Students use software to simulate the night sky

Want to look at the stars? Now there’s no reason to have to wait to get a nine-year degree or even for night when you can load this program onto your computer in a matter of minutes. The computer program called Starry Night Enthusiast can give Boise State students a simulation of the night sky at any moment they wish.

The program, used by the Stars and Cosmology class as well as the Astronomy Club, is a tool that students or anyone interested in learning and observing stars can use-even if it’s a cloudy night or the middle of the day.

The program shows millions of stars, a large number of nebulas, galaxies, and many other astronomical features in vivid colors and forms.

Users can look up individual stars by name or constellation to see their actual location. The program also offers specifics about constellations.

Professor Daryl Macomb of the BSU Astronomy department said he likes this program because of its accuracy. “It is flexible and a person can put it into actual use when observing from their own backyard,” Macomb said.

Macomb’s favorite feature of the Starry Night program is that it runs time simulations so that users can track the movement of stars and constellations and see how they will appear on a particular night.

The astronomy department uses the program to plan observations. For example, the program can tell if the moon is going to be out or very bright, and will block out a lot of star visualization. They can even see what the sky will look like hundreds of years from now or many years ago.

Users can even go further into space and see objects they couldn’t see with the naked eye. Jessica Elias, a member of the Astronomy club and lab teacher for the Stars and Cosmology class, said that she enjoys this feature.

“I really enjoy the space ship mode-getting to fly around and really look around the galaxy. It’s more of a fun program to learn with.”

Another great thing about this program, Macomb says, is the fact that it’s very user friendly, even for someone not enrolled in the class.

“Students can actually really find items in reference once they know where it is in the night sky like-the stars in Orion’s Belt,” said Elias.

RYAN RASMUSSEN
Special to The Arbiter

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