Do you like to look at the night sky and wonder at the sheer
immensity of it all ? Wish you knew at least some of the planets, stars
and constellations ?
Then Google has the answer. The Earth’s number one search engine
could soon be numero uno in the heavens too.Google is using a number of
proven technologies to make everyone (everyone equipped with a Google
Android Phone, that is) a budding astronomer.
The concept is seemingly simple: The application, called Phone Star
Droid uses GPS technology, the compass function, date/time and the
phone’s incline (accelerometer) to identify the phone’s position and
check space maps to see what stars are above it in the sky, then it
shows the stars and their names on the screen.
 As users move their phones, the map displayed on the screen adjusts
accordingly, enabling them to point their phones at the sky and discover
what they are seeing, wherever in the world they may be. According to
Google, the app doesn’t require a line of sight to find the stars and
planets.
Even on a cloudy or rainy night, it will show (and name) the stars in
the night sky. Do this for a couple of months and you would be able to
name them without even looking at the phone.
More expensive hardware and software built into today’s advanced
consumer telescopes can do the same job, but this is far more portable
and affordable. It also has the resources of Google Earth’s Sky and Sky
Map software behind it.Another advantage is that people can’t look at
the stars anymore due to street lighting and pollution, so this software
could still help them to identify stars and planets.
The free software should be available through Google’s Android
Marketplace by the time you read this. Hopefully, the same software
would later be available for the iPhone/iPod Touch, HTC and Blackberry
phones.
Earlier reports said the phone’s camera would be involved in the
operation, but it is apparently not needed. Users should also be able to
search for particular planets/ stars using this program. It will direct
users to move their phones until they are facing these objects.
The application guides users towards the star, planet, or
constellation they are trying to find and alerts them when they have
arrived at the proper location in relation to the desired object. If you
ever wanted to wander among the stars, now is the time to do it. |
