Google Mobile App Locates Constellations in the Night Sky

By Allen Tsai | Tue May 12, 2009 10:47 pm

Internet search giant Google has rolled out an update to its "Sky Map" application to aid Android users figure out which constellations they are looking at in the night sky.

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The Mountain View, Calif.-based company said the software uses global positioning system, compass data and the date and time to determine what celestial objects the device is facing at a given moment.

"If it is pointed towards Venus, for example, users will see a labeled map of the sky with Venus and the objects surrounding it on their screens," said Google. "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."

The program, only available on smartphones that run Google's Android software, also has a search tool that helps users identify where planets and stars are located in the sky. So searching for "Polaris" or "Aquarius" will show users where to move until they are facing these objects.

Sky Map can be downloaded from the Android Market.

Posted In: Apps & Games (239) | Google (598) | Android (520)

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