Since writting the above there has been the release of RedShift 3 a very major upgrade
and in fact as of today (2/8/99) the above Expert Software URL is no longer up although they will still be a source.The following comments were written in February 1999 it is now September 2006. I do not know the status of these programs now. Over the last five years I have been using Star Night Pro and am quite satisfied with it. I will leave the following on this site for now and the reader may explore them if they choose.
Red Shift 2- Expert Software, Coral Gables FL $14.99 CD-ROM Runs on W95,98 Windows 3.1 & Macintosh. (http://expertsoftware.com/Redshift2.htm). Winner of 10 International Multimedia Awards for Excellence.
This is a multimedia virtual observatory system with a large data base access, 2D 3D simulations and animation’s. Narration ,music, guided tours and Dictionary hyperlinks. As far as I know it does not posses an accurate celestial mechanics engine. It is marketed at outlets such as Best Buy, Office depot, Sam's etc. and on the Web by various companies.
Since writting the above there has been the release of RedShift 3 a very major upgrade
and in fact as of today (2/8/99) the above Expert Software URL is no longer up although they will still be a source.
RedShift 3 Published by Piranha Interactive Publishing Tempe AZ (http://www.redshift3.com) or (http://www.maris.com) $49.95 CDROM for IBM/Compatible Pentium @ 100 or higher 16MB RAM and for Power Mac 90 or higher 16MB RAM. This upgrade does have an orbital mechanics engine like Digital Universe and the upgraded Voyager II discussed below. Thus besides the impressive desktop planetarium it adds the celestial mechanics capability. Thus especially for the price it seems like an excellent tool.
Starry Night Deluxe Sienna Software Inc., Toronto, Ontario $89.95, Starry Night Basic $34 and can be downloaded to test for 10 days. (http:// www.siennasoft.com) Runs on Windows 95,98,and NT and on Macintosh.
This is a good desk top planetarium that has received rave reviews. Orbit calculations are probably of good accuracy for 15,000 yrs, however, Starry Night Basic only goes back to 4713 BC (the beginning of Julian days) and forward to 9999 AD. Has many options for displays, pictures, zooms movies etc. Use is very intuitive and the manual can be down loaded free. I have friends who love Starry Night.
LodeStar Pro Zephyr Services, Pittsburgh, PA $159.95 Load Star Plus $99.95 Runs on IBM compatibles 386 thru Windows(using DOS prompt). (http://www.zephyrs.com)
This is a tool specifically designed to study the heavens past, present and future. good engine works from 9999 BC to 9999 AD. I do not know how good planets or the moon is over this time I doubt the accuracy for the moon over such a time base. I have a copy it is ok, doesnot have the spectacular visual displays that the above software has but is probably a better astronomy calculation work tool.
Digital Universe Syzygy Research & Technology,.Legal, Alberta Currently only available for Amiga at $52.62 on CD's or twice that for floppies. Both Macintosh and Windows 95/98 versions are in development. It will cost $129.95. You can track the developments on their web site. (http://www.syz.com/DU/)
The reviews of the Amiga version are very very good. It includes most of what can be found in Starry Night but is uses the state of the art celestial mechanics engine for the planets and for the moon. (i.e. it gives you as good results as you get from the Nautical Almanac or from JPL ephemeris) Will go from 100000 BC to 100000 AD probably to a few seconds of arc for planets and good accuracy for the moon over a few hundred years. It also allows orbit editing and the inclusion of earth orbiting satellites. When this vaporware becomes software it is likely to be the best available for home computers.
Voyager II Carina Software, San Ramon, CA $160 for Macintosh only.(www.carinasoft.com)
This is a very popular desk top planetarium with excellent user interface and a good engine. It's popularity is in part due to the fact that it is made available to schools in a Lab Pack with multiple use license and low cost and thus is in use in many University Astronomy Dept who have also gotten deals from Macintosh. The current version is not as accurate as some of the above (i.e. planet calculations are good to a couple of seconds of arc over 500 years) Carina Software has a program called Star Gazer (and many other astronomy programs) which is an image type multimedia software similar to Red Shift; which can be used in conjunction with Voyager II. Carina was scheduled to release Voyager II v3.0 in January 1999. I do not know if it is out or not. This version uses the same algorithms for planet and lunar calculations as Digital Universe and so except for the limitation to Macintosh may be competitive with the best.
What all of these programs lack as far as I am aware is the ability to interface with
other programs or for the user to program special applications. Digital Universe seems to
come closest to this goal of user flexibility. I think they are all great buys. NOTE: comments
about RedShift 3 above.
DISCLAIMER: I have only had limited experience with two of the above programs and have based my comments on developer specifications and comments from external reviews.
Arthur D. Code 2/4/99 REVISED 2/8/99