Stellarium is an open-source planetarium software that renders realistic 3D skies in real-time. It allows users to observe celestial objects, constellations, and astronomical phenomena as they would appear from any location on Earth and at any time. Stellarium is widely used by astronomy enthusiasts, educators, and even some planetariums.

Pros

• Highly realistic and accurate sky rendering
• Extensive catalog of celestial objects and constellations
• Cross-platform compatibility (Windows, macOS, Linux)
• Active community and regular updates

Cons

• Can be resource-intensive on older hardware
• Learning curve for advanced features
• Limited built-in tools for astrophotography planning

Getting Started

To get started with Stellarium:

1. Visit the official website: https://stellarium.org/
2. Download the appropriate version for your operating system
3. Install the software following the provided instructions
4. Launch Stellarium and use the bottom toolbar to navigate and explore the night sky
5. Press F1 for help or visit the user guide for detailed instructions

Note: Stellarium is not a code library, so code examples are not applicable in this case.