SkyPointer: A Simple and Useful Tool for Sky Observation
SkyPointer is a free Android application developed by Gerhard Buder, categorized under Utilities & Tools. It is a simple yet useful tool for sky observation, showing the position of the sun, moon, the brightest planets, the International Space Station (ISS), Hubble telescope, the Chinese station Tiangong2, and other objects. All objects are visible to the unaided eye, and it is easy to find their position at a specific time or date.
SkyPointer does not require an internet connection, except for downloading orbit data for satellites triggered by the user. However, it is important to ensure that your compass is calibrated before use. With SkyPointer, you can easily find out the different solar altitudes between summer and winter.
The planets appear as small light points, with Venus and Jupiter being the brightest. Mars appears as a small red dot, and the ring of Saturn can be seen with a good binocular. Mercury is challenging to observe because it is very close to the sun, while Uranus appears not brighter than a normal star. On the other hand, the ISS appears as a bright point of light when sunlit, moving much faster than a plane and brighter than the brightest star.
Overall, SkyPointer is an excellent tool for sky observation, providing accurate and reliable information on the position of various celestial objects.
