Here's how to bring the majesty and mystery of space to your phone
This is Ode To..., a weekly column where we share the stuff we're really into in hopes that you'll be really into it, too.
Space is vast — infinite, even — and mysterious and mesmerizing. And guess what? It's never been easier to bring all of the amazing things about space right to your phone.
This may seem a bit counterintuitive. After all, space is never-ending, and your phone is, comparatively speaking, quite small. But current phone screens are like mini-HD TVs, and the breadth of WiFi and signal coverage means you can enjoy space from your phone almost anywhere.
Be it via Twitter accounts, livestreams, or apps, there's an abundance of space riches to enjoy on the go. Think of it like your little, personal mission control. If you're not taking advantage, you're missing out. Here's how you can experience all that space has to offer you on your mobile device.
An expanding Twitterverse
Space Twitter can be almost as overwhelming as space itself, but curating a list of accounts makes it easier to handle and navigate.
The best place to start is with the numerous (dozens of, actually) NASA accounts, from the official account to those of astronauts. They'll give you an overarching view of what's happening at America's space agency.
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Some NASA accounts are associated with actual missions. You'll find everything from the majesty of photos posted on the Cassini mission account (RIP) to the ongoing discoveries posted on the Mars Curiosity Rover account to all that Curiosity's new red planet neighbor, InSight, has to share.
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Don't sleep on tons of other space accounts, from the European Space Agency to the International Space Station, all of which share discoveries, images, videos, and more. They're all available in a single app.
Whichever accounts you follow, be sure to add the Hubble app for high-res images from the most famous telescope in history.
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Apps across the universe
As with the Twitter accounts, there are too many space-related apps to count. I've narrowed it down to three of my personal favorites, with a few other alternatives. Be sure to explore your app store of choice, though, for even more options.
Star Chart
While Star Chart hasn't been updated in several years, it still serves as one of my favorite constellation apps, utilizing geolocation and augmented reality (AR) to let you know exactly what you're looking at when you gaze up at the stars.
Point your phone at an object in the sky — star, planet, or constellation — to learn what you're looking at, and then tap that object for information. Boom, science!
If you're looking for other sky-watching apps with similar features, consider Night Sky or SkyView.
ISS Spotter
Fun fact: Did you know that a few times a year, you can look up and watch the International Space Station (ISS) zoom across the sky? The ISS Spotter app will help you plot when and where the ISS will be in viewing range.
The ISS Spotter shows you where the ISS currently is as well as a list of upcoming appearances over your locations, complete with star-ratings so you can make sure you get the best view. Other features include alarm settings so you don't miss out and a screen that can use your location to point you to the spot in the sky where the ISS will appear. It even includes how high up in the sky you need to look.
If web-based features are more your thing, there's also the Spot The Station website, where you can enter your address and generate email alerts for upcoming chances to spot the ISS as it twinkles down on you from above.
The NASA App
This is pretty much a no-brainer. It brings everything you love about NASA's presence on the web into one handy-dandy app. Live streams, photos, a complete list of Twitter accounts, ISS tracking, and the latest news are all at your fingertips.
Streaming space anywhere
I've written before about the ability to stream just about any sport from anywhere thanks to streaming apps and subscriptions. You can do the same thing with NASA. And unlike streaming sports, you can stream NASA TV for free. Besides the aforementioned NASA App, you can find it on video services, like YouTube, across the internet.
If you want something even grander to watch on your commute or at the office to bring the blood pressure down, NASA also offers up a feed of cameras from the ISS to view. They're not always live, but when they are, you can find them on NASA's YouTube page or UStream.
There are also plenty of archived videos to enjoy.
It's wonderful, glorious, and extremely accessible, all the information and beauty of space just a few taps away.
These views are — wait for it — out of this world (sorry not sorry) and well worth the effort of loading everything up on your phone. And with the latest successful probe landing on Mars, there's even more great space content to come.
Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.
