# What's Up? — Look up! It's the sky.

> Simple sky grid display for celestial object positions and observation insights. (iPhone/iPad app by John Kennedy.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whats-up/id393023070 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [John Kennedy](https://appshunter.io/developer/284943103)
- Category: Education, Reference
- Price: Free
- Rating: 4.60/5 from 8 App Store ratings · 16 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.5 · 49 MB
- Languages: American English, Czech, Dutch, French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Swedish
- Released: 2010-09-30
- Data updated: 2026-07-18
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whats-up/id393023070/reviews.md

## What is What's Up??

Whether you're deciding if it's worth setting up your telescope or simply curious about that bright 'star,' What's Up? is the perfect companion for sky enthusiasts.

Key Features:

• Simple Sky Grid Display: View the positions of the Sun, Moon, and planets on an intuitive grid representing the night sky.
• Effortless Navigation: No augmented reality or motion tracking needed—just a straightforward display to see what's up.
• Time-Bar Functionality: Slide the time-bar to forecast the appearance of your favorite planets and their directions.
• Comprehensive Information: Displays the location of the Sun, Moon, planets, and even Pluto.
• Observation Insights: Instantly identify which celestial objects are prime for observation.
• Moon Phases: Stay updated with the current moon phase.
• Wikipedia Links: Dive deeper with quick access to Wikipedia pages for detailed information.
• Southern Hemisphere Support: Sky-watchers down south are covered too.
• Minimal Network Usage: Only needed for Wikipedia access.
• Note: Localizations are limited to planet names.

For a full 3D rendered experience with motion tracking, check out our award-winning companion app, Pocket Universe.

If you already own Pocket Universe, you'll find What's Up? familiar yet even more user-friendly, with a sleeker design and quicker access to the "Currently Visible" mode, and basic Apple Watch support.

## Key features

- Simple sky grid display
- Effortless navigation
- Time-bar functionality
- Comprehensive celestial information
- Observation insights
- Moon phases
- Wikipedia links

## Recent user reviews (10 of 16)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/whats-up/id393023070/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Great App - Shame about the moon

*2018-07-29, version 3.5*

This is a great app, would have given 5* however the moon seems to be 1/2 a orbit out on the Orrery view ie when it is a full moon in reality the moon is showing between the earth and sun (new moon) hope this big is fixed soon

### 1/5 — Do not buy.

*2015-06-21, version 3.0*

Rubbish. I got more info looking up at a cloudy sky than I did from this useless app.

### 5/5 — Excellent quick and easy reference for planetary viewing

*2013-06-27, version 2.3*

This is a great app for quickly seeing what solar system objects are observable in the next couple of days.  Much easier to use than the full planetarium apps.  Great for urban stargazers who have too much light pollution for deep sky objects.   Being able to see the target's elevation and progress through the sky is very useful for planning observation.

Highly recommended.

### 3/5 — A Shame Because a Great App :-(

*2012-07-22, version 2.2*

This was working fine on my 2g ipod touch ios 4.2.1 but is now no longer compatible :-(
I plan to buy the new 5g touch in Sept, and hopefully the app will work on that.

### 2/5 — simple and fast but...it's glitched.

*2012-06-21*

...it does Not save your location.
it always wants to geo locate you, bummer.

### 3/5 — A nice app, but limited usefulness.

*2012-01-24*

A nice app if all you want to know is what is up in the sky and roughly where it is.  But there are better apps available, some of which are free.  The graphics here are low resolution, which is somewhat annoying.

### 4/5 — Simple yet elegant

*2011-02-02*

Easy to use, very intuitive. Graphics could be sharper. Would like to be able to add other objects, not just planets.

### 5/5 — Way cool :-)

*2010-11-19, version 0*

Simple and to the point, with a really nice animation of sky objects.

### 5/5 — Great!

*2010-10-21, version 0*

No messing around, this app launches in seconds and does exactly what it promises to do! For 59p I didn't even hesitate and looking back, I have no regrets!

### 3/5 — Good start

*2010-10-16*

A good start. Has potential. I have had problems with it not working as advertised, but app assistance was great. An update will likely correct shortcomings.

## Frequently asked questions about What's Up?

### What's Up? is free, but are there any in-app purchases?

What's Up? is completely free to download and use. There are no in-app purchases available within the application, offering a straightforward experience for all users.

### Does What's Up? have ads?

No, What's Up? is ad-free. You can enjoy tracking celestial objects without any interruptions from advertisements.

### What devices does What's Up? support?

What's Up? is available on a range of Apple devices, including the Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and iPod. This broad compatibility allows for skygazing on your preferred device.

### How often is What's Up? updated?

The latest version of What's Up? is 3.12, and it was last updated on July 1, 2024. This indicates regular maintenance and potential feature additions to keep the app current.

### What is the age rating for What's Up?

What's Up? has an age rating of 4+. This suggests it is suitable for young children and contains no mature content, making it accessible for family use.

### How does What's Up? help with learning?

What's Up? provides observation insights and links to Wikipedia for detailed information on celestial objects. This educational approach helps users identify and learn about planets, the Sun, and the Moon.

### Can I track my progress in What's Up?

What's Up? focuses on real-time sky observation rather than tracking learning progress. It's designed for immediate information and forecasting of celestial events.

### What makes What's Up? user-friendly?

What's Up? features a simple sky grid display and effortless navigation without requiring augmented reality. Its sleeker design and quicker access to visible modes make it highly user-friendly, especially for those familiar with its companion app.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.12 — 2024-07-01

Improved location finding, improved support for running on Apple Silicon-based Mac computers.

### 3.11 — 2024-06-22

The app is now supported on a Mac running Apple Silicon.

### 3.10 — 2024-03-28

Following a user request (thank you!), some bright stars are now - optionally - displayed.

### 3.9 — 2024-03-15

Support for landscape and portrait modes when using on iPad

### 3.8 — 2023-11-30

This is a minor update that better supports different screen sizes.

## Apps similar to What's Up?

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Star Gazer: Sky Map& Astronomy](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-gazer-sky-map-and-astronomy/id1441048929) | 3.8 (6,775) | Free | Education |
| [Star Walk 2 Plus: Live Sky Map](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/star-walk-2-plus-live-sky-map/id1112481571) | 4.6 (92,594) | Free | Education |
| [Classic Sky Map 2](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/classic-sky-map-2/id1137455038) | 4.7 (8,890) | Free | Education |
| [Pocket Universe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-universe/id306916838) | 4.5 (253) | Free | Education |
| [SkyView® Lite](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skyview-lite/id413936865) | 4.5 (18,474) | Free | Education |
| [StarMap 3D](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/starmap-3d/id324038407) | 4.8 (1,309) | $1.99 | Education |

## More apps by John Kennedy

- [Pocket Universe](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-universe/id306916838)
- [Sky Time](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sky-time/id473539346)
- [Spelling Test](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spelling-test/id478561217)
- [Asstrology - Your Future Is Behind You](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/asstrology-your-future-is-behind-you/id486930635)
- [Pocket Universe Classic](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocket-universe-classic/id567184849)

All apps by John Kennedy: https://appshunter.io/developer/284943103

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-07-18.*