Download program and data

Do you need a tool to plan your observations? Try AstroPlanner. With this great program you can compile lists of objects that you want to observe. The best thing: These lists can be transferred to Planetarium.

Benötigen Sie etwas, um Ihre Beobachtungen zu planen? Dann könnte Eye & Telescope genau das Richtige für Sie sein. Mit diesem grossartigen Programm können Sie bequem Ihre Listen zusammenstellen und diese ins Planetarium transferieren.

Windows Mobile Users: Please visit Planetarium for Windows Mobile
Planetarium 2.4 runs also with the StyleTap Emulator on your Windows Mobile handheld: StyleTap

Airline Pilots: You might be interested in this companion program: SunFly (calculates sun rise and set on the plane)

Program Files

Planetarium Application

Interested in Beta-Versions?

Current version: 2.4.0  (What's new in this version)
*** Requires PalmOS 3.5

Previous version: 2.3.1 

Tungsten T3 users: If you cannot use the full 320x480 screen on the Tungsten T3 because you cannot collapse the graffiti area, then you need to download and install two system update files from palmOne: T3_DIA_Compatibility_prcs.zip

Star data bases
(For version 2.4) Planetarium has a built-in star data base with about 9000 stars (the Yale Bright Star Catalogue). You can install one of these data bases with additional stars. There are several variants of star data bases differing in the limiting magnitude. Which one you want to install depends on your amount of free memory. The data bases were compiled with data from the Hipparcos and Tycho-2 catalogues.

Installation

First select one of the star data base files. Note: You need only one of these files. For example, if you want stars down to m9, you download and install the file for m9 (and not m7 + m8 + m9). After unzipping you have a file called PlanetariumStars.pdb

This file can either be installed in RAM or on a memory card.

• To install the file in RAM install it like any other file via Hotsync. This is a good option for the smaller files if your PDA does not have a card slot.
• To install it on the memory card, you could also install it via Hotsync by selecting the card as destination, but I do not recommend this, as this process is VERY SLOW! For the largest files, it can take up to several hours, depending on the device and card you have. It is feasible for the smaller files, but for the large files there are alternatives:
  • Use a memory card reader. This is a device that can read and write the memory card that you connect via USB with your PC.
  • Use the "Card Export" software from Softick (http://www.softick.com). This is a cool program that lets your PDA run as a memory card reader when it is placed into the docking station.

  • Both ways, you get an additional disk drive on your PC to view the memory card. To install the file copy it into a specific folder onto the card. The Planetarium star data base file needs to be at:
    \PALM\Launcher\PlanetariumStars.pdb

To change the star data base file later, just repeat this procedure with another file.

You can also install a large star data base file on the card and a small one into RAM. Then the program will automatically select the file on the card if the card is present, and if no card is present, it will use the file in RAM.

To check what star data base file you have installed currently, go to the About screen (menu item Info/About). At the bottom there is a line describing the star data base that was found.

GPS plug in
The GPS plug in enables Planetarium to read the location from a GPS device via the serial port. More information about this here.
 

Telescope plug-ins
Telescope plug-ins enable Planetarium to communicate with telescopes via the serial port or via Bluetooth.
More information about this here. 
 

I have got reports hat the LX200 plug-in also works for ETX telescopes. Please note: You need an AutoStar device. You must not connect the Telescope directly to the Palm without the AutoStar in between, this might damage your Palm or the telescope. To use Planetarium with a Meade ETX with AutoStar, you need to do the following first:

• Make sure the AutoStar is not on the RA/Dec screen.
• You must select an object and move to it using the AutoStar controller before you attempt to do something through Planetarium.

Cable info
- Information about the cables you can find here. 
- For Telescope-PC cables please contact your telescope dealer.

Forums
If you have problems, you might get some tips from other users who have the same telescope in one of these forums.
The Palm Astro Mailing list

Data Files

Current Comet and Asteroids Data

This file contains Comets and Asteroid orbital elements. Before installing this file, make sure you export your Personal comets and asteroids data to a Memo beforehand so that you can reimport them afterwards. More information about this here.
 

Deep Sky Objects Data

There are various sets of deep sky objects data to load into Planetarium. Before installing one of these files, make sure you export your Personal objects data to a Memo beforehand so that you can reimport it afterwards. More information about this here. I give my thanks go to Allan Gould who contributed these lists! 
 

Miscellaneous Data
 

Data files made by users