Planet Finder
Free App
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About Planet Finder
Find planets and comets with the help of your Android tablet or mobile phone.
- GPS and system hour will help you to stablish the location parameters.
- Compass and accelerometer of the device will indicate you the position of the comet.
- Camera will allow you to precisely align the virtual comet with the real one.
* The efficiency of the process strongly depends on the device sensors precission. Please, use any compass calibration app (f.e. gps essentials).
The comets parameters are obtained from the website of NASA (JPL) . Hyperbolic equations for the comet trajectory have been used with some minor approximations.
Accuracy:
Average error lower than 1', compared with data from heavens-above http://www.heavens-above.com/comet.aspx
The focal length of the camera (width and height angles) has been used to place objects in the screen. If the compass and accelerometers of the device are accurate, this app is also accurate enough.
- GPS and system hour will help you to stablish the location parameters.
- Compass and accelerometer of the device will indicate you the position of the comet.
- Camera will allow you to precisely align the virtual comet with the real one.
* The efficiency of the process strongly depends on the device sensors precission. Please, use any compass calibration app (f.e. gps essentials).
The comets parameters are obtained from the website of NASA (JPL) . Hyperbolic equations for the comet trajectory have been used with some minor approximations.
Accuracy:
Average error lower than 1', compared with data from heavens-above http://www.heavens-above.com/comet.aspx
The focal length of the camera (width and height angles) has been used to place objects in the screen. If the compass and accelerometers of the device are accurate, this app is also accurate enough.
All Application Badges
Free
downl.
downl.
Android
2.3.3+
2.3.3+
Bug
buster
buster
Android app
App History & Updates
What's Changed
App renaming, due to the destruction of the comet.
Do not uninstall the application, please! Still very useful, thanks to the camera-planetary combination, to identify constellations and planets by their symbols. Will shortly be updated to emphasize this aspect.
- Now include stars, constallations and planets
- Orientation erros in some devices has been solved
- Rotation errors in some devices solved
- Dark background
- Keeps screen turned on
App renaming, due to the destruction of the comet.
Do not uninstall the application, please! Still very useful, thanks to the camera-planetary combination, to identify constellations and planets by their symbols. Will shortly be updated to emphasize this aspect.
- Now include stars, constallations and planets
- Orientation erros in some devices has been solved
- Rotation errors in some devices solved
- Dark background
- Keeps screen turned on
More downloads Planet Finder reached 50 000 - 100 000 downloads
Version update Planet Finder was updated to version 1.5
Name changed Name changed! ISON C/2012 S1 Finder now is known as Planet Finder.
More downloads Planet Finder reached 10 000 - 50 000 downloads
What are users saying about Planet Finder
K
by K####:
by K####:
The size of the font on the labels for the Galaxy S4 is too hard to read; they are too small. Also, the elevations of the constellations are wrong. So, use google sky to align the constellations and this app to see where ISON is in relation to the constellations.
K
by K####:
by K####:
used this app to try and find ison with my 4 inch scope on a perfect morning. could not find ison and when I checked on other websites ison should have been higher and to the left
M
by M####:
by M####:
HA! HA! HA!
Y
by Y####:
by Y####:
Not great but good
P
by P####:
by P####:
Would be nice if scale were more accurate and comet blinked. It is very small in the sky right now.
H
by H####:
by H####:
Many thanks for putting in the effort to make an app that makes viewing this potentially 'once in a lifetime' event easy for dummies like me.
C
by C####:
by C####:
Laggy and inacurate
N
by N####:
by N####:
Очень полезна начинающим астрономам! Ну, или, просто для того, чтобы была :)
N
by N####:
by N####:
Soo boring I could throw up
N
by N####:
by N####:
Looking forward to developers next idea with the app!
D
by D####:
by D####:
Awesome in finding comet lovejoy
B
by B####:
by B####:
@stephen cantillon ISON won't be visible to the naked eye until September 29th at sunrise & sunset. Great app.
J
by J####:
by J####:
Works... That's all I need.
G
by G####:
by G####:
Initial redirect to unwanted website. No clear user guide or instructions. Waste of bandwidth.
S
by S####:
by S####:
This app likes to work every now and then. Not recommended.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Omg this app it wonderful
U
by U####:
by U####:
I wanted to track ISON and this is by far the best app to track it. Highly recommended if you are a fan of everything related to celestial vault. 10+
D
by D####:
by D####:
The size of the font on the labels for the Galaxy S4 is too hard to read; they are too small. Also, the elevations of the constellations are wrong. So, use google sky to align the constellations and this app to see where ISON is in relation to the constellations.
D
by D####:
by D####:
Does the job. Thank you
D
by D####:
by D####:
Thanks nice app
D
by D####:
by D####:
very useful and more to the point then others
T
by T####:
by T####:
This is even good without the comet feature for the augmented feature
D
by D####:
by D####:
Amazing app. Works great on GS3
D
by D####:
by D####:
Thx for this app
A
by A####:
by A####:
LOVE IT !
Q
by Q####:
by Q####:
Small in size, easy to use
N
by N####:
by N####:
Not great but good
M
by M####:
by M####:
Its ok but it has a few flaws
M
by M####:
by M####:
Not great but good
D
by D####:
by D####:
Try landscape view if reg isn't working.
E
by E####:
by E####:
Would be nice if scale were more accurate and comet blinked. It is very small in the sky right now.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Очень полезна начинающим астрономам! Ну, или, просто для того, чтобы была :)
N
by N####:
by N####:
Writing too small to read. Fair enough I'm thick, but that's why i downloaded this app.
E
by E####:
by E####:
What an amazing time to be alive!! To think that we are going to possibly witness one of the greatest comets to ever grace the skies of earth is so exciting! Now, if the world just holds together without WWIII breaking out because of the greed of a handful of people, maybe we will have the opportunity to enjoy this rare sighting. Oh, & when we pass through the tail of this thing, don't be going outside to watch it. Evidence points to The Great Chicago fire being the a result of passing through a comet tail.
N
by N####:
by N####:
used this app to try and find ison with my 4 inch scope on a perfect morning. could not find ison and when I checked on other websites ison should have been higher and to the left
N
by N####:
by N####:
installed quickly and easily, fires up and finds location. Not sure yet how accurate it will be, the sister App, PanStarrs had quite a few updates before it was usefully accurate. Time will tell. I hope it becomes as good as the latest ver of PanStarrs, which is now perfect for finding the comet. UPDATE. ISON getting closer and info on app seems to very accurate. Helpful for lining up camera at night. Very useful. ISON possibly visible to eye by 11 November.. along with 2P/Encke
G
by G####:
by G####:
Many thanks for putting in the effort to make an app that makes viewing this potentially 'once in a lifetime' event easy for dummies like me.
N
by N####:
by N####:
Opens up but images on screen don't move when I move my phone. No matter where I point, it stays stationary. Please give some feedback as to how to work this. Seems like you would just open the app and point to the sky. No?
G
by G####:
by G####:
Works smooth on my SG3. WISH the google vers of there night time sky app worked this good. Was able to put it up against the night time sky & following the tracking arrow. Know where mars was & where to look. Just noy visible to the naked eye just yet do to sunlight. But it won't ne long. Will try this with some strong binoculars that I have. Nice job
by R####:
Wonderful app. Useful for all age group.