Gaze at the stars in Hoshizora Navi, feel like an insignificant speck
by Chris Greenhough 
{ Jan 20th 2009 at 1:15PM }
From this March, DS owners in Japan will be able to navigate the night skies, thanks to astronomy magazine publisher Astroarts. Hoshizora Navi (Starry Sky Navigator) was first revealed in March 2008, but now an official site has opened, rich with details.Apparently, the software comes packed with star charts containing 9,300 stars, the sun, planets, the moon, various constellations, and assorted meteor groups. Also, budding astronomers will be able to view the night sky at any point between 1900 and 2099, and even stargaze from several viewing locations across the globe. To help you differentiate between your Apastron and your Aphelion, there's an onboard astronomical dictionary of more than 400 terms.
But allow us to remind you of the best bit: the Hoshizora Navi cartridge will come with a built-in positional sensor, meaning that as your DS moves, so does the view on your screen, to match your own! It's undoubtedly very clever, even though the tech has clearly pushed the price sky-high -- Hoshizora Navi goes on sale on March 26 for ¥8,190 (around $90)!
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Hardy @ Jan 20th 2009 1:25PM
Considering who it's made for, it's kind of worth it.
Also as a teaching tool, 90 bucks is nothing.
Olicon @ Jan 21st 2009 9:28PM
Indeed. I would drop $90 in a heartbeat on this IF it is in English.
It's really not much help for me in Japanese.
Also, this thing has sort of a built in GPS? Now that opens a whole new world of possibility, doesn't it? Location based gaming, here we come!
justin @ Jan 20th 2009 3:19PM
It's very interesting. At least on paper it sounds like a great program. Hope it does well and sees a release in the states. I would buy it for sure. I would probably get it for my niece and nephew also.
raFa @ Jan 20th 2009 5:20PM
Oh! Interesting.
When I go stargazing I usually take my laptop or a couple of books I squint over. This seems great. But I'm definitively not sure about the price.
ecco6t9 @ Jan 20th 2009 6:30PM
Hopefully someone picks this one up for release.
Robert27 @ Jan 20th 2009 7:54PM
At first I thought it was a Navi (from zelda )game and I was like WTF?!.
Still this sound cool.
chispito @ Jan 21st 2009 4:11AM
Could be kind of fun, though it would ruin your night vision most likely.