Astro software for Mac OSX

Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9). I don't need telescope control functions.

Thanks,

--

Peter

In article , Peter
Hayes wrote:

Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9). I don't need telescope control functions.

Thanks,

The main question is what do you want the OSX software to do?

For example there is Keiths Image Stacker (OS 9 Carbon or Native OS X)
for aligning, stacking, dark frame subtraction, bright field and
processing of images.

There is MPj EquinoX which not only controls a Meade LX series by voice
(speeche recognition), it also capture video from a Web Cam (and soon
SBig cameras too) and is also very capable tool for navigating the
night sky and objects too.

For links to the above and my own attempts at Astro Imaging on Mac OS
X, check out

http://www.outcastsoft.com/AstroImages/AstroIndex.html

http://www.outcastsoft.com/ASCPRODUCTS.html

and

http://www.microprojects.ca/

HTH..

Milton Aupperle

Peter Hayes wrote:
Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9).

See the FAQ for this newsgroup:
http://astunit.com/faq/uksciastrofaq.htm

Best,
Stephen

Remove footfrommouth to reply

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Peter Hayes wrote:

Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9). I don't need telescope control functions.

The one I use is XEphem. It's an X11 app rather than an Aqua app but I
find it very good indeed. You can get it from http://www.xephem.com or
download it from Apple. I'd go the Apple route as it will be packaged as
a normal app installer. It goes without saying that you'll need to have
X11 installed.

Jim
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"We deal in the moral equivalent of black holes, where the normal
laws of right and wrong break down; beyond those metaphysical
event horizons there exist ... special circumstances" - Use Of Weapons

"Peter Hayes" wrote in message
. uk...
Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9). I don't need telescope control functions.

Hi,

I've been using Starry Night Enthusiast, it's about £40 from PC World or
Amazon. It's mainly a planetarium style program but has alot of extra info
on things and you can manipulate the view quite well, even manually enter
orbits for unlisted objects.

has.mac

In article , has.mac
. wrote:

"Peter Hayes" wrote in message
. uk...
Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9). I don't need telescope control functions.

Hi,

I've been using Starry Night Enthusiast, it's about £40 from PC World or
Amazon. It's mainly a planetarium style program but has alot of extra info
on things and you can manipulate the view quite well, even manually enter
orbits for unlisted objects.

has.mac


I've also found Starry Night good as a planetarium program but buy it
locally, I've used the Astronomy Now web site, not from Canada. By
default they ship by the slowest snail mail from Canada as I discovered
when I ordered an upgrade, good value but took nearly 4 weeks over
Christmas. The version of Xephem from Apple is an old version; like so
many programmers the author has changed from shareware to paid for as
there are too many people who think share = free, apparently we Brit's
are the main culprits for confusing share and free.

Pete H ( the other astronomer Peter Hayes)
http://www.aphayes.pwp.blueyonder.co...ris/index.html
http://www.aphayes.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sun_moon.html

Peter Hayes wrote:

The version of Xephem from Apple is an old version; like so
many programmers the author has changed from shareware to paid for as
there are too many people who think share = free, apparently we Brit's
are the main culprits for confusing share and free.

I thought the version on Apple's site was 3.5.2, which is still current?
3.6 is being beta'd at the moment.

That's next on my list of purchases. It never ends...

Jim
--
AIM/iSight:JCAndrew2 - Log in and say 'hi'
"We deal in the moral equivalent of black holes, where the normal
laws of right and wrong break down; beyond those metaphysical
event horizons there exist ... special circumstances" - Use Of Weapons

In article , Jim
wrote:

Peter Hayes wrote:

The version of Xephem from Apple is an old version; like so
many programmers the author has changed from shareware to paid for as
there are too many people who think share = free, apparently we Brit's
are the main culprits for confusing share and free.

I thought the version on Apple's site was 3.5.2, which is still current?
3.6 is being beta'd at the moment.

That's next on my list of purchases. It never ends...

Jim

If you check the web site http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/ you
will find the source version comes with a limited set of databases
compared with the paid for CD and I suspect the Apple site uses the
'free' source. Personally I think the author deserves to get credit and
financial returns for a great program, I've bought the CD before for
Unix (Irix) at work, and I still think it's good value.

Pete H

steven wrote:

Been using starry night pro 4.5. Very good. My only disapointment is
that I can't seem to track space probes like I could with redshift 3 on
os 8.6. Redshift was a better product with better menu layouts etc but
it only works in classic.


In article , has.mac
. wrote:

"Peter Hayes" wrote in message
. uk...
Can anyone recommend a quality astronomy package that runs on Apple Mac
OS X (Not MacOS8/9). I don't need telescope control functions.

Hi,

I've been using Starry Night Enthusiast, it's about £40 from PC World or
Amazon. It's mainly a planetarium style program but has alot of extra info
on things and you can manipulate the view quite well, even manually enter
orbits for unlisted objects.

has.mac

Many thanks to all for your suggestions. Starry Night looks promising.

--

Peter