Recommended software (Mac and Win)

[kaisersoze]

Hi all,

Not sure if this has been discussed before here in the forum.

I have just started playing with Stellarium and so far I think it is brilliant.

Do you recommend any other software?

Also, is there a software to log observations, something like a diary?

Thank you in advance!

[AndyWB]

I use a spreadsheet to track what I've seen of the Messier/Caldwell/Herschel 400 catalogs. That's pretty useful.

But as a log, I prefer pen and paper. That way I can stick things in it, like cuttings from magazines, etc..

[James]

There's a whole host of software options out there, some, similar to Stellarium, some free (Cartes du Ciel for example), some cost (Starry Night, The SkyX, Skysafari etc).

For logging observations and even imaging information in my case I use Astroplanner, works on Mac and Windows...

James

[AlexB67]

There's a whole host of software options out there, some, similar to Stellarium, some free (Cartes du Ciel for example), some cost (Starry Night, The SkyX, Skysafari etc).

For logging observations and even imaging information in my case I use Astroplanner, works on Mac and Windows...

James

Looks like a pretty nice bit of software, just downloading after seeing the manual

[Swedeman2013]

Had all kinds of failures trying to get Starry Nights on my Mac with Mountain Lion, scrubbed it after many attempts it seems Mac unfriendly.

[Rob63]

If you have an iPad, I find GoSkyWatch incredibly useful (I think it's around £6.99) it has a night time display for use in the field to save dark adapted eyes

I believe the same company also does GoSatWatch if you are into tracking satellites.

There’s bound to be something similar on android platforms

[AndyWB]

If you have an iPad...

Ah, well, if we're talking iOS, I find SkySafari Pro excellent, and I like Scope Nights (forecast), Moon Globe (a moon map), JupiterMoons and SaturnMoons (um, the position of moons!), ISS spotter (ISS forecast)

[NickK]

Once you have got into the "I wonder what that is".. try Aladin - download the client. A bit of a learning curve to use but it's exceptional in stimulating new ideas for targets.

Have a look at this thread:

There are tools to try different libraries, measure the size of targets using drawn lines etc.

Faint fuzzies? Usually it knows more than stellarium or any other:

[zikalify]

I find it fun to check on celestia to see what I've been looking it, you can search for stars and galaxies (although it's picky and you have to type m 31 with a space instead of m31). But it flies you through space to the objects you want to look at.

[TieFighter8114]

For logging observations and even imaging information in my case I use Astroplanner, works on Mac and Windows...

James

WOW, this looks really awesome!! Thanks for the info!!

[devoncow]

For logging observations and even imaging information in my case I use Astroplanner, works on Mac and Windows...

This looks interesting, thank you