Everything listed below is included with Enthusiast 6 (and not CSAP 6):
Light Pollution Simulator
5 sets Constellation stick figures (vs 1 set in CSAP)
IAU constellation boundaries
High-res constellation illustrations
1 light spectrum Milky Way
Display shadow cones for solar system objects
Live images from observatories & satellites
Bright NGC objects -69 favourite targets for amateur astronomers
Chandra images - X-ray spectrum images from the Chandra Observatory
Hubble images - spectacular imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope
Messier objects - the 110 objects catalogued by 17th-century astronomer Charles Messier
NGC-IC database - one of the most commonly-used deep sky object catalogues, containing 13,993 objects
Spitzer Images - stunning infrared astronomy from the Spitzer Space Telescope
Tully 3-D database - 28,000 nearby galaxies compiled by Brent Tully et al., arranged in 3D space
Create your own object databases
Binocular Deep Sky - 62 binocular objects compiled by the Astronomical League
Southern Binocular Deep Sky - 73 binocular objects in the southern sky, compiled by the Astronomical League
Record Holders
Urban Deep Sky - 87 deep-sky objects suitable for viewing from light-polluted areas, compiled by the Astronomical League
Print full-sky chart
Print charts with three magnifications on same object
125 Preset views to demonstrate astronomical concepts
SkyGuide multimedia tours: ----- more of them
Set view location anywhere in solar system
One click travel to other stars
Historic space missions with 3D models and mission paths
Orbit editor lets you add or edit objects
Night vision mode reddens screen for dark adaptation
3D moons, asteroids and satellites
Angular Separation tool
5 sets Constellation stick figures (vs 1 set in CSAP)
IAU constellation boundaries
High-res constellation illustrations
1 light spectrum Milky Way
Display shadow cones for solar system objects
Live images from observatories & satellites
Bright NGC objects -69 favourite targets for amateur astronomers
Chandra images - X-ray spectrum images from the Chandra Observatory
Hubble images - spectacular imagery from the Hubble Space Telescope
Messier objects - the 110 objects catalogued by 17th-century astronomer Charles Messier
NGC-IC database - one of the most commonly-used deep sky object catalogues, containing 13,993 objects
Spitzer Images - stunning infrared astronomy from the Spitzer Space Telescope
Tully 3-D database - 28,000 nearby galaxies compiled by Brent Tully et al., arranged in 3D space
Create your own object databases
Binocular Deep Sky - 62 binocular objects compiled by the Astronomical League
Southern Binocular Deep Sky - 73 binocular objects in the southern sky, compiled by the Astronomical League
Record Holders
Urban Deep Sky - 87 deep-sky objects suitable for viewing from light-polluted areas, compiled by the Astronomical League
Print full-sky chart
Print charts with three magnifications on same object
125 Preset views to demonstrate astronomical concepts
SkyGuide multimedia tours: ----- more of them
Set view location anywhere in solar system
One click travel to other stars
Historic space missions with 3D models and mission paths
Orbit editor lets you add or edit objects
Night vision mode reddens screen for dark adaptation
3D moons, asteroids and satellites
Angular Separation tool
So where does the "Orion Special Edition" fall in this list? Mine is v. 6.2.3 kcEW. Is it just me or are there WAY to many variations on this software to make sense of them?
Orion Special Edition is not a retail version of Starry Night. OSE is special program designed for bundling with Orion's telescopes. OSE is equivalent to our Complete Space and Astronomy Program - except that we have included the telescope control feature in OSE. OSE is a great program to get for free!
Thanks, Keiron. But now I think it's even more confusing. The program says only that it is "Special Edition". And the "product comparison" link I found in the support redirects to a store and apparently there is no longer a product comparison. I think I've figured out that CSaAP doesn't support multiple locations, for example (can't do any of the options listed in the help). In short, I have NO idea what paying for any upgrade would get me. Meanwhile I'm finding it easier to make Stellarium work - no doubt because of the extreme documentation confusion between all the editions.
For example the bundle documentation says this: "
The toolbar
displays
your current
viewing
location. To change this location in Starry
Night Pro and Pro Plus, click on it to open
a pull-down menu. Select the option
Other... from the menu. In Starry Night
Enthusiast choose Options->Viewing
Location from the main menu. This opens
the Viewing Location dialog box"
But none of those exist or work. You must "File -> Edit -> Home Location". Found by trial and error. It makes me think perhaps the confusion between documentation and "packages" is only going to get worse.
I guess a final way to ask the question for the benefit of anyone who comes behind me is what is NOT included in Enthusiast besides having multiple locations? Would I lose the ability to control my mount, for example?
I was never able to get the "Orion Edition" to talk to my Sirius mount - and the supplied User documentation is so different from the actual program I stopped using "Starry Night".
Hi Steven,
Enthusiast does not have telescope control. So, if you want to upgrade, and keep controlling your mount, you will need to purchase either Pro or Pro Plus.
The difference between CSAP and Enthusiast quite significant. Please see this KB article here:
https://support.simulationcurriculum.com/entries/20704483-enthusiast-6-vs-the-complete-space-and-astronomy-program-6
Starry Night Pro/ProPlus contain an incredible amount of star data, features, skyguide interactives, telescope controls, etc, so its not easy to put all the differences of all the programs onto one KB article. But, I'm going to try and improve upon what you have found and the feedback you have provided.
My language is finnish and unfortenately I do not understand all questions.