fantastic apps for stargazers and astrophotographers in the UAE

UAE’s vast open desert areas offer ample opportunity for those interested in the night sky.  Away from the city lights, you can clearly see constellations and sometimes even the milky way  belt.

If you’re looking for a peaceful adventure or are a budding astrophotographer, we recommend  picking a clear night & driving to the desert to look at the sky.

And you don’t need expensive equipment to enjoy the star-studded night, here are a few apps  that will help you make the best of it -

1. Star Walk 2: The Night Sky Map

This app is great for beginners who are just stepping their toes into stargazing. The app comes  with an augmented reality overlay that works through your device’s camera. This makes it easy  to just point your phone at the sky and identify constellations. You can also keep track of  celestial events and plan to drive out to the desert during the next meteor shower.

It’s lightweight, easy to navigate, and is available for iPad, iPhone & Android.  

2. SkyView

Very simple and easy to use, Skyview works with augmented reality as well. You learn more  about the sky above you with just your phone. identify galaxies, stars, constellations, planets,  and satellites passing overhead at your location by just pointing your device at the sky. You can  set alerts for upcoming events or browse through a comprehensive list of facts & information  about planets & stars. You can easily capture photos and share them on social media as well.  An interesting feature is that you can jump to the future or the past and see the sky on different  dates and times. Available for both Android & IOS.

3. Photo Pills

Photo Pills is a multipurpose photo-planning app that helps you plan your night sky shoots.  Based on your locations, the app can alert you about the perfect time to take your photos &  when unique events are happening.

If you’re a DSLR photographer, with Photo Pills, you can easily calculate equivalent exposures  with filters, in low light and at night and compute parameters needed to collect sequences of still  images to create time-lapse videos.

4. Sun Surveyor

This app helps photographers scout the best locations for amazing shots of the sky and plan  shoots effectively. The Live Camera View, Interactive Map, 3D Compass, and detailed  Ephemeris provide a wealth of information about the moon and the milky way. With the Milky  Way and star trail features, you can predict and easily plan for night photography shots.

The app also comes with an interactive listing of critical times, for eg when the full moon would  be low in the sky. This can help inspire ideas for your next photography shoot.

5. Stellarium PLUS

Stellarium Mobile Plus is a planetarium app that shows you an accurate night sky from any date,  time, and location. It has a giant collection of information on stars, clusters, nebulas, galaxies,  and other celestial bodies.

This Plus version also has advanced observing features for controlling telescopes or preparing  observing sessions. It’s a great learning tool if you’re a beginner at stargazing while also having  advanced features for more serious astronomy enthusiasts. It’s got something for everybody.

Planning your next stargazing trip

Impromptu drives to the desert are always better in your own car. If you’re looking to buy an used car to have more adventures like these, we can help you find the perfect car for you.  Explore used cars on the Cars24 website and book your test drive today!

Happy stargazing!