DIY Sun Science vs Solar System Clock
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
DIY Sun Science
Explore the Sun through hands-on activities and real-time data. This app offers 15 engaging experiments, live solar images from NASA, and educational videos to foster understanding of solar science for families and educators.
- 15 hands-on solar activities
- Step-by-step instructions
- Live Sun images from NASA SDO
- NASA Earth and space observatory images
- NASA solar videos
- Learn about solar activity
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DIY Sun Science is designed to make it easy for families and educators to learn about the Sun anywhere, anytime! The app is developed by UC Berkeley’s The Lawrence Hall of Science, the Children's Creativity Museum, and Sciencenter; funded by NASA. HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES DIY Sun Science includes 15 easy-to-use hands-on activities to learn about the Sun and its important relationship with Earth. Learn how to cook in a solar oven, measure the size of the Sun, or explore shadows in model Moon craters! Each activity includes step-by-step instructions that have been tested by educators, kids, and families. Activity materials are easily available and inexpensive—you may already have many of them in your home! SUN OBSERVATORY Want to see the Sun right now in different wavelengths? Use DIY Sun Science to view live images of the Sun from NASA’s SDO satellite in the Sun Observatory. Afterwards, you can learn more about the solar activity you observed and test your new knowledge. IMAGES AND VIDEOS See awe-inspiring images of the Sun from NASA’s Earth and space observatories! Learn about the different features of the Sun and how scientists are studying it. You can even watch NASA videos of the Sun from the past 48 hours. Praise & Reviews: —Featured by Apple in "Best New Apps" and "Education" —Common Sense Media: “DIY Sun Science is a great way to spark interest in astronomy and inspire learning. The activities are fun and engaging, and they tie in nicely with important astronomy concepts.” —Gizmodo: “A must for budding astronomy enthusiasts.”
Solar System Clock
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See the positions of all planets in our Solar System based on the current date. Or, you can set your own custom date to see the alignment of our planets from a future date or a past date. You can use this app to find out the best time to watch a planet in the sky by finding out when it will be closest to Earth.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Solar System Clock at every 2 days against DIY Sun Science's every 6 months. DIY Sun Science's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.6). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
DIY Sun Science ships an update every 6 months, Solar System Clock every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | DIY Sun Science | Solar System Clock |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (21 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 91.7% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 21 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 134 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | The Lawrence Hall of Science | Mateusz Andrzejczuk |
In-app purchases
DIY Sun Science
No in-app purchases
Solar System Clock
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is DIY Sun Science free?
Is Solar System Clock free?
Do DIY Sun Science or Solar System Clock have ads?
Which is updated more often, DIY Sun Science or Solar System Clock?
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