Deepsky Free

Aimed at amateur, or perhaps even professional, astronomers, Deepsky is a bit like a cross between an extraordinarily detailed almanac and a star map. The program is organized like an enhanced Microsoft Access database, presenting a huge list of celestial objects. Users who want to plan a star-watching session can select the name of an object from the list and press the Quick Chart button, and the program will display its location on a star map. With a considerable range of display and charting options, the program is not entirely intuitive, but it does offer useful help files. In this free version, nag screens asking users to register the program repeatedly pop up; in addition, only a portion of the database can be accessed without payment. The program is a huge download, weighing in at close to 86MB, takes a long time to install, and occasionally stalls. Nonetheless, with its sprawling set of features and large database, we would recommend it to star watchers who are serious about their nocturnal activities.