stellarium
Stellarium is a free GPL software which renders realistic skies in real time with OpenGL. It is available for Linux/Unix, Windows and macOS. With Stellarium, you really see what you can see with your eyes, binoculars or a small telescope.
Top Related Projects
The main data repository for the Open Exoplanet Catalogue
Quick Overview
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:
- Visit the official website: https://stellarium.org/
- Download the appropriate version for your operating system
- Install the software following the provided instructions
- Launch Stellarium and use the bottom toolbar to navigate and explore the night sky
- 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.
Competitor Comparisons
The main data repository for the Open Exoplanet Catalogue
Pros of open_exoplanet_catalogue
- Focused specifically on exoplanet data, providing a comprehensive catalog
- Open-source nature allows for community contributions and updates
- Data stored in XML format, making it easily parseable and machine-readable
Cons of open_exoplanet_catalogue
- Limited to exoplanet information, lacking broader astronomical features
- May require additional tools or software for visualization
- Less user-friendly for general astronomy enthusiasts
Code Comparison
open_exoplanet_catalogue (XML data format):
<planet>
<name>Kepler-16 b</name>
<mass>0.333</mass>
<radius>0.7538</radius>
<period>228.776</period>
</planet>
stellarium (C++ code snippet):
void Planet::draw(StelCore* core, StelPainter& painter)
{
// Draw planet
drawSprite(core, painter);
// Draw orbit if selected
if (selected)
drawOrbit(core, painter);
}
The code comparison highlights the different focus of each project. open_exoplanet_catalogue primarily deals with data storage and organization, while stellarium includes rendering and visualization functionality for astronomical objects.
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Stellarium
Stellarium is a free open source planetarium for your computer. It shows a realistic sky in 3D, just like what you see with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.
If you are new to Stellarium, go to www.stellarium.org for loads of additional information.
Installation Instructions & Quick Start
Please refer to the User Guide, Getting Started section.
Get & build the code
See instructions to building Stellarium from source code.
Full References and Credits
See the full credit file.
Contributing to Stellarium
See the contributing guideline.
Contributors
This project exists thanks to all the people who contribute! List of contributors on Github (code contributors) and on Open Collective page (financial contributors).
Our backers & sponsors
Thank you to all our backers and sponsors! Become a backer or sponsor.
Code Signing
Windows packages of this program uses free code signing provided by SignPath.io, and a free code signing certificate by the SignPath Foundation
Top Related Projects
The main data repository for the Open Exoplanet Catalogue
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