Stellarium

[warri0r45]

http://www.stellarium.org/

 

 

 

Stellarium is a free astronomy program which is basically a virtual planatarium with which you can search the universe from a given vantage point. You can search for the planets of the solar system, other galaxies and nebulae, stars and star clusters. The time is compltely plastic, so you can keep it in real time or speed it up to show the rotation of planets, etc.

 

 

 

You can choose where you view the universe from - earth, the moon, mars, another planet, titan, etc - and you can choose the landscape on which you stand. There are a few earth-based landscapes and one from each the moon and mars (real photos).

 

 

 

Search tips:

 

 

 

1. * left click on what you want to look at or search with the search tool
    
   * use foreward slash and backslash (/ and \) for quick zoom buttons when you have something highlighted
    
   * use page up and page down for a more controlled zoom
    
   * hit space to center on an object and track it
    
   * try searching for some of the

Messier objects ("M1", "M2", etc)

 

 

 

Have you ever used this program? Show us what you find and tell us what it is. I might upload a photo or two later.

 

 

 

On a broader note, are you interested in or have you ever studied astronomy? What do you think about it?

[evil_mumm_ra]

astronomy is great. i wish i had the patience to get into it.

 

 

 

as for the program, what are the minimum specs? it sounds like it would slaughter my computer.

[warri0r45]

I'm not really sure about the specs. The website probably has them.

 

 

 

Edit: this might help.

 

 

 

[hide=Interface at daytime][/hide]

 

[hide=Interface at night][/hide]

 

[hide=M83 Galaxy, pre zoom][/hide]

 

[hide=M83 Galaxy, post zoom][/hide]

 

[hide=Moon landscape][/hide]

 

[hide=Mars landscape][/hide]

 

[hide=Saturn seen from Europa][/hide]

 

[hide=Eagle nebula][/hide]

[Lenticular_J]

That's pretty cool. I use the Worldwide Telescope.

 

 

 

This looks more like what I wanted, though. >_<

[Mylez]

I have a similar program called "Starry Night" By Imaginova, it's good fun :)

 

I'll have to try this one sometime and see how the two compare, I payed £35 for mine tho.. :?

[dsavi]

Let's see if I can get it to compile on Linux. :pray:

[megakiller32]

Google sky but easier to use?

 

Downloading now to find out :D

[evil_mumm_ra]

i meet the minimum requirements, i'll try it later, not gonna have time today.

[Lenin64]

I had to use this last yeari my Astronomy course. It's pretty cool, I liked it a lot. I might download it again for myself.

[ThurinEthir]

I used to love astronomy (As a kid at least...), especially the planets. I would draw "maps" of the solar system all the time, I still have one on my door. ;)

 

Downloading now.

[Latinoking]

This looks pretty cool. Always nice looking at space. Another reason why EVE Online pwnts.

[assassin_696]

This looks beatiful, and I'll definitely check it out when I get a little time this weekend. I did Astronomy GCSE in my lunchtimes at school for two years and really enjoyed it, it was probably through astronomy that I came to love physics. I still have tutorials with my astronomy teacher most Saturday mornings with myself and a friend, we've done stuff like gravitation in a lot of depth. He always keeps me informed of what's going on astronomically.

[brunokiller]

Lol how can the pic from the moon have a blue sky?

 

The moon does not have an atmosphere therefore it is black.

[adam_ross0]

I downloaded the latest version, but I had some problems even though I met the requirements.

 

 

 

So, I downloaded version 0.9.1 (or something in the 0.9 series) and it worked great! I've always enjoyed astronomy, and this program was very interesting and fun to use.

 

 

 

I've got a question, though. How can I change what landscape I am looking from? I am currently using my geographical location on Earth, but how do I set it to view from Titan, Europa, the Moon, etc.? Is that feature only for version 0.10?

[venomai]

Thanks for the link. Neat stuff.

 

 

 

On a similar note... This week, MESSENGER made its second fly-by of Mercury, snapping some angles and close-ups that we haven't seen before. You can see the new photos here:

 

http://messenger.jhuapl.edu/gallery/sci ... te=2008-10

[warri0r45]

Lol how can the pic from the moon have a blue sky?

 

The moon does not have an atmosphere therefore it is black.

 

 

 

I know, it's not entirely accurate. It basically keeps the atmospheric conditions of earth and just changes the location and landscape.

 

 

 

I downloaded the latest version, but I had some problems even though I met the requirements.

 

 

 

So, I downloaded version 0.9.1 (or something in the 0.9 series) and it worked great! I've always enjoyed astronomy, and this program was very interesting and fun to use.

 

 

 

I've got a question, though. How can I change what landscape I am looking from? I am currently using my geographical location on Earth, but how do I set it to view from Titan, Europa, the Moon, etc.? Is that feature only for version 0.10?

 

 

 

I'm not sure about your version, but in the latest one you should be able to choose the location (in a drop down bar) in the same window that lets you choose the geographical location on earth.

 

 

 

EDIT: [hide=here's where you do it][/hide]

[Lenticular_J]

And you can shut off atmosphere, anyways.

[adam_ross0]

 

I downloaded the latest version, but I had some problems even though I met the requirements.

 

 

 

So, I downloaded version 0.9.1 (or something in the 0.9 series) and it worked great! I've always enjoyed astronomy, and this program was very interesting and fun to use.

 

 

 

I've got a question, though. How can I change what landscape I am looking from? I am currently using my geographical location on Earth, but how do I set it to view from Titan, Europa, the Moon, etc.? Is that feature only for version 0.10?

 

 

 

I'm not sure about your version, but in the latest one you should be able to choose the location (in a drop down bar) in the same window that lets you choose the geographical location on earth.

 

 

 

EDIT: [hide=here's where you do it][/hide]

 

 

 

Yeah, it must only be for the latest version. I went to the Location screen, and that option wasn't there. :|

 

 

 

Oh well, it's still a cool program. I like it. Thanks for introducing me to it. :thumbsup: