Have a penchant for staring out into the night sky? Always giddy at the thought of going to planetariums and getting awed at just how vast the universe really is? If you said, yes, to both questions, then you would enjoy Stellarium.
Stellarium is a free planetarium for your very own computer. It can give you a great picture of the vast universe by giving you access to 600,000 stars, the constellations of 10 different cultures and more. You can enjoy astronomer level access right at your very own computer. Stellarium is perfect for kids and adults alike who have a fascination for the stars and planets surrounding us.
If you are looking for a program that can give you a comprehensive view of the night sky then having Stellarium would be perfect. Whether you use it for studying, teaching or simply just to satisfy your curiosity, Stellarium is a great planetarium program that can provide you encompassing access to a big part of the universe.
It is a free software that you can download onto your computer and it is available in different formats, suitable for a Mac, Windows as well as Linux OS. Stellarium is easy to use and opens up very fast. You won’t have to worry about it clogging up your computer and eating up all of your RAM. With the program, you can easily access over 600, 000 stars, get full renderings of ancient cultures different constellations, and even have a full Messier catalog.
Once you open up the software, it will ask you to set your coordinates or current location. This is a bit tricky since the controls need a bit of getting used to. Moreover, it will open up in full screen with no option to minimize it, so you will have to do ALT+TAB if you want to get to your other files. When you move the mouse around, you can get any view you like of the sky. You can also view constellation lines, boundaries as well as mythical images.
Stellarium is definitely a nifty software to use even if you just happen to be an enthusiast. It has a few kinks here and there but overall, it works great to giving you the best picture of the stars and the planets. It’s great features and expansive catalog will also provide you with a sense of realism when looking and using the software.
Related Links:
Stellarium Website
Stellarium on Cnet
Stellarium on LinuxGoodies
Stellarium on Softonic