Product Information
Deep-Sky Planner is an astronomy software package for Windows that helps visual observers and astro-imagers plan their observations, and to log and manage the results. Deep-Sky Planner was published initially in 1994; the current version (5) was released in January 2010.
Deep-Sky Planner can meet the needs of any astronomer, from beginner to professional and whether imaging or observing visually with telescopes or binoculars.
The videos below demonstrate the newest planning features, and give a complete planning and logging example featuring telescope control, the Equipment Bar and Smart Chart Interoperation™ with TheSky. Click on a video to view it, or visit the Video Library for more videos.
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Newest Features
- Expanded database now contains over one million objects
- Search multiple deep-sky or star catalogs in one search report
- Observing Plans
- any type of object can be placed in an observing plan
- drag and drop objects from any Deep-Sky Planner report into a plan, or add your own objects
- run a plan for any date and time, or continuously in real-time while observing
- display essential object information, DSS images and other graphical data for objects
- use telescope control and smart chart interoperation™ with a plan
- Flexible reporting
- customize content, layout and appearance
- extensive import/export capability - formatted text, HTML and delimited text (CSV)
- Comprehensive, integrated logging feature Learn more...
- complete storage and reporting of sky and weather conditions
- mini-browsers allow you to visit online resources (such as weather or sky conditions web sites) conveniently while logging observations
- support for reading Unihedron's Sky Quality Meter electronically
- view imaging exposure data stored in JPEG or FITS files
- non-proprietary observation import and export capability using OpenAstronomyLog 2.x
- completely customize your observation reporting by using selectable stylesheet technology (XSLT)
- Customizable backup and restore of data and user options - handy for sychronizing multiple installations
- Equipment Bar allows you to see important optical system metrics at a glance
- Telescope control and real-time feedback from telescope/digital setting circles using ASCOM. Learn more...
- Smart Chart Interoperation™ with leading planetarium software products TheSkyX, TheSky6, Starry Night, Redshift and Cartes du Ciel
- Exports plans to Argo Navis and Sky Safari 3 Plus & Pro editions for iPhone/iPad/iPod, Android, Mac
- Designed for and tested with Windows 7 and Vista
Why Deep-Sky Planner is different ...
Astronomy software doesn't have to be hard to use!
- Deep-Sky Planner packages it's power behind familiar Windows presentation techniques - plan reports, catalog search reports, ephemeris reports and logged observation reports are all treated like documents that can be saved, re-opened, printed or exported. Observations and observing locations may be managed like Windows Explorer manages files.
The product includes thorough user documentation that is both fully searchable and printable, and an online support and resources community that is free. There is also a discussion group where registered users can ask questions.
- The observing log is specifically designed for convenient workflow at the telescope or anytime thereafter - the software learns which observing session and equipment you are using as you enter observations so that your workflow is optimized.
Keeping a log of your observations requires a big investment in your time, but the benefits of being able to search and report them any time is at least as great. If you are concerned about investing a lot of time building an electronic observing log that is locked away in a proprietary database, have no fear! Observations in Deep-Sky Planner can be imported and exported in both a proprietary file format and the non-proprietary OpenAstronomyLog 2.0 format. Reports can be printed or saved in HTML format for publishing on a web site.
- Deep-Sky Planner focuses on planning and logging features, giving them primary development and support attention. Now Deep-Sky Planner can interoperate intelligently with several leading planetarium programs giving you extensive planning capability and the very best star charting and planetarium functions working together.
Technical Details
Deep-Sky Planner was designed from the beginning (1991) using object-oriented techniques, and takes extensive advantage of object-oriented design patterns and programming. The waterfall method of development has moved to an agile methodology (modified scrum). Requirements analysis, UML modeling and automated testing round out the engineering effort. Automated bug tracking and source code control help to manage the result.
The application has been developed over a period of 20 years and contains over 100,000 lines of C++ source code. Python scripts and the DUnit framework support development and testing.
Most development occurs on a 3.3 GHz i5 machine running Windows 7 Professional (64-bit). In-house testing occurs on this machine, various computers running Windows XP, Vista and Windows 7 (both 32 & 64 bit editions). The test team uses a variety of desktop, laptop and netbook computers.