Cartes du Ciel

Free software to draw sky charts – Get it here!

For use with Linux, Windows, Mac OS X

This program enables you to draw sky charts, making use of the data in 16 catalogs of stars and nebulae. In addition the position of planets, asteroids and comets are shown.

The purpose of this program is to prepare different sky maps for a particular observation. A large number of parameters help you to choose specifically or automatically which catalogs to use, the colour and the dimension of stars and nebulae, the representation of planets, the display of labels and coordinate grids, the superposition of pictures, the condition of visibility and more. All these features make this celestial atlas more complete than a conventional planetarium.

Celestia

… The free space simulation that lets you explore our universe in three dimensions. Celestia runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X.

Unlike most planetarium software, Celestia doesn’t confine you to the surface of the Earth. You can travel throughout the solar system, to any of over 100,000 stars, or even beyond the galaxy. Get it here!

Stellarium

Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
It is being used in planetarium projectors. Just set your coordinates and go. Get it here!

Astroplanner

AstroPlanner is a software application for Macintosh and Windows computers that facilitates astronomical visual observation planning and logging as well as control of Meade telescopes that use the LX200, LX200GPS or Autostar controllers, Celestron NexStar scopes, Astro-Physics GTO mounts, the Vixen SkySensor 2000 system , and several others. Get it here!

AstroByte

AstroByte Logging Software is a database system designed to help you keep all of your viewing sessions documented. It also produces report logs, and reports to assist in the field. Download it here!

Observation Manager

Observation Manager is a free and open logbook for (amateur-) astronomical observations. It’s written in pure Java and runs on every plattform supporting Java 1.4 or higher.
All logbook entries made in Observation Manager are stored in the free and open OpenAstronomyLog XML Schema. Download it here!

Tweet this!