learn about the sky: freeware

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Member Since: Jan 18, 2003

stellarium.org/

stellarium is great, open-source, and free. very nice looking interface and graphics. and it's only version 0 right now.

get it and the satellites plugin, install both, and then go out and spot the space station, or the hubble space telescope, or other satellites, with the naked eye.

it's down-to-the-second accurate as long as you set it to update the satellite information every 24 hours. the other day i was out on my rooftop with my laptop, watching as the ISS rose on the screen and in the actual sky. the UARS satellite followed it a minute later. both of them in the sky already, NOAA 17 rose in front of the station, looking visually like an immanent collision.

every summer i use some sort of satellite pass prediction tool to go out and see a few things, but this is good freeware that'll make it easier and nicer. not as good as the pro programs yet, but still very good.

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Member
Since: Apr 23, 2009


Apr 27, 2009 06:45 am

Thanks fortymile, I came to this site for recording tips and found star tips - one of my summer pastimes. cheers. Tim

Pinnipedal Czar (: 3=
Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004


Apr 27, 2009 11:21 am

Can you see Niburu yet?

Czar of Midi
Administrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002


Apr 27, 2009 01:19 pm

forty, that is a very cool little app. I'm going to forward that to a few friends and eve give it a try here.

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