Astro Planning software opinions?

[kirkster501]

Hi, appreciate its a very subjective question. Deep Sky Planner, AstroPlanner and Skytools. Which ones is the best?

I'd also like to install on two machines if possible (though that's not a killer requirement) - one on my "browsing" machine to ummm and arrr what I am going to look at and a copy on the imaging laptop.

Any thoughts please? Deep Sky most important in terms of features. Also integration with EQmod/Ascom would be nice to create a kind of go to function to point m mount.

Rgds, Steve

[Merlin66]

IMHO the support of AstroPlanner by Paul Rodman put it head and shoulders above the rest!

[Mike73]

I'd be lost without Astroplanner, took a while to get used to but it really is such a good program!

[kirkster501]

Thanks guys for taking time to reply - I will check into that.

[Guest]

AstroPlanner does not support ASCOM however as it was designed for Mac so if that is a requirement then that could be an issue. If price is an issue then I would look at AstroPlanner, Eye & Telescope and Deep Space Planner v6. If it is not an issue then SkyTools is by far the best piece of software out there although it is pricey.

The main difference is the level of charting. The first 3 link into other charting programs (mostly CdC although E&T does support others) DSP and E&T have limted (in some sense ) databases whilst astroplanner has a wide range of catalogues available and the author will add more on request.n

Owe

[Merlin66]

I thought AstroPlanner did support ASCOM??????

I know I've used ASCOM features and that paul is working on further developments......

[Guest]

yes you are right Paul gave in. He had told me sometime ago he had no plans to do this because it did not work on Mac. Certainly it is there in 2.1 alpha.

Owen