Stellarium - computer planetarium. Completely cross-platform program, suitable for windows users, Linux, OS X. With Stellarium, you can see the sky and the stars as we see them with the naked eye, through a telescope or.

You can download it for free from the official website. The program is very easy to learn, but its capabilities are amazing.

• More than 600 thousand stars are available to your attention + you can additionally download the catalog for another 210 million stars 10.5 - 12.
• Colorful, attractive images of constellations in the sky.
• Photo images of nebulae and star clusters.
• Planet Earth has a realistic atmosphere, sunsets and sunrises that can be turned on and off in the settings.
• Planets and all their satellites.
• Scalability.
• Setting the time to both the past and the future.
• The ability to adjust the lens and control the view through a telescope or binoculars.
• Simulation of eclipses and much, much more ...

(all images are clickable and open in a new window in full size)

Setting the coordinates of Minsk

First of all, you need to open the "Location Window" (on the right, the first icon from the top, or click hotkey F6). We set the coordinates or select one of the proposed cities from the list, enter the height above sea level. Coordinates of Minsk: 53 ° 55'00 ″ s. sh.and 27 ° 33'00 "in. etc. This window can be closed, we will not need it soon.

Next, open the "Sky and Observation Settings" window (on the right, the third icon from the top, or press F4). You can customize the Earth's atmosphere and its exposure. Also the visibility of stars, planets, turn on / off the orbits of the planets. You can show the name of the constellations, display them in the starry sky, but these settings are moved to the lower panel (move the mouse pointer over the lower left part of the screen). On the next tab, you can change the landscape, however, there is zero practical use (just for the sake of appearance) and on the last one - to read and get to know the stars (not the ones that wave their tails on TV, but the real ones).

For the first time, the “Settings” (F2) tab can be left alone, after a more detailed acquaintance, you can already experiment with it.

And the last tab we need in the left sidebar is the "Search Window" (or F3). If you know in advance what you want to see and do not want to wander through infinite outer space - just enter the object you need in the search box, for example, Jupiter. For the Messier catalog, you must use the Latin alphabet, i.e. M 31 (Andromeda Nebula) - where "M" is in the English layout.

andromeda Galaxy

On the bottom panel of the Stellarium program, as I said earlier, you can show / hide the outlines of constellations, turn on / off the equatorial and azimuthal grids, show objects of deep space and planets, important - turn on night mode (the shade of red, the pupils of your eyes will still be wide in the dark), turn on full screen modeshowing artificial earth satellites and view through the eyepiece. And a little more to the right, we can "control" time: slow down or speed up the pace, stop time and return to the present.

Let's try to focus on the planet Saturn. Let's set the date (F5) to June 15, 2015, choose the night time, so that the light and the Sun do not interfere and we can see the planet and its satellites well. We set the time 1:17. Open the "Search Window" (F3) and enter Saturn in the line, click on the magnifying glass. And-and-and-and, here it is.

Saturn and its moons

To keep track of the planet, and constantly leave it in the center of our field of view - press the "space" key on the keyboard. Zoom in / out is done by rotating the mouse wheel.

Let's go ahead and use the program Stellarium on practice.

Imagine that today August 2, 2015 3 hours 37 minutes morning (night). You have . And your goal is to observe the famous and unique the Andromeda nebula (or simply M 31). But before you go outside and look at the starry, cloudless sky (and we have it), let's first simulate what we can actually see.

Launch Stellarium. In the upper right corner, click on the "Plugin configuration" icon. In the window that opens, select the eyepieces tab and click the "Add" button. We give a conscious name - "" and, knowing its characteristics, we enter the visible field of view - 4.4, focus (or magnification) - 15. Excellent.

Next, press F3 - the "Search window" will open, enter in Latin M 31 and click on the magnifying glass. Now this nebula is in our field of view and in the center. Return to the upper right corner again and click on the first "Eyepiece View" icon. We admire and enjoy. Here's what I got:

We look through binoculars

I want to note that this is a very ideal picture and do not forget that this is a computer model. In fact, when you point your binoculars and see this nebula, it will seem less noticeable and smaller in diameter. You will not be able to see the nearby nebula M 110 due to the illumination of the main nebula. But such modeling will teach you to orient yourself in the sky and not be distracted by the invisible side regions of the starry sky that do not fall into the lens of a telescope or binoculars.

