Look! Up In The Sky!

What a bright star! I wonder what it is? The night sky is constantly changing filled with mysteries waiting to discover! Only a passing interest in astronomy? It matters not! Free road maps are available. Just use the Internet to begin your journey!

My favorite guide to the sky is a very simple program called Skyglobe. It was written by Mark Haney when dinosaurs ruled the Earth back in 1989. Originally intended for the DOS operating system (pre-Windows,) Skyglobe allows you to identify all you see in the sky and more. You can easily change the detail and complexity of its portrayal to highlight the brightest objects you see. Want to recall something you noticed two nights ago? Press a couple of keys and you can fly back in time. It is the most simple and useful program you may ever encounter!

The latest DOS version of Skyglobe (3.6) can be downloaded for free at: http://www.sidewalkastronomy.com/skyglobe.html. Even your old computer in the basement can display Skyglobe with ease! It will run on all versions of DOS and Windows up to XP. Recent computers with Windows Vista or XP can support a fascinating program called Stellarium. This is a quantum leap beyond Skyglobe with advanced graphics and features applicable to the most advanced user. Find it at: http://www.stellarium.org.

Looking for a nightly guide to the sky? Bookmark http://www.earthsky.org/tonighthome/. You’ll be directed to stellar points of interest updated daily. What a wonderful way to learn about the universe! Its part of a wonderful gift called EarthSky, a wealth of knowledge and facts ready for your discovery. You could spend a lot of time here! Start tonight! Look! Up in the sky!