software suitable for a beginner?

[Kermit]

Hi - I've been slowly teaching myself the sky from Turn Left & magazines & now feel I've got a good enough basic grasp to progress onto some software (I mainly want to use this initially on those nights when I can't observe - Live in the Lake District so lots of rain). Had a play with a free copy of Stellarium which is fun - but seems clunky - what would you guys recommend? Ideally I'd like something where I can put in my coordinates & get a realistic view - can these programs be interlinked with the ISS & satellite info? Can you overlay your own horizons / blockages (next door's barn etc)?

Recommendations welcome - thanks

[GazOC]

I find the Starry Night series very intuitive and easy to use.

Stellarium is a great freeware program as well.

[Greg]

Have a look here and welcome to the forum...

http://freeware.intrastar.net/astronmy.htm

Lots of goodies ...

Greg

[Astroman]

Earth Centered Universe is my personal favorite for a quick look. It has customizable local horizons, comet/asteroid entry and so on. Doesn't do satellites, but that's what Heavens-Above.com is for. Very easy to use.

[proflight2000]

if you want to see satellites ect, then orbitron (google it) is a great programme and free. Starry night allows you to put in the files needed for satellites, but limits you to 150. I like starry night myself, easy to use and very nice to look at, although I would love a copy of redshift 6 to see what its like. You can add your own horizons to starry night using a panoramic picture you take yourself, but it always comes across as complicated to me.

Another nice free programme is Cartes de ciel (google it) pretty nice to look at and prints star charts very nicely indeed. One other thing id recommend, is the cambridge star atlas, the maps are drawn by Wil Tirion who is a genius to say the least and the charts are superb, amazon do it for about £19.00.

[Tinkerbell]

All the particulars You requested = The Sky 6 Pro 8)