Help Page for the Stargazing Interactive Sky Chart

Steps:

1. This sky chart applet runs on the Java Virtual Machine plug-in from Sun Microsystems. If you already have it installed on your computer, proceed to launch the Stargazing Sky Chart page.

2. If you do not have the Java Virtual Machine installed on your computer, go to Sun Microsystems (java.com), download it and install it. After installation, you should be able to view the Stargazing Sky Chart.

Below are additional instructions and Help text provided by Sky & Telescope.

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Create a custom naked-eye map of the whole sky for any place on Earth, at any time of day or night, on any date from 1600 to 2400. The Sky & Telescope Interactive Sky Chart works in most Java-enabled Web browsers.

Note: This schematic chart tells where stars and planets are located with respect to your horizons and zenith. For a bigger, more realistic chart for easiest use outdoors, see one of our magazines: Sky & Telescope, Night Sky or our annual SkyWatch.

If the Sky Chart fails to work properly, please reinstall your Java plug-in — available free from java.com. You may also need to activate the Java plug-in manually. For best results on a PC, use Internet Explorer 6 or higher or Netscape 7; on a Mac, use OS X 10.3 with Safari.

For more information, or if you have trouble getting the Sky Chart to open or print, please review our system requirements.

See Fun with S&T's Interactive Sky Chart to find out if the constellations really are upside down on the other side of the equator.

To build links to the applet preset to your favorite observing location, just add a "?zip=" and the ZIP code after the page URL. For example, for ZIP code 20166, you would construct the link like this: http://reference.aol.com/space/stargazing-sky-chart?zip=20166

See Sky & Telescope's Mobile Sky Chart to learn about our companion sky-chart application for wireless phones.

Note that if you've installed a "pop-up stopper" to block advertisements that automatically open in new browser windows, you'll probably have to turn it off, as our Interactive Sky Chart needs to open in a new browser window.

Additional Browser Support Information

Macintosh OS X with Safari: Your location can not be set and print mode will not operate unless you are using OS X 10.3.

Macintosh OS X with other browsers: IE does not support changing locations. Other browsers are undetermined.

Macintosh OS 9: The Sky Chart appears to run in IE 4.5 and 5, and Netscape 4.6 or higher, but is not supported. The Sky Chart is known to run with OS 9.1 and Netscape 4.79. Other versions may demonstrate varying functionality.

Netscape/Mozilla: We recommend Netscape 7/Mozilla 1.4 or higher.

Linux: The Sky Chart operates correctly with Mozilla 1.5/Firefox 9.1 and above.

- Launch the Stargazing Sky Chart
- Go to Space.aol.com