Knowle Astronomical Society IYA2009

Desktop Astronomy

How you can become involved in astronomy and do your own data analysis using a computer at home.

Cartes du Ciel - http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

Go to the download page and scroll down until you see “Complete Package” as this is the file you need to download to have the most features.

Stellarium - http://www.stellarium.org/

Celestia - http://www.shatters.net/celestia/

Starry Night Software- http://www.starrynightstore.com/

Starry Night Digital Download from ~ £12 to £50 depending on which modules you choose. You can start with the £12 version and buy more as you need or want. You can also purchase other versions of Starry Night.

http://www.shop.avanquest.com/uk/list.php?subcat=219 (UK online store)

Astrometrica - http://www.astrometrica.at/

Costs €25 to purchase a license.

FindOrb - http://www.projectpluto.com/find_orb.htm

Orbit determination software.

Iris - http://www.astrosurf.com/buil/us/iris/iris.htm

Image processing and photometry.

SalsaJ - http://www.euhou.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=7&Itemid=9

Image processing and analysis software.

Instructions for Photometry

http://faulkes-telescope.com/education/projects/supernovae

Colour Imaging (including where to download IRIS and The GIMP)

http://training.faulkes-telescope.com/course/category.php?id=2

Other Useful Websites

http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/mpc.html - Information about observing asteroids and reporting their positions

http://www.skyviewcafe.com/ - Online planetarium software

http://www.hnsky.org/software.htm - Planetarium software

http://www.sdss.org/ - Sloan Digital Sky Survey

http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/ - Astronomical Database

http://aladin.u-strasbg.fr/java/nph-aladin.pl - Aladin Sky Atlas (FITS file archive)

http://faulkes-telescope.com/ - You can access the FT archive using the username and password published each month in Astronomy Now.