by john-haynes » Tue Jan 14, 2014 7:28 am
I use TheSky6 and SkyTools. Sky Tools has excellent logging and planning options. The pro edition that I have also has telescope control and photography planning. The information box on objects is extremely helpful. Its charts are pretty good, and some of the viewing options (such as a 3-way split-screen showing naked eye, finder scope, and eyepiece views is very useful.
For telescope control and charting, however, I prefer TheSky. I like the interface better. For me, though probably not for everyone, I find it more intuitive.
Neither are cheap. But with a club sponsored group buy (which I think we're looking at again soon), Sky Tools is about 50% off (if we can get enough participants). That's a good deal. I've never heard of Software Bisque (makers of TheSky) doing a club discount, but who knows.
There are other options. Before I got either of the above programs, I used the freebie software Meade offers. It's not great, but not bad. There's also Cartes du Ciel, an open-source French program (translated into English, not to worry) that is supposed to be pretty good, though I've never used it.
There's other options out there. I'm sure other people have opinions, these are just mine.
_________________________________
Clear Skies!
My gear:
Meade 2080 8" SCT OTA
Brandon Vernonscope 82mm f/3.7 refractor
Meade DS-2000 90mm f/11 refractor
iOptron iEQ45 Mount
SBIG STF-8300C
Canon 350D (Astro-modded)