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!
Elaine Goodrich