Redshift 5 review
2/5 Not that great, June 25, 2004
Reviewer: tinfoilstar from Slough United Kingdom
This wasn't what I was expecting. Whilst the database is very comprehensive, the graphics are not all that good, there is nothing resembling a printed manual and the online help isn't especially helpful. There doesn't seem to be an easy way to move around in space and you need some kind of a degree in astrophysics to figure out all the co-ordinates.
On the bright side it is useful as an up-to the minute star chart for identifying those bright things in the sky that you sometimes argue with your mates over ("Planets don't twinkle, that's Uranus!") and you can download co-ordinates for additional/new objects from the internet, for instance I used it to track the positions of the pathfinder and mars explorer probes. You can also add your own objects, so I guess if you had a degree in maths you could simulate a massive asteroid hitting the earth, but don't expect hollywood style results that's all.