Notes from a professional astronomer accompany the pictures

Oct 8, 2008 08:13 GMT  ·  By

Developer sendmetospace has released a cheap and useful reference app for users of an iPhone or iPod touch, called iAPODViewer. What it does is that it lets you access the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) more easily, and provides a hefty interface where descriptions accompany the breathtaking imagery.

iAPODViewer basically offers an iPhone-optimized interface when accessing NASA's Astronomy Picture of the Day. Rotated and full-size image viewing, zooming and scrolling, keyword searches, and the ability to save favorite APODs are the key features of iAPODViewer, an application that costs just two bucks on the iTunes App Store. Saved images are stored in your iPhone's photo library (complete with an expert's description), and can be viewed at any time.

The iTunes App Store description reads,

iAPODViewer is an iPhone and iPod Touch application that provides a friendly interface to NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day Website (APOD). Each day APOD presents an astronomical image along with a description written by a professional astronomer. [...] So if you are an astronomy student, an enthusiast or just interested in space and want to view and discover the mysteries of the universe around you, then iAPODViewer is for you.

Developer sendmetospace adds that, while iAPODViewer does a great job at showing the current day’s APOD image, the app also provides other benefits when accessing APOD in Safari. Those include an iPhone friendly interface with rotated views, easy navigation back and forth between daily APODs, keywords Search of every APOD ever published, a Random APOD, full size display of the APOD picture with the ability to zoom and scroll the image to reveal its detail, built-in Help Screens and more.

iAPODViewer is localized in both French and English, while localized date settings are also built inside the reference app. iPhone and iPod touch users running OS 2.0 or later can visit the iTunes App Store right now and get it.