Star Maps

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KLINK

I am looking for software that can tell me the location of planets in the
night sky. I have seen paid versions of this type of software, but I have
not come across any free versions.
 
KLINK said:
I am looking for software that can tell me the location of planets in the
night sky. I have seen paid versions of this type of software, but I have
not come across any free versions.
Click to expand...
Skymap pro 9 is excellent, and will do artificial satellites too.

It IS freeware, as Chris Marriott (the author) explains even now on
uk.sci.astronomy. It may not be as pretty as some, but it is the gold
standard on accuracy.

Much prettier, and ok for planning amateur observation is Stellarium

http://stellarium.free.fr/

Hello northern sky also comes reccommended

http://stellarium.free.fr/

HTH

mike r
 
The program called Carte du Ciel (it's in English) is superb. If you have
a
broadband ISP, I heartily recommend the FULL large package of 15 Megs
at: http://www.simtel.net/pub/dl/59452.shtml . Marvelous, simple marvelous!
And, I already own nearly every astronomy package that exists. Nobody needs
more than Carte du Ciel IMHO. I advise this package for all of my more
serious collegiate students who desire some hands-on observational
astronomy in addition to the stellar mechanics classes they will forget next
year.

======================================================
 
Is there a reference to freeware anywhere on http://www.skymap.com/?
Click to expand...
Doesn't appear to be - I'd never looked; but the eval version makes it very
clear.

I'm only a casual dabbler, so I don't in fact want the full version as it
would load my computer with megs of stuff I don't want, but I do use it all
the time, for artificial satellites and comets; I don't know if other
programs will deal with these.

I was deriving my freeware info from the thread "freeware planetarium
software" currently running on uk.sci.astronomy.

mike r
 
KLINK said:
I am looking for software that can tell me the location of planets in the
night sky. I have seen paid versions of this type of software, but I have
not come across any free versions.
Click to expand...
Skymaps.com, http://www.skymaps.com have a freely downloadable "Evening
Sky Map".

Cheers,
Gary B-)
 
I experienced a series of astronomical simulations as Skymap and
others (even payware), but since I come over CdC, this program is my
absolute favorit since 2 years. No program has all features perfect,
the one less the other better - it depends on your astronomical skill
and your personal preferencies.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information, Peter, I did go to the Cartes du Ciel site, but
could find nothing about artificial satellites, which is one of my
interests.

I guess if it can do that it can handle new comets by loading the published
data, so I'll take another look, though TBH I've got used to skymap (you
know how it is!).

But it *looked* as if it would handle animations better than skymap, which
is nice for sunrise/sunset retrograde motion and other things.

(Good old skyglobe was the _best_ at that)

So, as long as your info is signed in blood, I'll take on the monster
download.

mike r
 
KLINK said:
I am looking for software that can tell me the location of planets in the
night sky. I have seen paid versions of this type of software, but I have
not come across any free versions.
Click to expand...

Thanks to all who replied. StarCalc was the best program for me . Star
Charts had more bells and whistles and was similar to StarCalc was easier
for me to use.
 
mike ring - 27.08.2003 20:30 :
Thanks for the information, Peter, I did go to the Cartes du Ciel site, but
could find nothing about artificial satellites, which is one of my
interests.
Click to expand...

the artificial satellite features are automatically within the basic
program of actual CdC version 2.75. After installation you will find all
the necessary satellite files within the CdC installation subdirectory
....\cat\satellites. Important hint: it's a must to often download the
actual TLE satellite data! I usual do it once a week. To download these
TLE files you can do that from within the CdC program or, as I do,
weekly separately the two zipped files "visual.zip" and "iridium.zip"
from the URL

http://users2.ev1.net/~mmccants/tles/index.html

and simply unzip these 2 files to the above mentioned CdC subdirectory.
That's all. At the skycharts then you see the satellites (-paths)
against your local sky with all the stars, planets a.s.o..

If you have more questions how to handle the satellite viewing within
CdC - you are welcome.
 
the artificial satellite features are automatically within the basic
program of actual CdC version 2.75. After installation you will find
all the necessary satellite files within the CdC installation
subdirectory ...\cat\satellites. Important hint: it's a must to often
download the actual TLE satellite data! I usual do it once a week. To
download these TLE files you can do that from within the CdC program
or, as I do, weekly separately the two zipped files "visual.zip" and
"iridium.zip" from the URL

http://users2.ev1.net/~mmccants/tles/index.html

and simply unzip these 2 files to the above mentioned CdC
subdirectory. That's all. At the skycharts then you see the satellites
(-paths) against your local sky with all the stars, planets a.s.o..
Click to expand...
That sounds fine, Peter; thats what I do with skymap, and get the tle's
from celestrak.


The iridiums is interesting; AFAIK skymap won't do that, but I get my data
direct from heavens-above (they know my address - 51.6240N, 0.4200E), and
just save a weeks worth at a time.

I'll download when I get a chance and have a go

mike r
 
Not a program, but useful information:
http://www.heavens-above.com/
Click to expand...
Lovely site, Frank, (nice sig quote, too) I get my tle's and iridiums from
there, but apparently CdC needs a special type of tle.

I'm about to give up on CdC, it looks lovely, but like all these
opensource/gnu/linux progs it's completely incomprehensible to me - I'll
have to stick with skymap

mike r
 
mike ring - 31.08.2003 12:21 :
Lovely site, Frank, (nice sig quote, too) I get my tle's and iridiums from
Click to expand...

but the SIG is not RFC conform :-) A true SIG means "--space" and there
are some important reasons to a true, functioning SIG!
there, but apparently CdC needs a special type of tle.
Click to expand...

normal TLE's are shure working within CdC in the normal format as

Cosmos 44 Rk
1 00877U 64053B 03239.54739848 .00000027 00000-0 31396-4 0 5446
2 00877 65.0761 243.7486 0083915 284.8500 74.3314 14.57660918 66186

for example.

One source for visual an irdium TLEs is

http://users2.ev1.net/~mmccants/tles/index.html
I'm about to give up on CdC, it looks lovely, but like all these
opensource/gnu/linux progs it's completely incomprehensible to me - I'll
have to stick with skymap
Click to expand...

well, CdC is a rich featured astrononomical simulation even (with a
perfect satellite handling too!) Ok, if one has too few astronomical
backgroeund/skill, it is often not so simple working with it especially
with some deeper going astronomical features. But this would be with
other astronomical feature rich programs. But once you have the
astronomical background, CdC is a very good application.
 
normal TLE's are shure working within CdC in the normal format as

Cosmos 44 Rk
1 00877U 64053B 03239.54739848 .00000027 00000-0 31396-4 0 5446
2 00877 65.0761 243.7486 0083915 284.8500 74.3314 14.57660918 66186

for example.

One source for visual an irdium TLEs is

http://users2.ev1.net/~mmccants/tles/index.html


well, CdC is a rich featured astrononomical simulation even (with a
perfect satellite handling too!) Ok, if one has too few astronomical
backgroeund/skill,
Click to expand...

Thank you for your interest, Peter, but I've got enough astro savvy to work
skymap, but nothing like enough computer savvy to work CDC.

The instructions seem incomprehensible what's the bit about needing a space
on the end of each tle line? - will celestrak norad tle's work?

And I cannot understand if it will display a track or not

Skymap: select a satellite, say how many days you want to look ahead to see
the passes, select a pass, display it on the map.

I can't even understand if CdC will do this, let alone how.

I am *really* sorry that I'm not clever enough, but I suspect there are
more like me than like you!

If you know anywhere I can find instructions in English, (or any earth
language) not Klingon, I would be very grateful for a pointer

Regards

Mike r
 
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