Back in 2016, we positively reviewed the Cosmic-Watch app for iPhone and iPad. Priced at $4.99, the universal app shows you the relationship between time and the cosmos using stunning 3D graphics. Now, the app is out with its most significant update since first launching and, yes, it’s out of this world.
With Cosmic-Watch 2.0, the virtual planetarium for mobile devices now includes an all-new sky view, which allows you to point your device upward to get a real-time look at the constellations, stars, and planets in space from your location. Using augmented reality, the views are stunning, no matter where you are.
The update also brings new astronomical and time-related events and notifications to the app for the first time. With these, you can find the dates for upcoming lunar phases, the next equinox and solstice, and lunar and solar eclipses.
Cosmic-Watch offers lots of different views. The newly updated solar system view offers a traditional layout where you can see the orbit of other planets in our solar system. Here, you can find objects, zoom in and out, and switch between heliocentric and geocentric for increased educational value. Don’t worry, folks, the classic celestial sphere view remains.
You can also find a new contemporary equatorial clock face.
Other Cosmic-Watch 2.0 features include:
- Added a bigger cities database
- Fullscreen: tap the cosmic watch logo
- Celestial Sphere: switch on/off in the Earth View
As we previously noted, Cosmic-Watch doesn’t really solve any real-world problems, yet that doesn’t change the fact that this app is excellent for people whose needs go beyond telling time. The exquisitely designed app helps average and expert users alike understand time from an astronomical point of view.
And because Cosmic-Watch at its core is a clock, it’s nice to know the app remains Swiss-made, no?
You can download Cosmic-Watch on the App Store.