Thus, you can already at home, in any weather, draw up a route, a path along which you will move and find new objects for yourself. Choose a day and time. Select objects in advance, write them down in a notebook, as well as in which constellations they are and how to look for them. This will save you a lot of time. Remember in. I had an approximate route and I knew what I could see that night. I wasn't chasing distant invisible nebulae or globular star clusters; I knew they couldn't be seen with binoculars. I used the program Stellarium and she did not disappoint me.

This concludes the review of the program and its use in observations. Have a starry sky!

Want to have your own planetarium on your mobile device? Admire the stars or learn about the existence of new constellations right now!

Features:

This is your "pocket" planetarium. The app looks incredibly realistic. Here, a beautiful three-dimensional firmament will open to your eyes. It will allow you to see a map of the sky as if you were looking through a telescope.

The first time you launch the application, you will experience a pleasant shock from its scale. A specialized sensor will show you all the beauty of the sky - all you need to do is to direct your mobile phone to certain points

One of the main advantages of the application is the time control function. Thanks to her, the displayed picture will always correspond to the time of day. In general, everything looks very realistic. A variety of animations are shown during the show.

Among other things, it even simulates the pollution of the earth's atmosphere. To find out more about our galaxy, you can turn on the constellation display.

Registration

The graphic design of the application is above all praise. Everything is done so well that you can get the impression that you are really peering into the sky through a telescope.

The picture is, as it were, projected onto the planetarium dome. The expansive scalability is amazing too. So, for example, here you can easily see and how to discern the surface of the moon.

Program interface: Russian

Platform: XP / 7 / Vista / 8

Manufacturer: Fabien chereau

Website: www.stellarium.org

Stellarium - one of the most unique and unusual programs of our time, which, in essence, is nothing more than a virtual planetarium on a computer. With its help, you can learn a lot about space objects and phenomena. She somewhat resembles Google earthhowever, refers specifically to space.

Main features of Stellarium

The program interface is pretty simple. In the main window of the program, you can observe the starry sky as it can be seen with the naked eye or, for example, through binoculars or using a telescope. Moreover, the matter is not limited only to high-quality viewing. The application has a huge database of completely different space objects.

The main catalog of the program includes more than 600 thousand stars, the absolute weight of the planet and their satellites located in the solar system, images of various nebulae included in the complete Messier catalog, a completely realistic image of the Milky Way. It is also quite interesting feature is the presence of images of many constellations, as well as the ability to view asterisms collected from twelve different cultures.

This is clearly not limited to the capabilities of the program, because, in addition to viewing graphic three-dimensional images, you can even observe completely real solar eclipses, sunrises and sunsets, receive landscape images with fog or changes in the atmosphere, and also observe the movement of comets. In addition, the main star catalog can be significantly expanded by loading additional modules and libraries.

As for the viewing and control modes, here too the programs are at their best. Similar to astronomical observatories, there is the ability to control the telescope, several projection modes - standard perspective, spherical and wide-angle, the so-called "fisheye". In addition, the program uses the equatorial and azimuth grids, and also has the ability to control time.

For experienced users the program provides several advanced features. The fact is that the application itself has the ability to write your own scripts, add your own space objects, landscapes, images of constellations and much more to the program. Also, there is a function to turn the display of the landscape on and off, and, of course, the completely realistic twinkling of the stars that you observe in the sky.

The appearance of the night sky changes both during the day and throughout the year. This is due to the fact that our planet makes a revolution around its axis in a day, and a revolution around the Sun in a year. Therefore, amateurs of astronomy face the task of determining the visibility of certain constellations. For a long time, the planisphere, a special moving map of the starry sky, was popular among astronomy lovers. By rotating the top of the map, you can find out which constellations are visible at any given time. However, the planisphere is gradually being replaced by a variety of computer planetarium programs.

Stellarium

Stellarium is the most popular planetarium program. It simulates the view of the starry sky, denoting constellations, planets, galaxies, nebulae and other objects on it. In a way, Stellarium is like a computer game in which you can look around and observe the location of the stars and planets. Let's take a closer look at this wonderful program.

When the program is started, the current time and date of observations are set, and the sky rotates in real time. You can change the direction of view by holding down the left mouse button; an object is selected with a single click. Using the "Space" button, you can place the celestial body of interest in the center of the field of view. Rotating the mouse wheel, you can zoom in / out it. When you select an object, information about it is displayed (name, magnitude, coordinates, distance and much more). The program interface consists of two panels - a vertical settings panel and a horizontal panel for displaying celestial objects. When you hover over a button, its name is displayed.

