

As with the desktop version you can zoom in on detailed images of deep-sky objects, and simulate landscapes and Earth’s atmosphere to show realistic sunrises, sunsets and atmospheric refraction. The expanded database of stars now includes the new Gaia DR2 catalogue of over 1.69 billion stars, as well as over 10,000 asteroids. Stellarium PLUS is aimed more at telescope owners: it can control a scope using Celestron NexStar, Orion SynScan and LX200 serial protocols and it even simulates what an object will look like through a specific telescope. Many amateur astronomers use the free and open source Stellarium planetarium software on their desktop computers, but the developer’s lesser-known apps are just as impressive.Ī basic free version offers the usual augmented reality experience, with overlaid stars, constellations, planets, comets, satellites and deep-sky objects, while this step-up Stellarium PLUS version – a separate app that costs £11.99 – increases the database from 10th magnitude to 22nd magnitude stars.

A good smartphone app can tell you when and where to look. It is possible to see the ISS passing overhead in the night sky.
