Apple MacBook Pro for Astronomy

January 28, 2013

Below describes setting up the Apple MacBook Pro for astronomy.

Apple MacBook Pro MD102LL/A 13.3-Inch Laptop
- 2.9GHz dual-core Intel Core i7
- 8GB 1600MHz memory
- DVD drive for install software
- LAN port for wired connection to the router
- Laptop display 1280 x 800
- DisplayPort to be used with external HDMI display
- OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion
- 750GB hard drive
  - Most of the hard drive is filled with free video classes from iTunes U

OS X 10.8.2 Mountain Lion Applications and Mac Astronomy Software

Planetarium and observing software
- Google Earth - free Google Sky is part of Google Earth
- SkySafari Pro - $39.90 I use an iPad version to control the telescope mount
- SkyChart - Cartes du Ciel V3.6 - free
- SKY-MAP.ORG - free works with a web browser
- Stellarium - free
- VarOrbs (Variable Star Observer) V3.0 beta by Patrick Chevalley - free
- VMA Virtual Moon Atlas V6 - free
  - Altun - free
  - Cclun - free
  - Datlun - free
  - Photlun - free
  - Weblun - free
- Where is M13? V2.3 - free
- XEphem V3.7.5 - $19.95
  - XQuartz V2.7.4 - free X11 software for UNIX from Apple App Store needed to use XEphem
Image and video processing software
- Adobe Photoshop Elements 11 for Mac - image processing software, Amazon download $75.87/2
- Adobe Photoshop Premiere 11 for Mac - video processing software, Amazon download $75.87/2
- Aperture Photometry Tool V2.3.3 - Free
- AstroImageJ V2.0 beta - Free
- Datacolor Spyder 3 - free software to use with Spyder 2 hardware for Windows on the Mac
- FITS Liberator V3.0.1 - free FITS image processing software
- Fv V5.3 - free Fv: The Interactive FITS File Editor
- Gimp V2.8.2 - free image processing software
- ImageJ64 V1.46r - free image analysis software
  - Astronomy Plugin Package
- JAVA Version 7 Update 10 - Free
  - Test computer for JAVA version
- Lynkeos - free image stacking software
- MicroObservatory Image V2.2 - free image analysis software from CFA (Center for Astrophysics) software
- Nebulosity V3 - $80 Control QSI and Meade DSI CCD cameras on the Mac
- PixInsight64 - image processing software
  - PixInsight Links by Topic by Sean Curry
- Regim V2.9 - Regim is free, Andreas Rorigs
- SalsaJ V2.21 - SalsaJ is free, student-friendly software developed specifically for the EU-HOU project.
- SAOImage DS9 - free astronomical imaging and data visualization application from CFA (Center for Astrophysics) software
Camera control software
- Nebulosity V3 - $80 Control QSI and Meade DSI CCD cameras on the Mac
- PHD - free guiding software works with Meade DSI CCD cameras on the Mac
Utilities software
- Foxfire - free browser with a download video plug-in that is easily to use.
- Google Chrome - free browser the works better than Safari on downloading large files.
  - 100,000 Stars only works on Chrome
- OpenOffice - free alternative to Microsoft Office
- Python V2.7.3 - free programing environment
- RedScreen - free Advanced screen dimming for Mac OS X for use during observing
- TextEdit - OS X application to edit HTML pages
- VLC V2.0.4 - free media player to play downloaded YouTube videos
- Xcode - free development software from Apple
- Yummy FTP Lite to Upload HTML pages to web site - $1.99 from the Apple App Store

Below describes setting up the Apple MacBook Pro for four virtual machines for or programs that do not run on the Mac OS X Mountain Lion.

Parallels Desktop 8 for Mac V8.0.18354 - $53.57 Amazon
Microsoft Windows 7 Professional SP1 - $139.99 Fry's Electronics
- Planetarium software
  - Home Planet V3.3 -free
  - SkyTools V3 Pro - Windows only software
  - TheSky V5.00.108 - very old Windows only software
  - Microsoft Research WorldWide Telescope - Windows Client
    - The Web Client did not fully work with Safari, Chrome or FireFox
- Image and video processing software
  - Adobe Photoshop CS5 Extended for Windows - I have a Windows version and it was cheaper to set up Parallels with Windows 7 instead buying the Mac version
    - Astronomy Tools Actions Set - V1.6 $21.95
    - GradientXTerminator - $49.95
  - AIP4WIN V2.4.8 Beta - The ultimate book on image processing and the book includes software
  - Basic Astronomical Spectroscopy Software V0.2.0.3 - free
  - IC Capture AS V2.2 - free Imaging Source CCD camera software
    - Software runs but images from the USB camera do not transfer to software yet
  - IrfanView V4.35 - free image viewer and basic image editing
  - ISIS V5.01 - free (Integrated Spectrographic Innovative Software
  - MaxIm DL V5.07 - CCD camera control and image processing software
  - Nikon NEF Codec V1.16.0 - free
  - Reduc V4.63 - free software dedicated to double stars measurements
  - RegiStax V6.1.0.8 - free stacking software for AVI files
  - RSpec V1.5.0.19 - Real-Time Spectroscopy
  - Subaru Image Processor Makali`i V2.0a - free
- Utilities software
  - New Astronomy CCDCalc V1.4.15 - free image FOV software
- Windows 7 performance

Microsoft Windows XP Professional SP3 for programs that do not run or install on Windows 7 - $103.99 from Worry-less, Amazon

Darksky.bat DOS program - free DOS software for dark sky times, will not run on Windows 7
MIRA Pro V6.0.9.5 - imaging processing software that will not install on Windows 7
MPO Canopus V10.4.1.9 - Minor Planet Observer is difficult to run on Windows 7

Ubuntu V12.04.1 LTS - Free through Parallels create virtual machine
- Planetarium software
  - KStars Desktop Planetarium - free from Ubuntu Software Center
  - Stellarium Planetarium - free from Ubuntu Software Center
- Image and video processing software
  - CGX Astro-Image Processor image processing and CCD control - free from Ubuntu Software Center
  - Spydr FITS image display and simple analysis - free from Ubuntu Software Center
- Simulation software
  - Celestia (GLUT) space simulation - free from Ubuntu Software Center
  - Planets simulation - free from Ubuntu Software Center
  - OpenUniverse Space Simulator - free from Ubuntu Software Center
  - StarPlot Star Chart Viewer - free from Ubuntu Software Center

Microsoft Window 8 Preview - Free through Parallels install virtual machine
- Used to learn how to use Windows 8

Additional Apple MacBook Pro configuration.

Multi-Touch Mouse surface which is very cool
- Apple Magic Mouse
Email
- Set up new free Email account with Apple iCloud
- Now Email is sync with iPod and iPad
Backups
- 3 TB USB 3.0 hard disk drive
- Apple Time Machine is part of OS X
Second display
- Dell ST2321L 23 inch 1080p (1920 x 1080) HDMI display
- DisplayPort to HDMI Adapter
Wireless printer
- Canon PIXMA MG5300
HDE External USB 3.5 inch Floppy Disk Drive - $10.79 from Warehouse - Amazon

Astronomy Software
- Astronomy Software by Astronomy Online
- Macintosh Computers in Amateur Astronomy by David Illig
- Image Processing Resources for Astronomy Teaching

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