Software Bisque
Software Bisque, Inc. (formerly named Computer Assist Services) is an American company that develops telescope mounts and software used in astronomy.[1] It was founded in 1984 by current president and CEO, Stephen Bisque.
History
Initially, Bisque developed and marketed custom financial software and also sold a DOS-based astronomy program named TheSky. At this time, the company was based in Bisque's home in Golden, Colorado.
In 1990, Bisque hired his brothers Thomas, Daniel and Matthew. Together they ported The Sky for DOS to Windows 3.0. In 1992, TheSky for Windows was released. The product has been under continuous development since it was first released in the early 1980s; the current version is known as TheSkyX.[2]
Products
Software Bisque has since developed and sold many astronomy-related products, including:
- TheSky and TheSkyX planetarium software[2]
- TheSky Pocket Edition for Windows Mobile devices
- CCDSoft, a program for the acquisition and development of CCD images
- TPoint for Windows, telescope analysis and pointing correction software[2]
- Orchestrate, a program for automating multiple astronomy devices, allowing fully automatic operation and data acquisition
- Seeker, an OpenGL three-dimensional solar system simulator
- AutomaDome, astronomical dome control software
- PrecisionPEC, periodic error correction modeling software
- Paramount ME and MX Robotic Telescope Systems, German equatorial telescope mounts with integrated software control[2]
- BisqueTCS, a telescope control system
Amateurs have discovered over 500 new objects (including comets, minor planets, supernovas, and cataclysmic variable stars) using these products.