Star & Planet Finder app review: locate and discover the secrets of the skies 2021

Introduction

Regardless of your age or where you are in the world we are all fascinated with what we see when we stare into the night sky. The Star Finder app is a helpful tool for every stargazer out there and might just be one of the best stargazing apps for the iPhone. 

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By utilizing your iPhone's built in GPS, this night sky app for finding planets and stars will show you what planets and constellations are visible from your location, their elevation in the sky, and all the information you need to know about what you're looking at.

Continue reading our review to see how Star and Planet Finder compares to the best stargazing apps on the iOS.

The Final Frontier

Star & Planet Finder is extremely user-friendly. Upon opening the app you have a list of all the planets and whether they are visible or not. You can switch easily between "Show All" and what is "Visible Only" at the touch of a button.

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The menu allows you to switch between "Planets," "Constellations," the brightest "Stars" in the sky, and even what "Satellites" may be passing overhead.

When you touch any of the individual planets or constellations Star & Planet Finder utilizes both your iPhone's camera and GPS to place a cross hair in the direction of the celestial body you are looking for.

Just line up the cross hair to the planet or star you're looking at and you will also be provided with what else is in the sky around it.

Admittedly the positioning is not exact; in most cases it was off by a couple of degrees. Even still, Star & Planet Finder works surprisingly well.

Almost All The Information You Need

Star & Planet Finder gives you all the information on the planets when you tap "Info," the size, distance from the sun, diameter, and mass is all there. The information is brief but it is concise and fascinating.

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Although the initial app is free, if you want information on constellations, stars, and satellites these are all in-app purchases. The price point isn't bad, only 99 cents for each, but I would have liked a few of the major constellations included in the free app.

By giving users a taste of what the constellation information provides would most likely garner more in-app purchases.

Pros and Cons

Pros 

• Easily helps you find stars and planets in the sky
• Provides great information on the planets you're looking at 
• Informs you what is available to see from your location

Cons

• Star, constellations, and satellite information available as in-app purchase only

Final Thoughts

Star & Planet Finder is a fun little app and great for those new to star gazing and looking to learn more about what is in our solar system. It's well-crafted, easy to use, and is definitely worth the price of the in-app purchases to utilize the app's full potential.