Welcome to the web page of
the semi professional free planetarium program HNSKY for MS-Windows and
Linux. This program can control your telescope via the ASCOM or INDI
interface, has a comprehensive up to date deep sky database with 30.000
objects and detailed descriptions. A star database with millions of
stars and hundreds of Deep Sky Survey images which blends in
accurately. Additional the program can access the online version of the
Deep Sky Survey allowing online update of the asteroid and comet
databases and it can search on-line in professional astronomical
databases. Is provided with menu's in 22 languages and it is totally
free without any advertisement or restriction!!
Free with 30.000 deep sky objects and native star databases up to
magnitude 18. Online access to GAIA DR2, UCAC4, NOMAD and PPMXL star
catalogues or download the USNO UCAC4
up to magnitude 16. The Sun, Moon, the planets and
their major moons are all displayed with surface features. It
maps the position of comets and asteroids with online updating. It is
provided with hundreds of DSS deep sky images which will blend in at
the correct size and orientation. It has a powerful animation
menu. and an integrated deep
sky observations help file with and 22 non-English menus. The
MS-Windows version contains both 32 bit and native 64 bit versions. In
can control
almost any telescope using the ASCOM interface
program. Works flawlessly together with programs like EQMOD and
MaximDL. Downloading
of additional DSS images via the Internet is fully
integrated. Just select an area and select download.After a few second
the DSS image will blend in the HNSKY map at the correct size and
orientation. The
comet or asteroid database can be updated online with just one click.
Online
database search for objects
in the selected area. Numerical
integration for asteroids to achieve highest accuracy
positions years in the future or past. The error is less then 1" after
10 years !!! So an asteroid orbital elements from 10 years ago will
after numerical integration allow position calculation within 1"
accurate!! So also 10 years in the future. The program can use Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Development Ephemeris like the DE431 covering years –13,000
to +16,999 for planetary positions.
 Download: |
MS-Windows: HNSKY v4.3.2 installer. Dated 2024-05-28. See history for details. Alternative link for installer. Linux version: 1) HNSKY version 4.3.2b AMD64 deb package (64 bit) or rpm package or tar archive or i386 32 bit deb (4.3.2b) (52 mbytes Debian package) Will be installed in /opt/hnsky and accessible via menu education. Alternative link_deb link_rpm link_tar 2) HNSKY home documents , 21 mbytes zip archive. Extract to your home folder, ~/.hnsky. Please remove old FITS files first. The file names have changed! Dated 2024-05-31 Alternative link Raspberry PI : 1) HNSKY version 4.3.2b arm64 (64 bit) deb pacakge) or 64 bit tar or HNSKY version 4.3.2b armhf (32 bit deb package) (52 mbytes Debian package) Will be installed in /opt/hnsky and accessible via menu education. From sourceforge 2) HNSKY home documents , 21 mbytes zip archive. Extract to your home folder, ~/.hnsky. Please remove old FITS files first. The file names have changed! Dated 2024-05-31 MacOS: 1) HNSKY version 4.3.2) (850 mbytes installer V17 star database down to magn 17 is included. From sourceforge 2) HNSKY home documents, 21 mbytes zip archive. Extract to Documents/hnsky. Dated 2022-1-3 Additional star databases see below. For ASCOM 32 bit only drivers, install the 32 bit executable from manual installation below. |
| Manual install version |
MS Windows version latest version complete in a zip archive for manual installation (70 mbytes zip archive) Extract (and overwrite if required) these files to the HNSKY program directory or an other folder. The 32 bit version file is hnsky32.exe. The others are 64 bit. Including the magnitude 12.5 star database. Additional you could download the V16, V17 , G!8 or G18 star database from below. Remove manually the old "Deepsky level 1,2,3 .hnd" files. |
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|
Local star databases |
Name | Abbreviation | Magnitude limit | Colour / Mono |
Type | Size | Maximum field in HNSKY |
Proper motion | Description and download link |
| TYC++ |
TYC |
12.5 |
Mono |
Local files, native 290-10 format |
45 MB |
360° | No, epoch 2017 |
Native HNSKY star database up to
magnitude 12.5 containing 4.7 million stars. Compilation from TYCHO-2
& UCAC4. Included with the program and installed. |
