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- From: malcolmr@aupair.cs.athabascau.ca (Malcolm Reeves)
- Subject: Re: pc software for astro
- Date: 21 Jul 92 02:09:54 GMT
-
-
- A Review of Freeware and Shareware MS-DOS Star Map Programs
-
- THIS REVIEW IS COMPILED BY THE AUTHOR OF ASTRO. ASTRO will shortly be
- released as freeware. It is designed as a teaching tool for introductory
- Astronomy and Astrophysics courses and specifically supports minimal
- hardware configurations (2-color CGA).
-
- There are a significant number of excellent freeware and shareware
- programs available for study of the stars and planets. Many of these
- programs have been supported for a number of years and have become
- recognized as reliable and robust applications. Others are relatively
- new and untried. All have strengths, weaknesses and unique features.
- This review is as factual as possible and consists of a series of tables
- comparing features.
-
- The programs reviewed and their version numbers and disk/memory
- requirements are:
-
- Program Name Version Date Lang $US Author
- ASTRO 2.0 Jun 1992 C - Malcolm Reeves
- COSMOS 14.11 Mar 1991 C 31 Gene Lee
- ECU (Earth Centred Universe) 1.1 Mar 1992 C 35 David Lane
- SKYGLOBE 3.0 Feb 1992 ASM 20 Mark Haney
- STARRY (Starry Nights) 6.2 Mar 1991 PAS 20 Rob Crocket
- STARS (EGAStars & VGAStars) 4.1* Mar 1989 BAS - David Ransom
-
- Costs are given for registration of Shareware products.
- * the authors version number is 8911 but 4.1 based on the updates is
- a better reflection of the relative maturity of the program.
-
- Hardware Requirements
- Min. Min.
- Math Co Mouse Disk Space Docs Memory
- ASTRO Opt Opt 128K 63K 140K
- COSMOS Opt Opt 264K 116K 253K
- ECU* Opt Opt 434K 95K 600K
- SKYGLOBE Opt Opt 255K 39K 431K
- STARRY Opt Opt 398k 30K 484K
- STARS Opt Opt 136K 29K 138K
-
- * ECU is the only Windows application.
-
- All programs optionally support a mouse and math-coprocessor. The extent
- of mouse support varies greatly. ECU (the only Windows application) has
- the expected quality graphical interface. ASTRO has a "button" interface
- in graphics mode. STARRY and STARS make limited use of the
- mouse-pointer.
-
- The disk space requirement is the executable and essential support files
- only (no docs). The memory requirement was obtained using the "eatmem"
- utility. All programs exit fairly gracefully if insufficient memory is
- available. STARS and STARRY may load then have insufficient space to
- load data or be unable to enter graphics mode. COSMOS will load as much
- data as it can and run with a reduced number of stars. ASTRO and STARS
- require the least hardware resources. All other programs fail to load
- and return to the command line (with no message). Only STARRY and ECU
- are likely to have memory problems on a small system. None of the
- programs require excessive amounts of disk space even when the
- documentation is included.
-
- Display and Output Formats
- Video Devices Output Formats
- Epson
- VGA EGA CGA ATT Herc IBM HPCL PS GIF
- ASTRO x x x x - x x x x
- COSMOS x x x - x x x - -
- ECU x x - - - - - - -
- SKYGLOBE* x x - - x x x - -
- STARRY x x x - x x x - -
- STARS x x - - - - x - -
-
- * SKYGLOBE supports SVGA resolution for HPCL devices. ASTRO supports GIF
- 87a image files and Postscript printers. ECU has no built-in hardcopy
- support. If you have only a CGA, Hercules, or ATT video adapter, your
- choice is severely limited.
-
- Astronomical Objects
- Star Names Select by
- Planets Stars Constel Pick Find Mag Clr Comets Deep Sky
- ASTRO x xx - - - x x - -
- COSMOS x xx(xx) x x x x - x x
- ECU x xxxx x x x x - (x) xx
- SKYGLOBE x xxxx x x - x - - x
- STARRY x xxx x x x x x x x
- STARS - xxx x x x x x - -
-
- Parentheses are used for features only available in the registered
- version of shareware products.
