https://www.ap-i.net/skychart/en/start
An outline of the description is provided below.
"This program enables you to draw sky charts, making use of the data in many 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."
I can not begin to describe how useful the program has been to me over the past year. A lot of astronomical observation begins with a plan. It is important to know which part of the sky you would like to look and how to get there. In order to understand the sky it is best to use a manual telescope without the crutch of a mount driving the scope to the location. This requires a great deal of skill and knowledge of the sky.
When you download Cartes Du Ciel you can input your exact coordinates for an accurate model of the sky. You can choose any date to research future observation plans. An interesting feature of the program is that it allows you to program in your eyepieces to make field of view targets on your skymap. An example of this is shown below during my research of the Leo triplet.
I can not begin to describe how useful the program has been to me over the past year. A lot of astronomical observation begins with a plan. It is important to know which part of the sky you would like to look and how to get there. In order to understand the sky it is best to use a manual telescope without the crutch of a mount driving the scope to the location. This requires a great deal of skill and knowledge of the sky.
When you download Cartes Du Ciel you can input your exact coordinates for an accurate model of the sky. You can choose any date to research future observation plans. An interesting feature of the program is that it allows you to program in your eyepieces to make field of view targets on your skymap. An example of this is shown below during my research of the Leo triplet.
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| Leo Triplet |
As you can see the 25mm eyepiece for my 8" reflector telescope will display all three deep sky objects in the same field of view.
You can create a map of the entire sky if you are interested in naked eye viewing for the evening.
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| All sky map |
A feature I find interesting is you can see the alignment of planetary moons and which face of Jupiter is pointing at us.
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| Jupiter |
This is useful if you would like to identify the moons through binoculars or a telescope. Also, if you are imaging Jupiter you will know when you can capture the great red spot.
Advanced settings of Cartes Du Ciel let you control a computerized mount directly from your laptop. You can add light pollution boundaries if you are near an urban center that may disrupt your viewing. Detailed information about every object in the sky is provided and you can download more catalogs depending on what you are interested in. A favourite function of mine is the comet viewer. You can view a comet and determine its magnitude throughout various times. The below image shows comet C/2015 V2 (Johnson) in the same field of view as Mu Boötes, a double star I recorded about a month ago.
Advanced settings of Cartes Du Ciel let you control a computerized mount directly from your laptop. You can add light pollution boundaries if you are near an urban center that may disrupt your viewing. Detailed information about every object in the sky is provided and you can download more catalogs depending on what you are interested in. A favourite function of mine is the comet viewer. You can view a comet and determine its magnitude throughout various times. The below image shows comet C/2015 V2 (Johnson) in the same field of view as Mu Boötes, a double star I recorded about a month ago.
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| C/2015 V2 (Johnson) |
This will be an interesting target to find during the next few evenings. Without a program like this it would be more difficult to learn and navigate the sky.
Another neat thing I discovered this evening is the picture add-on. It provides nearly 10,000 images of deep sky objects as you zoom in. This can help pinpoint your location in galaxy rich areas such as the Virgo Cluster or the Leo Triplet, shown below.
If you get this program and need some advice as you use it do not hesitate to contact me. Whether you are a casual observer who may look up with the naked eye once a year or a dedicated astronomer seeking out the faintest objects, this program is for you.
Another neat thing I discovered this evening is the picture add-on. It provides nearly 10,000 images of deep sky objects as you zoom in. This can help pinpoint your location in galaxy rich areas such as the Virgo Cluster or the Leo Triplet, shown below.
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| Leo Triplet (with images) |
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