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Sky Guide
I want to tell you about a really cool app I have on my iPhone. Given the title of this post, you’ve probably already guessed. It’s called Sky Guide.
It is, quite literally, the manifestation of dreams I would have as a little girl gazing up at the wide open sky, especially in the summer. You know the feeling. Wishing you could put a name to the star or the cluster when we’re walking under the stars, when the moon is new and the sky’s only lights are the stars.
How Many Times Have You Wished You Could Name Them?
As I sit here writing this, I’m having flashes of moments throughout my life when I’ve lain on the ground (usually on a blanket or comforter, sometimes a sleeping bag, a couple of times directly on sand or grass) and tried to take in and comprehend the vastness of “Above.” The times I’ve thrown my head back so I could stare straight up, usually wide-eyed and open mouthed as I let out a continuous, breathless, “Wow…,” as I tried to hold the visible Universe within my heart.
I can access surprisingly precise memories of wanting to drink in the sky with my open heart in so many places around the world…and wishing I could identify more of what I was looking at than the Big Dipper (when I was in the Northern Hemisphere, obviously). I almost started ticking off the locations of those memories – they’re so vivid – and then realized it might sound pretentious.
Indeed, it surprises me myself to consider the many different places I’ve been fortunate to visit and have the chance to observe the night sky. Looking up, no matter where you are, can be both profoundly humbling and reassuringly unifying.
Suffice it to say, no matter where I’ve gone, I’ve always managed to feel infinitesimally insignificant as I gazed upward, regardless of whether I found myself looking at stars and constellations that were comforting in their familiarity (even if I couldn’t name them) or a tad bit quease-inducing in their unfamiliarity. (Sort of like being in a dream and feeling like you should recognize the place you’re in, but nothing looks quite right.)
Well, I’m ready to return to some of the more exotic places I’ve been – only this time going armed with my phone and this app. It. Is. So. Cool.
Cool Options That Enhance the Experience
Not only can you point the phone toward any star, planet, or constellation and have it identified, you’ll also be alerted to cosmic events, satellites, and other phenomena you might find attention worthy.
There’s an option for music to play softly in the background when you turn the app on and point it wherever. Obviously, you’ll instantly recognize it as ‘celestial’ in the ambiance it creates. It just fits. And in my opinion, enhances the experience. (And if you disagree, you can turn it off.)
Since the app knows what is below the horizon, you can now see ‘through’ the Earth too. This makes it possible to see what will be rising later. For instance, as I look at the app right now, I can see Saturn, Venus, and Jupiter hanging out just below the horizon.
There are a variety of options in the settings. One particular favorite of mine is how objects in the sky are not only identified, but also placed into their mythological context. It still boggles my mind that our ancestors had such vivid imaginations!
Full disclosure: I have very few apps on my phone. So the fact that I’m actually taking the time to write about this app has to tell you something. And no, I do not receive anything for this endorsement. (Other than you’re enthusiastic gratitude, that is.)
Sky Guide costs $2.99.
In my book, it is worth every penny. I bet you’ll agree with me – and discover it’s an answer to your childhood dreams, too.
(T-1020 