Starry Night Backyard

by Imaginova

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 5 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000059WEJ
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 29, 2001
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,389 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #14 in Software > Children's Software > Science & Nature
  • #21 in Software > Education & Reference > Science
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Amazon.com Review

Few things are more frustrating for amateur astronomers than to be told of some extraordinary celestial event only for it to be obscured by a cloudy sky. Starry Night Backyard is a CD-ROM package that will allow enthusiasts of the night sky to explore it whenever they want to and whatever the overhead conditions.

The package has some superb visuals and is remarkably wide-ranging--the moving graphics, as you travel through the solar system and past the edges of planets and moons, are quite otherworldly. Complete beginners should note, though, that it is designed for those who have already gained a little knowledge of the stars--a sister package, Starry Night Beginner, is designed for novices.

The first step is to select a home location, whereupon you will be shown a snapshot view from that spot on earth at the time you are using the package. Of course, if it happens to be daytime where you live, you can select another point anywhere on the globe and view the stars from there. If you have never seen the Southern Cross (or the polar star), now there is nothing to stop you.

But what really distinguishes this CD-ROM is that it allows you to explore the constellations that you see from home as well as voyage into the solar system. With the range of viewing locations, you can experience the utter darkness of Pluto and the searing heat of a sunny day on Mercury. You can also view interesting events in the past, including many solar and lunar eclipses, and get an impression of the passage of comets and asteroids.

The range of this package is what will really attract those with an interest in the stars. It gives a sense of the unity of this planet, and the possibility of viewing the sky from anywhere on earth is a real enhancement and embodiment of the modern global village. --Toby Green

Amazon.com Product Description

This software makes learning about the night sky accessible to your entire family. With a few simple steps, you can watch a sunset from the surface of Mars, hitch a ride on a comet, and learn about the stars and planets shining over your house. Or travel through time to marvel at night skies as seen from anywhere on Earth, from the distant past to the far future. It is suitable for both those who own a telescope and those who don't.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the best!!, June 16, 2001

By 

Andrew Horner (Erskine, Scotland) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starry Night Backyard (CD-ROM)

I am no more than a door-step astronomer. I want to identify all the constellations, understand some basics about the planets and stars, and be able to see the International Space station (ISS) and other satellites. I want to grasp the fundamentals about earth's orbit and relationship with the Sun and other planets including the moon, and if, in learning all this I get a thirst for more complex things, then I will move on. I have about ten books on astronomy and the stars, and own a small beginner's telescope. As a next step I searched the web for a reasonable astronomy program for my PC and downloaded free trials on several, including Distant Suns, ECU, Sky Chart and Sky Map. Of all of them Starry Night Backyard was the best. The graphics, screen displays and animation are all excellent. It gives you the ability to travel to other planets, observe the sky from any location on earth, run through sequences of events (past, present and future) and includes an on-line manual and companion book. Any child would find this an easy program to understand and the simple use of the mouse and toolbar adds to the pleasure. There is nothing complex or user-unfriendly about this excellent software. Free upgrades are available via the web as they are developed and you can always move from the basic package to the more complex one (I believe there are three versions) for a price. This is like learning Shakespeare from a book at school (boring and brain-dead) then going to see a performance by a professional cast which brings the whole thing to life in front of you. Starry Night Backyard is the performance of a lifetime. The animation to help you understand the earth's orbit (and the other planets) is excellent and a picture is worth a thousand words in any book. Give it a try!

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars WOW!, February 5, 2001

By 

John Boyd (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starry Night Backyard (CD-ROM)

I downloaded the demo for the "Starry Night Backyard" version from Space.com. The product is great for anyone who is interrested in astronomy, beginner or expert. I killed some serious time with this software! I was blown away at how much information was available. Navigation is very easy, too.

I highly recommend it.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Willa K. Cree, June 18, 2001

By 

WKC (Phoenix, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Starry Night Backyard (CD-ROM)

This is an awesome product, and fun for the whole family. My son, age 7, loves exploring the universe with me. I and my husband, who both have an interest in astronomy (that we can rarely do anything about with small children), just love all the information and the great graphics. This is easy to use, and is fun no matter what your level of expertise. This is a lot of software for a really reasonable price! I find that I log on to it every evening to see what our sky will look like tonight! I've been a computer nerd for MANY years, and rarely have I been so impressed with a software product.