Each app offers different features, so in the end it's a matter of personal preference or needs. Other often recommended apps are SkySafari and Stellarium.

Where can I learn quick astronomy, identifying constellations, identifying things in the night sky? As for apps, feel free to try out my app Nightshift if you're on Android.It’s too in-depth for some, but Sky Safari 5 is the perfect investment if you’re serious about stargazing and astronomy. It’s also endowed with marvellous images from the Digitized Sky Survey, and you can virtually orbit an object – and even get a map of where exactly a night sky object is in relation to the Sun and the Milky Way. You can be standing anywhere in the world and the app will send a post-sunset alert five minutes in advance of, say, the International Space Station or an Iridium satellite flying over your location (the first is super-bright and an awesome sight, while the latter produces a memorable flash). Perhaps the most useful feature is an ability to create observing lists that sync across devices, though I love the notifications options. Sky Safari 5 is also a fabulous all-round app for stargazers. You can then target specific objects in the sky using only the app. First, you need to buy an adaptor SkyFi (for WiFi, £299), SkyBT (for Bluetooth, £129) or SkyWire (which connects to a phone or tablet using a cable, £59), then attach it to the serial port of a telescope from the likes of Celestron, Meade, Orion or SkyWatcher (or anything with a RS-232 interface). However, it won’t control just any telescope. However, this is the only app so far to challenge desktop software like Cartes du Ciel and Stellarium by remotely controlling computerised GoTo telescopes. The big drawback is that SkySafari 5 does take up a mighty 1.7GB on a device. Available for phones and tablets on iOS/Android, this expensive ‘pro’ version offers everything from hands-free control of GoTo telescopes to super-extensive data on everything from nearby stars and planets to distant Messier objects you’re only likely to see through a powerful telescope.

Is this is best stargazing app of them all? It surely is – no app goes as deep. There are so many beginner-level planetarium apps around now that finding out some basic information about the stars above is easy, and yet taking the next step is tricky. If you travel to remote locations – on hikes, into national parks, or to islands – you’re sure to have noticed the night sky.

Skysafari vs stellarium