't have a telescope.

Could someone please recommend a few free apps that really wow them?  I know there are a lot of lists out there, but I'd like to hear from personal experience what's been eye-opening or jaw-dropping, perspective-gaining...deeply enjoyable, fun, something that gives you capabilities you didn't imagine possible.

Thanks so much!  Excitedly looking forward to replies

[wornish]

For the iPad  have a look at

Celestron SkyPortal - it is very similar to Stellarium, You can even use the iPads gyro sensors to point your iPad in the sky and it will show you the stars your pointing at and you can zoom right in.

Moon Globe - It gives great detail views of the moons surface, again a bit like Stellarium but just for the moon.

 

Both these are available from the App store

 

[cloudsweeper]

Skyportal is good - esp. for controlling a Celestron 'scope with a tablet using WiFi.

I find Google Sky Map is good - very easy to use.

Doug.

[laudropb]

I have Star Chart on my IPad

[Pete Presland]

Hi welcome to SGL from Pete in Bedfordshire  Its not an app, but its totally free http://www.stellarium.org/en_GB/

[Stephen Green]

Hi welcome to the SGL

[JG777]

Lunar map HD have a free version, the paid one is very cheap. Great for moon observing and finding areas of interest. 

[glowjet]

Hi and welcome to SGL, enjoy the forum  

[psamathe]

I think the free/commercial distinction for software, particularly for smartphone software is not longer useful.

So many excellent smartphone apps are in the e.g. below £5 price bracket that most people with a smartphone/iPad would not worry too much about such prices.  I've recently noticed that the "norm" for smartphone/tablet apps is in the "low cost" bracket whilst the cost for Mac/OS X applications seems to have settled as either free or £30 (or more).  Also, some smartphone/tablet apps are free except the are paid for through ads so in some respects you are paying for the app (through downloading ads, being influenced by those ads, etc.).

So is looking for a star chart for my smartphone I would far rather consider "low cost" options rather than to exclude some excellent app just because it would cost £2.

Ian

[GimmeAMoonlite]

I have been using Luminos on the iPad and it is excellent. It costs £10.99 and is worth every penny.

It has helped me immensely and I enjoy this hobby far more as a result.

The free apps are OK but if you want the best you have to pay for it.

 

[psamathe]

I use SkySafari Pro 5 on my iPhone (which is in the more expensive group), but the basic Sky Safari is less than £3 (lower functionality than the Plus and Pro versions) so check which version/cost meets what you are looking for.

Ian

[Dave Lloyd]

Hi and welcome to s.g.l