|
| TUC |
TUC |
15 |
Mono | Local files, native 290-9 format | 341 MB |
360° | No, epoch 2017 |
Native HNSKY database up to
magnitude 15 containing 39 million stars. Compilation from TYCHO-2 and
UCAC4. Contains the Tycho and UCAC star
identifiers/designation. Download: RAR file or RAR file Unpack in the program directory, typically c:\program files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. |
|
| GAIA eDR3 |
V16 | 16 V-magnitude |
Colour |
Local files, native 290-6 format | 346 MB | 360° | No, epoch 2022 |
Native HNSKY database up to Johnson-V magnitude
16 , containing 60 million stars. Magnitude is the calculated
Johnson-V magnitude and colour information (GBp-GRp) is
provided. A 455 bright Tycho2 stars are added for
completeness. Download: Windows installer or Debian package or ZIP file or RAR file.. Unpack in the program directory, typically c:\program files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. Provided by Sourceforge. Recommended for visual observers. |
|
GAIA eDR3 |
V17 |
17 V-magnitude |
Colour | Local files, native 290-6 format | 695 MB | 360° | No, epoch 2022 |
Native HNSKY database up to
Johnson-V magnitude 17 ,
containing 120 million stars. Magnitude is the calculated Johnson-V
magnitude and colour information (GBp-GRp) is provided. A 455
bright Tycho2 stars are added for completeness. Download: Windows installer or Debian package or ZIP file or RAR file. Unpack in the program directory, typically c:\program files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. Provided by Sourceforge. Recommended for visual observers. |
|
| GAIA
eDR3 |
G17 | 17 BP-magnitude |
Mono |
Local files, native 290-5 format | 503 MB |
360° | No, epoch 2022 |
Native HNSKY database up to
photographic magnitude 17 containing 105 million stars.
Magnitude is the unmodified Gaia BP. A 455 bright Tycho2 stars are
added for completeness. Unpack in the program directory, typically
c:\program files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. Download: Windows installer or Debian package or ZIP file or RAR file. Unpack in the program directory, typically c:\program files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. Provided by Sourceforge. Recommended for astrophotographers. |
|
| GAIA eDR3 | G18 | 18 BP-magnitude |
Mono | Local files, native 290-5 format | 996 MB | 360° | No, epoch 2022 |
Native HNSKY database up to photographic magnitude
18 containing 205 million stars. Magnitude is the unmodified
Gaia BP. 82 bright Tycho2 stars are added for completeness.
Unpack in the program directory, typically c:\program
files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. Download: Windows installer or Linux Debian package or ZIP file or RAR file. Unpack in the program directory, typically c:\program files\hnsky or for Linux /opt/hnsky. Provided by Sourceforge. |
|
| UCAC4 |
UC4 |
16 |
Mono | Local files, external USNO format |
8.4 GB |
2.6x1.3° | Yes |
UCAC4:You can download the 113 million stars, 8.5 Gbytes large USNO UCAC4 from ftp://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/cats/I/322A/UCAC4/ HNSKY can access this catalog directly. Download Z001 to Z900 from the U4b directory and add to the same directory file u4index.unf from U4i. This UCAC4 and Nomad are the catalogues where HNSKY will use proper motion for maximum accuracy. See HNSKY UCAC screenshots. | |
| Online catalogues | Name |
Abbreviation | Magnitude limit | Colour / Mono | Type |
Size | Maximum field in HNSKY |
Proper motion | Description |
| UCAC4 |
UC4 |
16 |
Mono | online |
- |
2.6x1.3° | Yes |
The USNO UCAC4 includes positions, proper motions and magnitudes for 113 million objects | |
| Gaia DR2 |
G |
21 |
Colour |
online |
- |
1.4x0.8° | Yes |
Gaia DR2 |
|
| Nomad |
N |
21 |
Mono | online |
- |
1.4x0.8° | Yes |
NOMAD is merged catalog compiled by the USNO, with positions and magnitudes for 1.1 billion stars from several source catalogs, including Hipparcos, Tycho-2, UCAC 2, and USNO-B 1.0 | |
| PPMXL | 20 | Mono | online | - | 1.4x0.8° | Yes | PPMXL is a catalog of positions, proper motions, 2MASS- and optical photometry of 900 million stars and galaxies, aiming to be complete down to about V=20 full-sky. It is the result of a re-reduction of USNO-B1 together with 2MASS. | ||
| URAT | U |
18.5 |
Mono | online |
- |
1.4x0.8° | Yes |
By USNO, northern sky only, extends down to Declination -15°.228 million objects |
| Older HNSKY versions | MS-Windows: HNSKY
version 3.3.5q (installer, 74 MB, dated
2018-3-5) Including the magnitude 12.5 star database. Or version HNSKY
