Google Sky Map review

If you’ve ever found yourself staring at the night sky and pondering the names of the various stars and constellations then Google Sky Map should come as a godsend.

Focusing its attention upwards rather than downwards, the app is the exact opposite of Google’s all-conquering Google Maps program, which has successfully infiltrated pretty much every smartphone that is currently available.

Sky Map is an Android exclusive, however, and allows users to learn a little more about the canvas of stars above them. Combining accelerometer, compass and GPS data, it gives an astonishingly accurate picture of the night sky.

Using the app is blissfully simple; once your exact position has been determined – either via the cellular network or (preferably) GPS – then it’s just a matter of holding your phone up against the sky and selecting an object of interest.

As you move around, Sky Map moves with you, giving you a truly accurate real-time representation of the cosmos. The amount of information on display is staggering; not only will Sky Map pinpoint individual stars, it will also highlight constellations and distant planets.

You’ll have hours of fun just moving your phone around and putting names to various groups of stars, but if you want to be selective you can choose to search for specific celestial bodies, too.

For example, if you wanted to pinpoint the planet Venus, you simply type it into Sky Map’s search tool. An on-screen pointer then appears which shows you exactly where the planet is in the sky; follow the marker and you’ll find it eventually. Sky Map even gives you an on-screen confirmation when you do so.

Much like the latest version of Google Maps, Sky Map’s information is stored in layers. You can toggle these on and off, so if you only want to search for planets, you can disable the other layers to give you a clear and uncluttered view.

Of course all of this stargazing is only possible when you’re outside and with a clear view of the sky, but thankfully Sky Map also offers functionality for those moments when it’s either too cold or too wet to venture out-of-doors. You can switch off the accelerometer, compass and GPS control and merely navigate using your finger – just as you would on Google Maps.

Google Maps has revolutionised the way in which we view the world around us, and while Sky Map isn’t likely to prove quite as useful as its stablemate, it’s still an entertaining – and ultimately informative – use of the Android platform.