-
- For stars xx = 100-1000, xxx = 1000-10000, xxxx = >10000. All programs
- have object databases that can be extended. Unfortunately there is no
- format standardization. Most programs allow stars to found by entering
- the name and identified on the screen by picking the point with the
- mouse cursor. All programs allow star selection by magnitude classes,
- some display and allow selection by B-V color index and spectral
- classes. ECU has by far the best support for deep sky objects. ASTRO and
- STARS are most limited in terms of number and types of objects that can
- observed.
-
- Graphical Interaction and Animation
- Animation Features
- Toggles Pick Co-ords Pan Steps SS Star Object
- Grds Lins Labs Az/Alt RA/Dec Zoom Sol Sid Objs Rotn Prop Trails
- ASTRO x x x x - x x x x x x x
- COSMOS x x x x x x x x x x - x
- ECU x x x x x x x x x x - x
- SKYGLOBE x x x x x x x x x x - -
- STARRY x x x x x - - - - - - -
- STARS x x x - x x - - - - - -
-
- All programs all various grids, lines and labels to be switched on and
- off. The sophistication of such features varies widely. Only STARS
- allows the user to write and draw on the star map.
-
- Most programs operate in both Az/Alt or RA/Dec co-ordinates and display
- cursor co-ordinates. ASTRO and STARS operate in a single co-ordinate
- system. All programs except STARRY offer pan-zoom through single
- keystrokes or mouse-clicks.
-
- ASTRO, COSMOS, ECU and SKYGLOBE allow the display to be stepped through
- time (animation). ASTRO, COSMOS and ECU have toggles for object trails.
- Most programs have time-range limitations. Only ASTRO computes and
- animates the proper motions of stars.
-
- Documentation and On-Line Help
- Documentation Help
- Pages TOC Index Apps Hist Menus Screens Pop-up Context
- ASTRO 29 x - x x x - x x
- COSMOS 53 - x x x x x - -
- ECU 33 x - - - x - x x
- SKYGLOBE 14 - - x x x - x -
- STARRY 11 x - - - - x - -
- STARS 9 - - - x - x - -
-
- ASTRO, COSMOS and ECU have the most comprehensive documentation. ASTRO
- and ECU have numbered sectional organization with tables of contents and
- complete command reference sections. Only COSMOS has a keyword index
- (15/53 pages are index).
-
- Most documentation has a revision history section (useful for assessing
- the extent and frequency of support). ASTRO and COSMOS, and to a lesser
- extent SKYGLOBE, suggest some applications and exercises for users to
- try.
-
- On-line help is provided in some form by all programs. ECU (the Windows
- application) has the usual array of pop-up windows, menus and dialog
- boxes. ASTRO has a similar range of features but switches between a
- graphical and text interface to implement help and status displays.
- COSMOS and STARRY also switches to text-mode for help screens/menus.
- STARS switches to a single help screen. SKYGLOBE pops-up a series of
- somewhat criptic menus and lists on the graphics screen.
-
- User-Configuration
- Save Star SS Deep Coord Obsvr Anim Anim Screen Screen
- File Mag Clr Objs Sky Sys Loc Time Step Period Status Save
- ASTRO - x x x - x x x x x - x
- COSMOS x x - x x x x x x x x -
- ECU x x - x x x x x x x x -
- SKYGLOBE x x - x x x x x x x x x
- STARRY x x x - x x x - - - x x
- STARS - x x - - - x - - - - -
-
- All programs have default settings to start-up. All except STARS and
- ASTRO will load initial settings from a user-saved file or file(s).
- STARS has relatively few settings many of which are function key toggles
- explained on the help-screen.
-
- Malcolm Reeves
- original 15 March 1992
- revised 15 June 1992
-
- reeves@rocky1.usask.ca
- malcolmr@aupair.cs.athabascau.ca
-