Astronomy related programs for downloading

All freeware

For more information on any of these programs
go to the respective Homepage.

Aberrator
256 KB Compressed (zipped)

This generates images that show the effects of
several different distortions you can make to mirrors.

AstroByte Logging System
7.55 MB Compressd (zipped)

A logging system that keeps track of objects which you have observed,
along with objects you still need to observe to fill a catalogue.
Also contains 40 printable reports.

Astronomers Digital Clock
2.79 MB Compressed (zipped)

This digital clock uses your computer's clock for the time display.
It shows your local time, Universal time, and the Julian date.
You can even adjust the color for night viewing.

AstroPhoto Exposure Calculator
514 KB

Calculates exposures for pictures of celestial objects
and parameters of optical systems, including f-ratios.
This is by the astro photographer Michael Covington.

AstroStack
668 KB Compressed (zipped)

With this program you can load AVI videos or BMP sequences
and stack and combine the images to a single improved end result.
Works with monochrome (gray) pictures.
See manual on www.astrostack.com for full description.

{Homepage}

Celestia
11.2 MB Compressed (zipped)

Real time space simulation in three dimensions.
You can travel throughout the solar system,
to over 100,000 stars, or beyond the galaxy.

{Homepage} {Download}

A very complete planetarium program that includes ephemeris,
a lunar map and a calendar.
You can even make some stars twinkle.

{Homepage} {Download}

Halo
2.5 MB Compressed (zipped)
You've got to check this program out!
It will simulate all kinds of ice crystal phenomina and the sun.
Sun dogs, circumzenithal arcs, sun pillars, and more.
The download link takes you to a page for instructions
on downloading the two (2) files needed.

{Homepage} {Download}

Moon Calc
202 KB compressed (zipped)

Moon Calc is a DOS based program allowing the user to see
the age, phase, position, appearance, and visibility of the moon
for any given date, time and location on Earth.

{Homepage} {Download}

Moon Icon
357 KB

Displays the current phase of the moon in your system tray.
Hold your cursor over the icon and
it will tell you how old the moon is.

{Homepage} {Download}

Registax (Ver. 3)
846 KB

Another program to digitally stack frames of CCD images

{Homepage} {Download}

Ronchi for Windows
289KB Compressed (zipped)

This simulates the appearance of a mirror during the Ronchi test.

{Homepage} {Download}

Satscape
5.14 MB Compressed (zipped)

This program will tell you when satellites will pass over your location.
There is no need to be connected to the internet
unless you want to update the satellite info.
It will predict the 150 brightest satellites weeks in advance.

{Homepage}
(Go to the homepage and choose the platform you want.)

Sidereal Clock
1.74 MB Compressed (zipped)

A small sidereal clock that sits on your desktop and
displays local mean sidereal time for your location.

{Homepage} {Download}

SOHO Screensaver
1.3 MB

A screensaver made available from the European Space Agency
that allows users to watch almost real time images of our sun.
Each time your screensaver kicks in, it will use the internet
to find the most recent images SOHO has sent to scientists.

{Homepage} {Download}

The Simple Observing Log
1.2 MB compressed (zipped)

With this program, you can print out blank sheets and fill in the data
at the telescope with your pen or pencil.
Or you can use your computer
to fill in the info on the observing pages.

{Homepage}
(Go to the homepage and choose which platform and what size program you want.)

Ultimate Messier Log
3.1 MB Compressed (zipped)

This one is from the same guy that wrote the Simple Observing Log.

{Homepage} {D/L for Windows} {D/L for Palm OS}

Highly recommended Lunar Atlas for all "Lunartics".
It allows you to view the moon in real time, in 2D or 3D.
The program uses actual photographs from Apollo missions
to get the "close up view".
It is recommended to download all of the databases to fully enjoy this program.

{Homepage} {Download}

It will synchronize your pc's clock with one of
several atomic clocks. Very small. Very fast.

{Homepage} {Download}

Xearth for Windows
170 KB Compressed (zipped)

This is absolutely amazing.
It's a representation of the earth as the wallpaper on your computer desktop.
It shows what part is in sunlight and what's in darkness.
You can default the view to be directly over your hometown.
And it updates every 5 minutes for a semi-true picture.

{Homepage} {Download}