In celebration of the 50th anniversary of man’s first flight into space, on April 12, 1961, Mike Smithwick is releasing Distant Suns 2 free for the day (normally $5.99), and Distant Suns 3 (the Universal version) at half-price (normally $9.99).

App Store Description
Sporting a database of over 130,000 stars, along with nebula and galaxies, Distant Suns has earned the reputation of both having one of the most realistic displays of the night sky, while being one of the easiest to use astronomy programs available for the most casual sky watchers and serious astronomers alike.

Features include:

• Compass aware for the 3GS level machines and above, and the iPad. Just aim and identify.
• Over 130,000 pinpoint stars scintillating like diamond dust in the palm of your hand
• Realistic ghostly band of the Milky Way
• All 88 constellations with images and articles on their mythology
• Preference panel to change the way stars are rendered in over a dozen different ways.
• The Messier catalog of galaxies, nebula and star clusters
• Dozens of photos from the Hubble Space Telescope
• All 8 planets (Pluto is optional)
• GPS aware
• Red interface to preserve your night vision
• What’s Up? Gives a quick one snapshot overview of where all of the important stuff is
• Landscape panoramas from observatories to ancient Greek ruins
• Easy one-handed operation.
• Point and Identify mode reveals a wealth of hidden data for each star, planet or deep-sky object
• Planetary data and information

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