In the shops
The latest books, apps, software, tech and accessories for space and astronomy fans alike
Our pick of the best books, apps, software and accessories
App
Cosmic Watch
Cost: £3.99
From: iTunes
Cosmic Watch is a 3D planetarium, an AR sky guide and a clock. This powerful educational tool renders stunning graphics of the Earth and sky in real time. It's a playful introduction to astronomy.
Take an astronaut's flight over planet Earth or explore the entire Solar System. Point your phone or tablet towards the sky and experience it in augmented reality. Get to know the constellations, stars and planets in your sky right now! Travel to the past, present and future and see how time is related to the movements of the Solar System.
Cosmic Watch combines basic principles of astronomy with time measurement to deliver a journey through space and time while providing real-time visualisations of your position in the cosmos. Cosmic Watch 2.0 calculates important astronomical events so you never miss the next cosmic phenomena.
Cosmic Watch is for everyone who loves the planet Earth or wishes to unlock the secrets of the celestial vault. It's a must-have for nature lovers and outdoor adventures, amateur astronomers and advanced stargazers.
Book Paperscapes: The Spectacular Journey into Space
Cost: £12.99
From: Carlton Books
The Spectacular Journey into Space certainly is just that as it delves into the natural wonders found in the universe, featuring the brilliant objects and machines that have gone – and will go – into space. The unique die-cut format lets the stunning photos leap off the page, forming a gallery of everything from stars and rovers to telescopes and probes. From the Space Shuttle to the Space Launch System, there's something new to discover with every turn of the page. The pages are double-sided, beginning with the Sun before gradually moving through the planets of the Solar System, and featuring the International Space Station along with a variety of space corporations and missions.
While this book will be adored by anyone who is enthusiastic about space, the book would certainly be appreciated by the young who are new to learning about the universe. Thanks to the die-cut pages that allow you to pop out sections, turning the book into a work of art, you can truly discover space as you’ve never seen it before.
“It creates a 3D planetarium of the entire universe from real data”
Book
The Vinyl Frontier: The Story of the Voyager Golden Record
Cost: £16.99
From: Bloomsbury Sigma
The Vinyl Frontier tells the story of NASA's interstellar mixtape, from the first phone call to Voyager 1 and 2 leaving our planet bearing their hopeful message from the summer of 1977. The Vinyl Frontier explains how the record was created, from when NASA first proposed the idea to Carl Sagan to when it was finally able to watch the Golden Record rocket off into space on Voyager, carrying music composed by Bach, Beethoven and Chuck Berry as well from China, India and more remote cultures such as a community in Small Malaita in the Solomon Islands. It also contained a message of peace from US president Jimmy Carter, a variety of scientific figures and dimensions and instructions on how to use it for a variety of alien life forms. Each song, sound and picture that made the final cut onto the record has a story to tell.
Through interviews with all of the key players involved in its creation, this book pieces together the whole story of the Golden Record. It contains many other fascinating insights that have never been reported before.
Software Space Engine
Cost: Free
From: spaceengine.org
SpaceEngine is a realistic virtual universe you can explore on your computer; a proprietary 3D astronomy program and game engine developed by Russian astronomer and programmer Vladimir Romanyuk. It creates a 3D planetarium of the entire universe from a combination of real astronomical data and scientifically accurate algorithms.
You can travel from star to star, from galaxy to galaxy, landing on any planet, moon, or asteroid with the ability to explore its alien landscape.
You can alter the speed of time and observe any celestial phenomena you please. All transitions are completely seamless, and this virtual universe has a size of billions of light years across. The procedural generation is based on real scientific knowledge, so SpaceEngine depicts the universe the way it is thought to be by modern science. Real celestial objects are also present to explore, including the planets and moons of our Solar System.