Tracking solar orbit

Have you heard about the app that helps you to visualise the position of the sun and the moon using augmented reality (AR) technology?

Using the AR camera function, Sun Surveyor shows you the trajectory of both across the sky relative to the real space in front of you. Even if you’re indoors, you can easily locate both through the ceiling.

Select AR Camera from the in-app menu to automatically launch the camera and point your iPhone or iPad to the sky. As you view the real space around you onscreen, you’ll see the sun indicated by yellow circles.

The direction the sun will move in during the day is then displayed via a yellow arc. You can visualise the movement according to the position of the yellow circles along the arc. There is a time axis in one-hour units marked on the trajectory, so you can see where the sun will be at noon and when it will hit the horizon. And you can correlate those positions with the environment around you.

The sun moves from east to west sure, but being able to see this movement reproduced in front of you in a real-world view is not just fascinating, it’s also useful for your creativity. Take photography and video-making for example. When you know what the direction of sunlight will be, you can predict how the light will fall on a subject, changes to light intensity, as well as the appearance and direction of shadows.

From the menu at the top-left of the screen, tap the Details icon to view basic information about the sun and the moon. This displays accurate details including the length of the day when the sun is up, sunrise and sunset times, and even the time and length of the golden and blue hours (when photography opportunities are at their most glorious).

With information like this combined with the app’s AR camera technology, you’ll be able to find the right time and place to start photographing. Now you can predict where your subject should be to get the right light and the timeframe that will be optimum for capturing your photos.

Sun Surveyor can also help with everyday activities too. For example, when arranging furniture or considering where to place plants on a veranda, you can easily find the best location when you know where the sun beams will land. It’s something that might also be useful when deciding on a new home.

The app’s 3D compass animates the movement of the sun and the moon over time. Move the slider at the bottom of the screen either left or right to move backwards or forwards in time and to change the date. That way, you can see the positioning of the sun in a room or outdoor space across seasons. When you know how much light enters a room or shines on a veranda and from which direction, you’ll have a clearer picture of the space before you.

And what about when it’s dark outside? Use the app to prepare for night-time photography shoots and stargazing, it even shows you the next predicted supermoon and Milky Way visibility.

While the sun and moon have guided us for aeons, Sun Surveyor now brings AR to the fold, and it’s out of this world.

Sun Surveyor (Sun & Moon)

Your Personal Sun & Moon Guide

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