Object Info Help

The Object Info view shows a variety of information about the selected object. The exact information displayed depends upon the type of object you have selected (e.g. a star, planet, deep sky object, etc). For hundreds of the brightest stars, planets, and deep sky objects, the Object Info view also displays English-language descriptions and images of the object. Other controls let you center the object in the sky chart, slew or align your telescope to the object, or - in SkySafari Plus and Pro - go into orbit around the object!

In SkySafari Plus and Pro, when you're in orbit around another solar system object, the Object Info view provides all information about an object as it is seen from your perspective in orbit. For example, it gives the constellation in which the object appears, and the object's visual magnitude and distance, as seen from your simulated location in space - not as seen from Earth.

Object Data

At a minimum, SkySafari displays the following information for the object you selected:

Descriptions and Images

The Object Info view contains a Description button. This shows an English-language description, along with images, for several hundred of the brightest and best-known stars and deep sky objects. You can tap on image links within the descriptions to display full-screen images of the object. If your selected object has no description, this Description button not appear.

On iPads and Android tablets, the object's description (if it has one!) will appear along side its numerical information. There is no Description button. On iPads and other tablets, images are displayed in-line with the object descriptions. As on phones or other devices with smaller screens, you can tap on image links embedded in the descriptions to show full-screen versions of these images.

Other Controls

Along the bottom of the Object Info view are other buttons which let you center the object in the sky chart, go into orbit around it, slew your telescope to the object, or align the scope on the object.

Center: this button centers the object in the sky chart. See the Center button Help for more information.

If you are using your device's gyroscope or compass/altimeter, then tapping the Center button will not center the selected object directly. Instead, an arrow appears, leading you toward the selected object. Move your phone in the direction of the arrow to center the object in the field of view. When the object is centered, the arrow disappears, and your phone will be pointing toward the object's position in the sky.

iOS Users Please Note: for best results with the compass, turn your phone sideways to landscape mode.

Orbit: this button lets you leave Earth and orbit the object, if it's a solar system object. See the Orbit button Help for more information. Please Note: this button is only present in SkySafari Plus on Pro!

GoTo and Align: If you have connected with a GoTo telescope using your mobile device's Wi-Fi or bluetooth capability, or with SkyWire, additional buttons appear. These let you slew (GoTo) the object with your telescope, or to Align your telescope on the object. See the Scope Control view for more information about this.

Add Object to Observing List: Tap this button to add the object to an observing list. If you only have one observing list, the object will be added to that list. If you have more than one list, SkySafari will let you choose which list you want to add the object to.

Please Note: This feature is only available in SkySafari Plus and Pro.