Cosmic Watch is an interactive watch app developed as a learning tool for those who want to know more about time and space. It’s available in the Play market and on the App store
It looks great, with a glossy design that invokes earth and sky. It’s futuristic feeling graphics remind me of science fiction movies and make it very attractive for kids.
What does Cosmic Watch do?
The app contains quite a few useful features. First of all it’s a watch (and since it’s made in Switzerland you can be the happy owner of a Swiss watch simply by downloading this app). You can find out the time in your local area or in basically any other place in the world. To do so, you just by touch the country you’re interested in on the screen.
It’s also a great tool for those who want to know a bit more about our universe. Kids can discover the solar system, find out planets names and see the connections between them. There’s even an option to study the solar system from geocentric point of view (for those super-old-fashioned parents who want to ensure their kids get a pre-galilean education).
Using the “fast forward” and “rewind” buttons you can look at planetary positions in the past or the near future. You can also learn a lot about constellations and their positions on the celestial sphere. It can also be used to learn more about the Zodiac circle and look at it’s position in a particular moment of time for those who prefer astrology to astronomy.
Value for kids
The app really helps to connect and visualise the concepts of time and space.
I think this app can be quite a good instrument for school teachers to make lessons about our universe with. It could also be very helpful for young astronomers since the app has a feature which can help you to adjust a telescope correctly. It also gives you information on upcoming astronomical events, for example the nearest solar eclipse visible from your home.
Whilst the app can be interesting for younger kids to use on their own, I think that it’s at it’s best when used as an educational tool with the assistance of an adult. It holds a lot of potential as a conversation starter for talking with your kids about our universe.