2.4.1 from 2014. |
| More asteroids/minor planets |
For more asteroids you have to download and import the huge uncompressed MPCORB.DAT file from the Minor Planet Center. This file contains the orbital element contains about 710.000 numbered asteroids and size is uncompressed 140 mbytes. Save this file as MPCORB.DAT. Open this file in Wordpad or any editor and keep the first 30.000 asteroids or so and remove the rest. Open the MPCORB.DAT file in the internal HNSKY asteroid editor. HNSKY will then convert format. To make permanent save to HNS_AST1.AST. HNSKY will only read the numbered asteroids. Alternatively conversion of MPCORB.DAT to supplement format can be done with this small DOS program |
| Additional supplements
|
HyperLeda_980.000_galaxies
supplement Dated 2015-1-5 (10 MB) demo image using 65 mm
telescope. Extract the zip archive in the HNSKY directory
under DOCUMENTS. HyperLeda_2.100.000_galaxies database (type hnd) Dated 2019-05-3 (36 MB) This is a deepsky database not a supplement. Unpacked size is 103 mbytes. Extract and place this huge deepsky database in the HNSKY PROGRAM directory. You have to select either this one or the standard deepsky database. |
| World map supplement: World map supplement version 3.0 dated 2000-10-22. World map and 2700 cities with there location and relative brightness. Scale 1 : 5.000.000. See screen shot of version 2.0. Included a conversion program to convert coastlines to a supplement. | |
| GCVS 4.1 variable star supplement. Complete 37382 star version. In this supplement the GCVS is displayed as labels so you can easily cross check with Tycho or UCAC2. To get Tycho star info switch off the supplement. (The smaller 7800 star version is included to the basic package) | |
| Additonal star databases | Bonner (1859–62) and Cordoba (1879) Durchmusterung visual star database. Converted to equinox 2000. 1.064.775 stars, Obsolete. Version 2002-9-19 |
| Additional FITS images | Extra large Mars map (Color 1000x500
pixels) , large Mercury
maps (1440x720 pixels) based on Mariner 10, SVTS and large Jupiter maps (Color
600x300 and 1200x450 pixels) . Use the large maps only if you have a
fast computer or some patience. The planetary FITS files should be
placed in your FITS directory.
45 hand made drawings/sketches (880 Kbytes) of Bill Ferris, Todd Nowlan and Rainer Töpler as FITS files. These can blended inside the map. They should be put in an other directory as the Realsky images otherwise they are blend with the Realsky images. |
| Other languages | non-English help files and language modules. If you want create a new language module start modifying the English one . |
| CD covers | Some designs by volunteers:  or  or  or  or  |
| Conversion tools |
Star catalog conversion tool with Delphi source 290 conversion. (Dated 2016-9-25) |
| SAO PPM conversion tool with Delphi source, DAT conversion. (Version 2015-6-4 ) | |
| SKY_TOASTER, program for conversion to the TOAST projection,with Delphi source. v0.0 2016-3-28 | |
|
FITS &
REALSKY tools |
ASTAP
Astrometric Stacking Program and FITS viewer.
|
| Realsky
and DSS image viewer using HNSKY DDE link (HNS_REAL)
Manual or DDE controlled (HNSKY 3.3.5) Realsky
image viewer. Click on an object and get the realsky image (you have to
own the Realsky or DSS CD's). Click on the Realsky image and to center
to get cross at HNSKY at the same place. Version 2.0.0c,
Dated 2015-8-11. Here are the instructions
and screen shot demo's If your FITS directory in HNSKY is set
to the HNS_REAL directory, you will get every result blended in the
next screen refresh. HNS_REAL can also be used in batch programs to
create several images. Complete with Delphi and C source. Can also
batch wise convert FITS to BMP. An other possibility is to control
HNS_REAL from the provided Excel table. Contains GETDSS source code
version 1.1plus dated 11 august 2015. See also www.projectpluto.com/get_dss.htm |
|
| Miscellaneous | The following Windows program
ORB_DEB is a simple windows program which calculates the orbital
elements of a minor planet based on three observations/positions using
the Gauss method: Download
ORB_DET.ZIP version 1.02. Contains a win16, win32
and win64 and Linux (AMD64 bit) version. The HNSKY object Pascal source can be found at SourceForge Program to test the server link of HNSKY. |
| PDF map | Example printed PDF map, format A2, 1200 DPI, azimuthal equidistant projection, from declination +90 degrees to -50 degrees. Stars up to magnitude 8.5 and 253 deepsky objects. Zoom in to 1200% to see deepsky objects.. Text searchable. |
