When we were children, we all used our imaginations to explore the unknown. In our dreams, we could become astronauts floating amongst the stars while traveling to the different planets in our solar system.
As we got older, these dreams began to drift away as real life set in. But what if you could fulfill that dream without having to leave the comfort of your own home? Space by Tinybop is an app that can feed your inner child by allowing you a chance to explore the planets and stars of the Milky Way.
According to the website, “[As children] we grew up playing with toys that activated the most colorful realms of our imaginations. Our blocks were skyscrapers and galaxies – whatever we wanted them to be. We’re creating elegant, educational iOS apps to spark the curiosity of kids around the world today. In our apps, kids play and learn by diving into big ideas, seeing how things work, and making connections about the world they live in.”
The app allows you to blast off in a spaceship so you can explore the various elements of the Solar System. You can visit Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, or take a test drive on the Mars rover, Curiosity. The app lets you visit the fiery surface of the sun without burning up, “jump into a wild space storm on Venus, discover diamonds on Neptune, and spin on Saturn’s rings.”
Your inner child can travel through the cosmos, find out what happens when meteorites hit planets, and learn about and discover the different phases of the moon. After exploring the different planets and their surfaces, you can compare and contrast the sizes and masses of each planet.
According to the website, the creators of the app “conduct[ed] thorough research and collaborated with subject experts to get the facts right. We worked with
celebrated artists to create vibrant illustrations, and we engineered intelligent animations for delightful, dynamic experiences.” Jessie Sattler is an artist and designer at Tinybop who helps create beautiful apps like Space.
In an interview, she shared her inspiration for the app, saying, “Space is so inspiring on its own, so the beauty and mystery of it kept me excited throughout the project. Reading centuries-old explanations of natural occurrences, like meteor showers and eclipses, was helpful in designing an app for children. Most depictions were made by observation and imagination, akin to how children begin to understand the mysteries of the world.”
Although the app is made for children, it is also a great way for adults to keep their inner children’s imaginations alive and well. Space by Tinybop is available for download on iOS devices for $2.99.
Featured Image by Beth Scupham on Flickr
Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
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