Originally posted by christopher clarke on January 21, 2019
This app is an excellent example of AR meets education. It’s an extremely simple to use app that assists amateur star gazers identify planets and constellations. Since public schools tend to operate exclusively during daylight hours, it is not the most useful app to use during class time. The app does still function during the day so students could see where the constellations are in the sky even if they can’t currently see them. It’s a nice reminder that the stars don’t actually go away during the day. Additionally, it is a good supplementary app to introduce to students for private use or homework. What I like about the app is it is useful seconds after downloading and opening it for the first time. It is quite intuitive. Simply hold your phone up to the sky and augmented star maps, images, and labels will appear superimposed over the screen view. The free version does not have a complete list of constellations available, but it does a good job of starting amateurs off. It’s also possible to search for specific celestial bodies and constellations and the app will direct the user to the proper position in the sky to look for it. Additionally, it will show the trajectory these bodies are following. The augmented map does not always entirely line up with the actual sky, but it is close enough to understand which stars are which. This app showcases a simple version of AR that has instant educational value. I’m looking forward to being able to point to the sky and name more than the normal three constellations I always point out.
Another really interesting app! It sounds like it could use some tweaking, but it is a great way to get students excited about astronomy. I think what might take this app to the next level is the setting up of groups and allowing for communication with others. With a group set up, a teacher could have each member of the class be in the same group. The communication feature could be a simple chat. This would allow the learner to discuss with the teacher and other students what they’ve found. Even if this is not used for homework, it’s a fun activity that may just get the students interested in the subject.