TheSky (astronomy software)

TheSky
Developer(s)	Software Bisque
Stable release	10.3.0
Preview release	10.5.0
Operating system	Windows and macOS
Type	Planetarium
License	Proprietary
Website	http://www.bisque.com

Last updated February 27, 2019

TheSky is an astronomy application designed to be used for educational and observational purposes. TheSky provides an extensive feature set including the following:

The display of star charts using catalogs such as USNO, UCAC4, the Hubble Guide Star Catalog, the Hipparcos Catalogue, the Tycho-2 Catalogue and the NOMAD catalog.
Planetarium features capable of depicting the sky in a realistic way, including the simulation of sky movement over time in order to predict the locations of different sky objects
Automatic telescope and focuser control using native telescope drivers as well as ASCOM.
Scriptable via JavaScript or the Component Object Model, allowing scripted operation.
Optional Add Ons to extend TheSky's functionality, including a Camera Add On to control CCD, DSLR and video cameras, focusers, filter wheels, and rotators; a Dome Add On to automate dome control; a TPoint Add On for telescope pointing analysis, automated polar alignment, telescope tracking correction (ProTrack), and automated telescope model determination (SuperModel); a Database Add On that provides the NOMAD, UCAC4 star catalogs as well as the 10x Digitized Sky Survey
Control, automation and automated PEC training of Software Bisque's own Paramount series of robotic telescope mounts.

The Tycho-2 Catalogue is an astronomical catalogue of more than 2.5 million of the brightest stars.

NOMAD was founded in 2002 as an independent formation and registered as association in 2006. It targets to produce and experiment new patterns in the digital art sphere by using various lenses of other disciplines. The core of the formation consists of designers, engineers, architects, curators and writers. The infrastructure is based on technical and theoretical levels to provide collaborations with affiliations of artists. NOMAD's production network aims to build strong connections across territorial borders through digital culture oriented projects. The main goal of these projects is to establish a productive communication channel that enables access to new resources of information. The core development team consists of Basak Senova, Emre Erkal, Erhan Muratoglu.

Telescope Optical instrument that makes distant objects appear magnified

Telescopes are optical instruments that make distant objects appear magnified by using an arrangement of lenses or curved mirrors and lenses, or various devices used to observe distant objects by their emission, absorption, or reflection of electromagnetic radiation. The first known practical telescopes were refracting telescopes invented in the Netherlands at the beginning of the 17th century, by using glass lenses. They found use in both terrestrial applications and astronomy.

The_Sky (first named using an underscore character to separate 'The' from 'Sky' following Pascal naming conventions) was first released in 1983 for DOS and has been upgraded multiple times to support new versions of Microsoft Windows. The latest release of TheSky, called TheSkyX, is also compatible with macOS.

DOS is a family of disk operating systems, hence the name. DOS primarily consists of MS-DOS and a rebranded version under the name IBM PC DOS, both of which were introduced in 1981. Other later compatible systems from other manufacturers include DR-DOS (1988), ROM-DOS (1989), PTS-DOS (1993), and FreeDOS (1998). MS-DOS dominated the x86-based IBM PC compatible market between 1981 and 1995.

Microsoft Windows is a group of several graphical operating system families, all of which are developed, marketed, and sold by Microsoft. Each family caters to a certain sector of the computing industry. Active Windows families include Windows NT and Windows Embedded; these may encompass subfamilies, e.g. Windows Embedded Compact or Windows Server. Defunct Windows families include Windows 9x, Windows Mobile and Windows Phone.

macOS is a series of graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Apple Inc. since 2001. It is the primary operating system for Apple's Mac family of computers. Within the market of desktop, laptop and home computers, and by web usage, it is the second most widely used desktop OS, after Microsoft Windows.

TheSky HD for iOS is available on the App Store.

The software is developed and distributed by Software Bisque.

Software Bisque, Inc. is a corporation based in Golden, Colorado USA that develops robotics telescope mounts and accessories, and publishes software used in astronomy. It was founded in 1984 by current president and CEO, Stephen M. Bisque.

External links

Software Bisque Home Page

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