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Planet Wheel

Planet Wheel

by Virtix Ltd

21 ratings
40 reviews
📚 Education
🔍 Reference

Archived App

This is an archived listing of the app previously available on the App Store.

Although the app is no longer distributed by Apple, you can still view its description, screenshots, version history, ratings, and metadata for reference.

Details

  • Released
  • Updated
  • May 5, 2010
  • May 4, 2022

Developer

Virtix Ltd
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About

Track celestial bodies in the night sky with this interactive tool. It displays the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets, and includes a starmap to help you locate them against the backdrop of stars. You can also animate their movements and view historical or future positions.

✓Interactive planet wheel display
✓Starmap for locating celestial objects
✓Animated celestial movement
✓View planet positions 1900-2100
✓Identify visible constellations
✓Check Moon phase
Show original description

What's New in Planet Wheel

1.10

May 4, 2022

- Updated to work well on the latest version of iOS - Star map layout adjusted and improved

User reviews

Most RecentHighest RatedLowest Rated

Fun and worth the investment

This an enjoyable way to understand time. It is a great gift for anyone of any age interested in the stars. It is also very handsome and a great addition to your IPhone.
SF PresidioSF Presidio

Hoping for an update with settings

Great app! I realize that this app shows the actual amount of space that the constellations take up from our perspective on earth but was also hoping to switch back and forth from this view to a Western Tropical Zodiac display of the signs with each sign fitting neat into 30 degrees portions of the sky. The precession or “the wobble” of the earths orbit was discovered by the Greek astronomer Hipparchus in BC times and written about by Astrologer Claudius Ptolemy in the Hellenistic era. Even though the original observations of the constellations informed what were believed to be characteristics of the Signs of the Zodiac, it was deemed more important to keep the Astrology locked into the Equinoxes and Solstices. Because amount of light, length of day and seasonal changes were considered more important in this geocentric system than our shifting view of the stars. Most astrologers in India use the Sidereal Zodiac which is locked onto the constellations and not the Equinoxes and Solstices. This system is also not perfect because it also uses 30 degrees for each of the different sized constellations. The reason I believe it would be beneficial to include Zodiac options in your settings is because of the thousands of years of history associated with these beliefs. After all thousands of years ago people did a lot more sky gazing. Anyway I wouldn’t be the only one that would appreciate this being an option and your app would become far more popular. Also you are using the Aries glyph to represent the lunar north node which is going to confuse people. Cheers
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MarLunkMarLunk

Great app but could be better

RA and declination are much harder to use than elevation and azimuth when a quick fix is needed, especially if not familiar with the area. Would prefer to have this selectable in a settings menu.
Deb_MNDeb_MN

Love it!

A great app!
WhateveryoWhateveryo

Very Detailed

Beautifully designed!
Rivadiva921Rivadiva921
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FAQ

What does the Planet Wheel app do?

The Planet Wheel app helps you track the positions of celestial bodies in the Solar System. It provides an interactive display of the Sun, Moon, and major planets, along with a starmap to help you locate them against the background of stars. You can also see which constellations are visible and check the Moon's phase.

How can I use the Planet Wheel to find planets?

The main Planet Wheel display shows you which planets are currently visible and the best time to observe them. The Starmap feature then overlays these planets onto a star chart, allowing you to identify their positions relative to constellations and guide your observation.

Can I see past or future planet positions?

Yes, the app allows you to look back or forward in time for a range of two hundred years, from 1900 to 2100. You can use the animation buttons to watch the Sun, Moon, and planets travel across the sky forwards or backwards in time.

Is the Planet Wheel app free to use?

Based on the provided information, the Planet Wheel app is free to use and does not have in-app purchases or advertisements. It offers full access to online resources on the Electronic Sky Website.

What are the main features of the Planet Wheel app?

Key features include an interactive Planet Wheel display for checking visibility, a Starmap for locating objects against stars, animated displays of celestial movement, the ability to view positions between 1900 and 2100, and information on visible constellations and the Moon's phase.