Manual interactive night sky map
The AstroViewer displays
AstroViewer offers you the following displays:
- Display a Sky Map for the specified location and time.
- See a 3D Solar System map for the specified time.
- The Planets' Visibility Chart shows you which planet is above the horizon at the specified location during the selected night.
- Info informs you about the AstroViewer version and gives license information.
- At Options you can choose your language.
Sky Map
The sky map represents the entire visible celestial sphere. Zenith, i.e. the point directly overhead, is in the center of the map. The perimeter is the horizon. The point on the horizon right in front of you corresponds to the bottom of the display. So the lower half of the map represents the part of the sky you are facing. The direction of view can be changed by rotating the sky map.
Display name and detailed info of a celestial body
Move the mouse pointer onto the celestial body. Its name will be shown. A mouseclick brings up some more detailed information. In the case of fixed stars, the constellation the star belongs to is named as well.
Set the time
Use the control field "Time". Click the buttons to change time in small or big increments or decrements. Or set the date using the calendar.
Choose to display Universal Time, UT (= Greenwich Mean Time, GMT) or the local time of the currently set location.
Set the location
Click the button "Location / City" in the control field "Location". Choose a location on the world map or from the list of cities. Or enter the coordinates directly.
The current location will be saved when you quit the program. When you next time start AstroViewer, the saved location will be set already.
Find a celestial body
Type the name of the celestial body into the text field "Search celestial object". The name may be completed already while you are spelling it. A flashing red crosshair indicates the position of the celestial body (if it is above the horizon seen from the current location at the set point of time).
You can also choose from a large variety of celestial bodies in the catalog.
Find a constellation
Type the english or latin name of the constellation into the text field "Search celestial object". The name may be completed already while you are spelling it. Red flashing outlines indicate the position of the constellation in question (if it is above the horizon seen from the current location at the set point of time).
The catalog contains all constellations (english and latin names).
Zoom the sky map
On the left border of the sky map you find a zoom slider. The maximum zoom factor is ten-fold.
Set the direction of view by rotating the sky map
You find a rotation slider at the bottom of the sky map . Turn the direction you are looking to the bottom. Every view direction can be set.
Scroll the sky map vertically
Use the scroll slider on the right border of the sky map. It will get effective with zoom factors from 2.0 on.
Show auxiliary lines
Choose from the control field "Auxiliary lines".
You find more auxiliary lines when you click "more...".
Print a sky map
The AstroViewer shareware lets you print a sky map (black on white background) by clicking the button "Print sky map". The current settings of location, time and auxiliary lines will be adopted.
Solar System map
A 3-dimensional map of the solar system with the planet orbits is displayed. The orbits of some dwarf planets can be enabled as well.
You can tilt the display with the rotation slider at the right. The zoom slider at the left lets you zoom in and out as you like.
Planets' Visibility Chart
The Planets' Visibility Chart shows you when the moon and the planets are above the horizon at the set location during the selected night. The background indicates day (light blue), night (black) and twilight.
The globe at the lower left is centered to the set location. Day, night and twilight are shown here, too.
Options
You can select your preferred language here. Your choice will become effective on the next start of AstroViewer.
