What are the main differences between each edition of STAR Atlas:PRO ?
|
STAR Atlas:PRO |
Level I StarLITE edition |
Level II Standard edition |
Level III Advanced edition |
| Planetarium and Star Atlas features. | √ | √ | √ |
| Telescope Control. | | √ | √ |
| Support Telescopes equipped with digital setting circles (DSC). | | | √ |
| Guide Star Catalogue (GSC). | | | √ |
| Advanced Internet Features. | | | √ |
| Automatic retrieval of Palomar Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) Images. | | | √ |
| Automatic retrieval of Comet Orbital Elements. | | | √ |
| Area charts to Magnitude 19+ (retrieves data from GSC2 and USNO A2.0 catalogues). | | | √ |
What type of computer do I need to run STAR Atlas:PRO ?
All editions of STAR Atlas:PRO are best suited to newer Pentiumฎ desktop and laptop computers, however still works perfectly on Pentium 1 and even 486 computers.
- Minimum recommended PC Configuration.
- Pentiumฎ I or faster CPU with Windowsฎ 95 or higher.
- 48MB RAM or higher.
- Graphics adapter with 800 x 600 graphics resolution and 256 colours or higher.
- 310 MB of free disk space for installation (STAR Atlas:PRO StarLITE & Standard Editions).
Up to 1.5 GB of free disk space depending on installation choices (STAR Atlas:PRO Advanced Edition).- CD-ROM Drive, Mouse or Pointing Device, Optional Windows compatible printer.
- Optional Internet Connection. Optional RS232 Connection for Telescope and DSC connections.
- Best Suited PC Configuration.
- Current model Pentiumฎ computer.
128 MB RAM or higher.- Graphics adapter with 1024x768 or higher resolution.
- CD-ROM Drive, Mouse or Pointing Device, Optional Windows compatible printer.
- Optional Internet Connection. Optional RS232 Connection for Telescope and DSC connections.
My Laptop only has a USB port, can I still use STAR Atlas:PRO with my telescope ?
Yes. If you have a computer with only a USB connection then you need to do one of the following:-
1. If you own a Meade Telescope, you can purchase the USB to RS232 Bridge Cable from Meade or a Meade dealer.
2. If you own a Celestron Telescope, Celestron recommend that you visit a local electronics retailer and purchase a Serial to USB converter.
In either case, software is supplied which will set up your computer's USB port as a Virtual COM port and enable telescope communications to proceed via your computer's USB port as if it were a COM port.
How do I upgrade to the latest version of STAR Atlas:PRO ?
Please visit this page that describes the upgrade policy.
Does STAR Atlas:PRO work in the Northern hemisphere ?
Absolutely, STAR Atlas:PRO works in the North and South hemispheres.
Why isn't there a demo version of STAR Atlas:PRO ?
STAR Atlas:PRO is too large of a software package to distribute a demonstration version that would really provide a fair demonstration of STAR Atlas:PRO's capabilities.
STAR Atlas:PRO is not one of the packages listed on the Orbital Elements web page at the Minor Planetary Centre. How does one obtain the elements from the Minor Planetary Centre site ?
STAR Atlas:PRO readily downloads the Comet Orbital Elements in the MPC Format and does not require any special proprietary format, this is the reason that STAR Atlas:PRO does not have it's own comet file format at the MPC web site.
Is STAR Atlas:PRO Australian made and owned?
Yes, STAR Atlas:PRO is developed in Australia and is 100% Australian owned.
What Operating Systems does STAR Atlas:PRO work on ?
All editions of STAR Atlas:PRO work on all editions of Windowsฎ from Windows 95 through Windows XP.
Windows XP Professional.
Windows XP Home.
Windows 2000 (with Service Pack 1 or later).
Windows Millennium Edition (ME).
Windows 98 SE.
Windows NT 4/SP3 (but no longer supported)
Windows 98.
Windows 95 (but no longer supported).
Can you add your own Astronomical Images ?
Certainly, you can attach as many Images as you like to each astronomical object.