Decent Astronomy software - Page 2

tycho102 · 09-28-06, 04:08 PM

I have an old version of Starry Night Pro. Although it's severely outdated for near-Earth objects, all the light-year stuff is still accurate. It's also OpenGL, so it renders well in 3D. The interface is decent. Navigation is easy, but time changes could be made quite a bit easier. Maybe they've changed it with more current versions.

On a related note, I've been looking at the truss-tube dobsonian scopes. My old scope has seen better days (not to mention the optics). I figure 8" is more than what I could use with all the city-glow, and they are compact (and lightweight) enough that I could find a place to store it. Anyone messed around with a Lightbridge?

Skybird · 09-28-06, 05:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tycho102

Anyone messed around with a Lightbridge?

No, but I used to use an Scottish-made NGC1701 Beamer for that certain plus in immediate experience.

Perilscope · 09-28-06, 05:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

He he, I use 3DS MAX and sometimes make renders of scenes when doing little 20 second movies.
Got a 3.2 Ghz P4 and there is a huge cooling chimney to help drawa off the heat and direct it out the box.
Also my room is chilled

So I see that you do render, and well equipped to take any beatings too. cool!

TteFAboB · 09-28-06, 07:23 PM

Great suggestions here.

3Jane · 09-28-06, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

Anyone recommend some decent planitarium or astronomy programs, like Redshift but shareware or freeware that I can download. Something that has flybyes of planets and animations of the solar system would be good.

It's mainly for my daughter as she loves stars and the planets and it would be fun. Also any games that a 4 year old could get to grips with that are linked to this would be good.

I am still using Redshift 4, but the latest version is probably available. The best I have seen so far.

Wim Libaers · 09-30-06, 05:24 PM

If you have Linux/Unix with KDE, Kstars is good.
http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdeedu/kstars/
There's also Xephem, however the full system is not free or gratis.
http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/

XabbaRus · 09-30-06, 05:27 PM

I got both Stellarium and Celestial

Both me likee very much.

I'm going to go to some field nearby and do a panoramic photo job so I can put my own scene in Stellarium
Celestial I'm going to use to teach my daughter about the solar system and also learn to write scripts to do a fly by set to Holst's The Planets suite. I know original but what the hell.

What I want to do is a script that follows Voyager from earth to exiting the solar system.

cheers Sky and MS you have come up trumps.

Skybird · 09-30-06, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XabbaRus

also learn to write scripts to do a fly by set to Holst's The Planets suite.

try to find an old CD with Tomita'S version of Holst's The Planets. If you do not know him, in the 70s and 80s he used synthesizers for electronical interpretations of classical music, some of these have resulted in really famous albums. Tomita's The Planets is like a radio play in sound and music, from countdown and launch of the rocket to leaving the solar system, having memories of man's cradle back on earth - more impressive than the classical original (which is not true of all his works).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Planets-Tomi...e=UTF8&s=music

Camaero · 10-01-06, 01:17 AM

Awesome program guys! I am having fun with this thing. Space is just so amazing.

lesrae · 10-01-06, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MSgalileo

for me it s Stellarium:

http://www.stellarium.org/

Screenshoots:
http://www.stellarium.org/screenshots.html

Nice bit of software - cheers

XabbaRus · 10-01-06, 04:22 PM

How about a script competition. See who can come up with fun stuff.

Skybird · 10-02-06, 01:42 AM

anyone here who has tried the blue marble textures for Earth - more than 1 GB of data, that is? some detail-screenshots would be appreciated.

Camaero · 10-02-06, 03:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skybird

anyone here who has tried the blue marble textures for Earth - more than 1 GB of data, that is? some detail-screenshots would be appreciated.

What blue marble textures are you speaking of?

Gizzmoe · 10-02-06, 04:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Camaero

What blue marble textures are you speaking of?

http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/earth.php

Skybird · 10-02-06, 04:11 PM

I finally found some "hidden" pictures at the page describingn what blue marble is:

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/

Screenshots here:

<LI class=head>High-resolution images:
1024 by 1024 screen (190 kB JPEG)
4096 by 4096 screen (1 MB JPEG)
4096 by 4096 print (12 MB PNG)

09-28-06, 04:08 PM	#16
tycho102 Ace of the Deep Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 1,100 Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I have an old version of Starry Night Pro. Although it's severely outdated for near-Earth objects, all the light-year stuff is still accurate. It's also OpenGL, so it renders well in 3D. The interface is decent. Navigation is easy, but time changes could be made quite a bit easier. Maybe they've changed it with more current versions. On a related note, I've been looking at the truss-tube dobsonian scopes. My old scope has seen better days (not to mention the optics). I figure 8" is more than what I could use with all the city-glow, and they are compact (and lightweight) enough that I could find a place to store it. Anyone messed around with a Lightbridge? __________________ My little Silent Hunter 4 repository

09-28-06, 07:23 PM	#19
TteFAboB Admiral Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,247 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	Great suggestions here. __________________ "Tout ce qui est exagéré est insignifiant." ("All that is exaggerated is insignificant.") - Talleyrand

09-30-06, 05:27 PM	#22
XabbaRus Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 5,330 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	I got both Stellarium and Celestial Both me likee very much. I'm going to go to some field nearby and do a panoramic photo job so I can put my own scene in Stellarium Celestial I'm going to use to teach my daughter about the solar system and also learn to write scripts to do a fly by set to Holst's The Planets suite. I know original but what the hell. What I want to do is a script that follows Voyager from earth to exiting the solar system. cheers Sky and MS you have come up trumps. __________________

10-01-06, 01:17 AM	#24
Camaero The Old Man Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: USA, Massachusetts Posts: 1,477 Downloads: 18 Uploads: 0	Awesome program guys! I am having fun with this thing. Space is just so amazing. __________________

10-01-06, 04:22 PM	#26
XabbaRus Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 5,330 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	How about a script competition. See who can come up with fun stuff. __________________

09-30-06, 05:24 PM	#21
Wim Libaers Samurai Navy Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: Flanders Posts: 569 Downloads: 4 Uploads: 0	If you have Linux/Unix with KDE, Kstars is good. http://docs.kde.org/stable/en/kdeedu/kstars/ There's also Xephem, however the full system is not free or gratis. http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/

10-02-06, 01:42 AM	#27
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,613 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	anyone here who has tried the blue marble textures for Earth - more than 1 GB of data, that is? some detail-screenshots would be appreciated. __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.

10-02-06, 04:11 PM	#30
Skybird Soaring Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: the mental asylum named Germany Posts: 42,613 Downloads: 10 Uploads: 0	I finally found some "hidden" pictures at the page describingn what blue marble is: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/BlueMarble/ Screenshots here: <LI class=head>High-resolution images: 1024 by 1024 screen (190 kB JPEG) 4096 by 4096 screen (1 MB JPEG) 4096 by 4096 print (12 MB PNG) __________________ If you feel nuts, consult an expert.