SkyTools V2.0
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Observing List
SkyTools main feature is generation of and filtering and sorting of observing list. First you tell SkyTools your observing location and you can input several locations that you observe from. SkyTools ask information about your location such as name, longitude and latitude, elevation and naked eye magnitude limit. It uses this information to calculate rise and set times and simulation of limited magnitude of star charts.
You also tell SkyTools what binoculars, telescope (or telescopes) and eyepieces you have. Another very unique thing SkyTools wants to know about is you. It ask your age, pupil diameter and your observing experience to be used in calculations to determine limiting magnitudes of objects you can see naked eye, binoculars and telescope.
The display of the object list is in spreadsheet format. It has rows and columns. Each row is a target object and gives information such as size, RA and DEC, magnitude and many others. You can also choose which column information you want displayed or not. You can click on the column header to sort objects in descending or ascending order. 
There are several drop down list boxes. One is the observing list. There are observing list that either came with the program, downloaded from the internet or ones created yourself. Examples of such list are the Messier, Herschel 400, Cardwell catalog or anything you wish. The observing planning can work by selecting your list and then filter it by selections from the other drop down list. You can filter by constellation, above the horizon, above unobstructed horizon you define yourself for your observing location, above 2 air masses which is 30 degrees, object class (galaxy, open cluster or the like), visible in complete darkness, visible in day or night, visible in dark or twilight, by limiting magnitude you set or by limiting magnitude of your scope or binoculars.
A great feature in the observing planning window is the night bar. It is a graph that graphically displays when the sun rises and sets, twilight begins and ends, when it is completely dark without moon or twilight, when the moon is visible, when you can see and how high your target object will get. You can use the night bar to determine when your observing time will begin and end which will filter your object list even more. The night bar is one of the best and one of the most useful features I have ever seen in any astronomy program.
SkyTools has 2 features that help you generate an observing list. One is the designation search tool where you type the object name or by selecting the class and then catalog and then select from a list. You can then select objects to add to your list. 
The other tool which is much more powerful is the database power search tool. It is has two tabs one for stars and the other deep sky objects. The stars tab you can have it filter stars based on catalog, variable or double stars, proper motion, distance in light years, magnitude and color. It has multiple (double star is considered multiple) star and variable star specific searches. It will filter out multiples based on separation, magnitude difference and orbital period for binaries. Variable stars can be filtered by class such as eclipsing, pulsating, cataclysmic and many others. Variables can also be filtered by period and magnitude.
The deep sky part of the power search has many filtering options. You can filter by class, catalog, magnitude, size, constellation and if it has been logged or not. There are also specific filters especially tailored to quasars, galaxy groups, planetary nebula, diffuse nebula, dark nebula and open clusters. A really nice filtering feature is you can have the power search list objects within any amount of degrees of any object you choose. For instance, you can have the database power search tool list objects only 5 degrees from M22. This is great for those who wish to spend a night observing in a small area of the sky. Both the designation search and data base power search gives you great tools to generate either a long term observing list or a short term then the observing list window fine tunes that list to give you a great observing plan for that night
Added: Tuesday, August 19, 2003
Reviewer: Shawn Grant
Score:  
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