Astronomy Software for yo

DM
From: (David McHarg)
DM
Subject: Astronomy Software for your PDA - Missing features.
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Date: 12 Dec 2003 09:19:14 -0800
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Organization: http://groups.google.com
DM
DM Perhaphs its just me but i have been looking
DM around for quite a while to find decent software
DM for a PDA that is really usable out under the
DM skies and i am somewhat disappointed.
DM
DM I have become lazy in that i want information
DM at my fingertips when i am out under the skies
DM without the need to take n books and maps with me.
DM
DM I use Sky Map Pro and i like it very much but i do not
DM want to carry a laptop outside and hence the reason
DM why PDA's are the best choice.
DM
DM Amongst many i have looked at there are all missing what
DM i consider useful if not vital when out under the skies.
DM Things such as -
DM . . .

I'm a bit lucky in that in the summer a buddy gave me (and to
other friends) leftover equipment from his lab, which is closing down.
I got, among other items, a PocketPC. I first thought it was just a
pocket organizer thingie, but after tinkering with it I realized it
has WinCE and some hefty computing power. The email and Internet link
was not active, or maybei they were cancelled before the device was
excessed.
Anyway, after a week or so I cruised the net and found several
astronomy progras for PocketPC and at work I found a connecting cable
to go between the machine and my desktop. SO I DLed the programs and
they reside in the PocketPC. The core set comes from Robert Brenner,
of Japan, who evidently knows astronomy as well as PPC programming.
His programs have Jappanese names but the language within them is
English.
I also have Pocket Stars and Star Calc. The bunch as a whole fill
the PPC with a very handy reservoir of data and planetarium ephemeris
functions for field use.
The routine use of the PPC is an adjunct to my home computer in
place of running several astroprogs in minimized mode. SO when I'm
eriting an article I need to look up the alt-azm of the Moon for the
delta Scorpii occultation later this moonth, I can tap on the PPC,
bring up a starchart, tap on the Moon and read the infobox about its
location in the sky. It's quicker and less distracting than ringing up
one of the minimized progs on the desktop.
For field use, the screen can be horribly rilliant, but the PPC
has a settings page to adjust the brightness. The dimmer screen also
conserves battery power, too. It's a joy to see a starchart, like in
horizon mode looking, say, southeast, and to ID a star I tap on it,
then match it up with the sky in front of me.
The lunar atlas feature is great for navigating the scope around
the Moon. The Mars disc viewer helped to follow th rotation of that
planet during the opposition. The star atlas shows the Bayer
designations of the stars and constellation boundaries.
By toggling on the DSOs and xzooming in, the chart is detailed
enough for binocular or low=power scope starhopping. Zooming in on a
planet shows it phase and location of moons and rings.
So for me the PPC is working out to be a very handy vade-mecum for
both indoor and outdoor use.


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