10 replies to this topic

[SimonIRE]

I know the keypad and virtual keypad are all you really need but for those of you hooked up to a planetarium software package, which do you use and why?

I note that many use Carte du Ceil. But what about others......Stellarium? Sky Safari? Starry Night?

(I’m keen to hear views with cost taken out of the equation)

Thanks All,

Simon

[hnau]

Stellarium + StellariumScope for me. It makes ASCOM integration simple and easy; select an object and press ctrl+1. Dead center live views a short few seconds later.  Up to date catalogs for objects like comets is convenient as well.

[lambermo]

That'd be KStars for me, because it uses INDI to talk to my mount. Recently Stellarium and Sky Safari have INDI support as well, and I've tested both but KStars comes with EKOS which I use for imaging.

[Arie]

I have been using SkySafari ( on my Mac and Ipad) and TheSkyX (student) to look up objects and their position in the sky when creating a Sequence.

Now that I am starting with Voyager, I have CdC running.

[SimonIRE]

I was told by 10 Micron to use Perseus III - their proprietary planetarium. Obviously they are trying to sell me, but does anyone actually use it? I see almost nothing about it on CN....

[Arie]

Checked it out on their website.

All pretty vague. Cannot find any pricing and the links provided to resellers end up in even more vague websites......

And what I do see, is nothing special.

CdC is free. Stellarium is being refurbished, so StellariumScope will no longer be needed to connect your mount.

Bare in mind that if you plan to use Prism, this has its own planetarium build in.

Voyager has a limited selection of planetarium software to work with.

I can’t get it to accept theSkyX student version. Probably because it has no telescope connection in it.

[Der_Pit]

TS lists it in its web shop, at 155€ but with unknown delivery date....

 

It's Windows only anyhow, so it wouldn't be an option for everyone.

[guyroch]

I don't use any.  I don't have a need for a planetarium software.

 

I use AstroPlanner for high level planning... basically to get an idea of when is the optimal time to image a target throughout the year.

 

Once my targets are identified, I use the Mosaic tool in SGP to get a target framing I like and then I let SGP create the target/plan. 

 

Guylain

[gunny01]

  Kinda depends on what you want to do.  Why spend the extra money for it unless you like all of the nice gui, or you are only doing visual and want the ease of use from the computer ? 

 

  SGP works well with the 10u mount for imaging.   Just enter the coordinates and you're off and running.   It can be a little challenging for meridian flips as the settings have to be right.

[Tonk]

I don't use any.  I don't have a need for a planetarium software.

Ditto for me. I image comets so I just use ephemeris data straight from MPES

[Lead_Weight]

Sky Safari, and KStars.