| StellarWindow is planetarium software for Windows PCs, laptops, notebooks, tablet PCs, etc., which comes with an USB stick-type peripheral unit containing a combined three-axis each acceleration and geomagnetic sensor.
Based on the sensor's signals, StellarWindow accurately computes the present area of the sky to which the sensor is pointed and displays beautifully rendered realistic images of stars, galaxies, nebulae and solar system objects in real-time. The images move in real-time as you point your laptop or notebook in different directions.
Thanks to the included USB extension cable, the sensor may not only be plugged into the computer, but can also be attached to a pair of binoculars, a telescope mounted on a tripod or on a computerized GoTo mount, or simply held in your hand.
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Stellar Window features:
Intuitive operation thanks to a 6-axis sensor: Shows the starry sky and celestial objects centred around the sensor's pointing direction. Take StellarWindow outside or enjoy stargazing indoors regardless of the weather. The sensor can be held in hand or even attached to binoculars or a telescope!
Combined photographic images and computer graphics: Flexible and re-sizable images of the deepsky objects and lunar or planetary surfaces are combined to form a beautiful synthesis of computer graphics and natural images.
Breathtaking views of star fields and celestial objects: Employs selected images taken by the best astrophotographers on the planet. Thousands of photos taken by Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) are also employed.
Huge database of objects: Employs the Hipparcos and Tycho 2 catalogues, 2.6 million stars in total, plus a deepsky database of over 6000 objects (RNGC, Messier, etc.). And, of course, the eight planets of our Solar System and their major moons, all the way up to artificial satellites, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the International Space Station. A great way to find out what satellite that is!
Exciting realism: Simulates meteor showers with their radiant point on the background of stunning images of the constellations and the full arc of the Milky Way in natural colours.
Voice guidance: Voice guidance can be used to help you aim the sensor at a specific target. This is most convenient when the sensor is mounted on binoculars, scopes, or simply on a tripod.
Supervised by Professor J. Watanabe, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. STELLARWINDOW is supervised by one of the most famous astronomers in Japan. : "STELLARWINDOW with its motion sensor revolutionizes the world of stargazing. This new concept turns a portable computer into an interactive virtual planetarium", said Junichi Watanabe. "It is not only a great outdoor reference tool for stargazers, but also very useful for city indoor dwellers who can hardly see more than buildings and lights. Furthermore, STELLARWINDOW is a highly valuable tool for education in astronomy".
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The Stellar Window USB Positioning Sensor:
Purpose: The USB connected 6-axis sensor accurately detects the direction to which it is pointed. This sensor is essential external hardware for the configuration of StellarWindow and its function as planetarium software.
Sensor Accuracy: The sensor provides angular and directional resolution of 0.1 degree in a frequency of 20 times per second. By means of an appropriate statistical algorithm StellarWindow displays these values in a resolution of 1 degree.
Compensation of deviation angle: North, to which a compass points (magnetic north), and true north slightly differ by amounts depending on location on Earth. This phenomenon is referred to as "Deviation Angle, Deflection Angle or Declination". StellarWindow allows for compensation of this phenomena.
Calibration: The sensor is susceptible to magnetic interferences emitted by binoculars, televisions, loudspeakers, etc. which disturb the geomagnetic field causing inaccurate outputs. In such an event, a simple process called calibration will compensate for the influence of magnetic fields thus correcting the sensor's values for direction.
Included USB extension cable: StellarWindow is supplied with a 1 meter USB extension cable. By using this cable to extend the sensor and by holding it like a pointer, StellarWindow will display the area of the sky centred around the location in the sky to which the sensor is pointed. Let's go stargazing! There are numerous ways of pointing (aligning) the sensor to the sky, manually, plugged into a tablet PC, or mounted on a pair of binoculars. The possibilities are truly infinite.
Windows System Requirements (Mac OS X coming soon):
Operating System: Microsoft Windows XP SP2 or higher.
Optical Disk Device
DVD-ROM drive (required for installation only, not for start-up and program execution).
Mouse or other pointing devices is required for operation with a deactivated sensor
"Normal" operating mode Laptop PC - system requirements:
CPU: Intel Pentium 4, Xeon, Core Duo compatible or higher
Free Memory: 1GB or more (2GB or more recommended)
Graphic Environment: OpenGL compatible graphics hardware (Intel or nVidia graphic boards recommended)
Monitor: 1280x1024 dots resolution or larger recommended
Hard Disk Space: 1.2GB or more
(A mouse or other pointing devices is required for operation with deactivated sensor).
