Skyplot
Skyplot was an astronomy simulation software that allowed users to visualize the night sky on their computer. The original version, developed by Gerald M. Santoro, was released in 1987 for MS-DOS. It is often referred to as "The Planetarium Simulator" and enabled users to generate star maps and explore celestial objects.
Although Skyplot was associated with IBM PCs, similar versions of Skyplot appeared on other platforms in the 1980s, such as Atari and Sinclair computers. For example, a version of Skyplot was published in the October 1987 issue of Sky & Telescope and later adapted with graphical capabilities in Turbo Pascal for PCs with Hercules graphics cards.
There were also early hobbyist adaptations on the Schneider CPC and ZX Spectrum computers, showing its influence across home computing platforms during that era.
Skyplot aimed to function as a planetarium simulator. Users could:
The DOS version ran in text mode initially and could be enhanced with graphical output on systems like the Hercules graphics card.
Skyplot holds historical significance as part of the early computer planetarium revolution, preceding modern astronomy software. While the program is largely obsolete today, archives of Skyplot DOS versions (e.g., 2.0) are available online for enthusiasts interested in retro computing or emulation.
Later astronomy programs for PCs drew inspiration from these early simulators, laying the groundwork for modern software like Stellarium and Cartes du Ciel.
Cloudy Nights
In summary, Skyplot definitely existed as an astronomy program for the IBM PC, with its first DOS version released in 1987 by Gerald M. Santoro. It was a pioneer in bringing planetarium-style simulations to home computers.
Article about Skyplot hs here
The archive page is here