"Lite mode" Notebook PC system requirements:
CPU: Intel Celeron M 900MHz compatible or higher. Intel Atom Z520, Z530, Z540, N270 or higher.
Free Memory: 300MB or more (1GB or more recommended)
Graphic Environment: OpenGL compatible graphics hardware (on-board graphic, video memory sharing possible - Intel or nVidia on-board graphics recommended)
Monitor: 800x600 dots resolution recommended
Hard Disk Space: 160MB or more
Included USB Sensor performance & features:
USB 1.0 connection
Sampling rate approx. 20x/sec (depending on operating environment)
Effective resolution: altitude 1 deg, azimuth 1 deg, however not guaranteed
Smooth display motion thanks to image stabilization and offset algorithms
Sensor sensitivity adjustment function
Alignment function
Deflection angle adjustment function
Calibration function (compensation for magnetic fields, elimination of magnetization state)
Factory default reset
Sensor Specifications: (may differ by production lot)
MR type magnetic sensor
Magnetic sensor resolution: 0.1µT
Acceleration sensor resolution: 10 mg
Celestial sphere display features: (with sensor active)
Toolbar move function
Switching full screen and window modes
Dual display correspondence (experimental)
Projection
Max. field of view: 100 degrees
Projection method: perspective
Automatic control of optimum field of view
Location & time features:
Location setting (picked from a map, address or coordinates input)
Fixed Stars
Hipparcos and Tycho 2 star catalogs, etc.
Total number of stars: approx. 2.6 million
Selectable number of stars to be displayed
Generation of "twinkling stars"
Display Modes:
Photo simulation mode
Realistic mode
Star display features:
Star catalog number
Common name and its origin
Magnitude, Johnson B-V index and spectral class
Right ascension and declination (J2000), azimuth and elevation
Memory Save Mode (selection of upper limit for number of stars and lower limit of magnitude)
Meteor shower display features:
Reproduction of radiant points at designated times
Zenith compensation and selection of meteor numbers
Constellation display features:
Constellation name display
Constellation lines display
Constellation figures display
Deep Sky Object display features:
Revised New General Catalog, Messier, etc.
Total number of objects: approx. 6000
Selectable colors for overlay data
Color photos (natural colors) for approx. 200 objects, including nearly all Messier objects
Revised NGC and Messier catalog numbers
Object name
Object type, such as "open cluster in nebula", etc.
Magnitude and distance
Equatorial coordinates (J2000) and horizontal coordinates
Milky Way display features
Photographic display in natural, visual color
32bit compressed bitmap, approx. 300MB spanning over the galactic plane (360°) by ±30° latitude
Installation of Milky Way image selectable during program installation
Planet display features:
Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and their major natural moons
Rendered waxing and waning moon phases
Solar and lunar eclipses
Rendered illumination phases
Surface images of planet and their satellites with some blank areas
Installation of high resolution planet surface images selectable during program installation
Planet names
Distance in kilometers, light time distance in hh:mm:ss
Magnitudes
Equatorial (J2000) and horizontal coordinates
Satellite display features:
Elements from Celestrak "100 (or so) Brightest", low-earth-orbit satellites only
Update of orbital elements (online)
Addition of orbital elements (for advanced users)
Hubble Space Telescope (HST) and International Space Station (ISS) high resolution 3D models
Magnitude linked mode
Icon display mode
Satellite name and code
Speed per second (overlay display in speed per hour notation)
Altitude over sea level
Ground position (latitude and longitude)
Magnitude prediction (approx. ±2 magnitudes roughly, determination of earth shadow entry)
Horizontal coordinates
Search & Guidance features:
Star names
Star catalog numbers
Constellation names
Nebula, star cluster and galaxy names
Messier and RNGC catalog numbers
Planet names
Artificial satellite names
"Simple Voice Navigation" features:
Read out of horizontal coordinates by speech synthesis
Setting of voice read-out intervals
Setting of closest approach angles
"Guide Mode" features:
Guide circle mode
Auto-zoom scroll mode
Auto-scroll mode
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