After installing the program, first of all, you should specify the place of observation by going to the "Location window" (vertical panel, top icon). You can enter geographic coordinates or indicate the nearest settlement in the search bar.

"Date / Time Window" allows you to set the date and time of observations with precision to the second. "Date / Time Window" allows you to set the date and time of observations with precision to the second.

Time control buttons are also displayed on the bottom panel - you can speed up, slow down and stop the passage of time.

In the "Window for setting the sky and observation" the display of various objects and labels to them, boundaries is turned on. For correct display the details of the planets must be ticked on the "Simulate the speed of light".

"Search window" allows you to find an object by name. After performing a search, the program will automatically display the searched object in the center of the screen. "Search window" allows you to find an object by name. After searching, the program will automatically display the searched object in the center of the screen.

In the settings window, you can select the interface language, customize the display of information about the object, view scripts - mini-films showing various processes and events in space. The Plugins tab provides various useful features. For example, the "Eyepieces" plug-in allows you to see the sky as it is seen through the telescope eyepiece, and the "Angle meter" plug-in allows you to measure the angular distance between various objects. Special mention should be made of the "Satellites" plug-in, which displays artificial earth satellites on the map.

In the help window you can familiarize yourself with all the "hot keys", as well as reassign them.

Now let's get acquainted with the buttons on the bottom panel. They partially duplicate items from the "Settings and Observation Window", allowing you to quickly turn on and off the display of names, images and lines of constellations, equatorial and azimuthal grids, horizon, cardinal points, atmosphere, as well as deep space objects and planets.

This is followed by the buttons for switching between the equatorial and azimuth display of the picture, centering the selected object. Night mode converts the image to black and red to preserve the dark adaptation of the eyes. Additional buttons for flipping the image can be enabled in the "Dockers" ("Tools" tab).

Some plugins may appear on the bottom panel when activated. By clicking the corresponding button, the plugin is activated.

As you can see, the program is quite easy to learn, the interface is intuitive, and its functionality is more than sufficient even for experienced observers. In addition, the program is developed for almost all operating systems - there are versions for Windows, Linux and Mac OS.

There is also a paid version for the Android platform for mobile devices (smartphones and tablets).

Cartes du ciel

Cartes du Ciel is another popular free planetarium. Its interface is not as colorful as that of Stellarium, but there are many more functions. Cartes du Ciel allows you to download the latest databases of comets and asteroids, install additional catalogs of stars and nebulae. The map can be rotated with both the mouse and the keyboard buttons. You should start working with the program by setting the observation site by going to "Settings\u003e Observatory". There is also a "night mode". The program has been fully translated into Russian, which is a big plus.

For those who lack the capabilities of Stellarium, Cartes du Ciel is a great choice.

Redshift

Redshift is not just a virtual planetarium. It is also the most detailed interactive encyclopedia of space, containing almost all the knowledge of astronomy accumulated by mankind. This is what the start screen looks like when the program starts.

The planetarium contains a detailed map of the starry sky, which displays stars, constellations, planets, galaxies, nebulae, clusters, comets. The map is navigated with the mouse. Zooming in and out is carried out with the mouse wheel, selection of an object - with the left mouse button. At the first start, the program will ask you to indicate the place of observation (by the map or by coordinates). The current time is set by default, it can be controlled from the "Navigation" panel. There is support for controlling various telescopes with Go-To mounts.

IN context menu you can get detailed information about the celestial body.

The program has a convenient observation planner, thanks to which you can find out about the nearest astronomical events.

In "Stories about the Universe" you will get acquainted with various scientific and educational articles, which are voiced in a pleasant voice.

Redshift - paid program, however, the price is quite affordable. As you can see, the functionality of Redshift is very diverse, so if a simple planetarium like Stellarium is not enough for you, then Redshift is a good choice. mobile version for iOS devices.

Mobile planetariums.

Many modern mobile devices have large screens and powerful processors. You can always take your smartphone or tablet with you, which allows you to explore the constellations anywhere. In addition, a small tablet is more convenient for out-of-town observations than a bulky laptop. Many devices have spatial position sensors, so that the star map on the screen rotates in accordance with the orientation of the smartphone or tablet. This makes finding the object of interest even easier and more interesting. The most common operating systems for mobile devices are Android and Apple iOS, so we will look at the most popular astronomical applications for these platforms.

Mobile planetariums for Android devices.

Stellarium for Android.

As already mentioned, there is a mobile version of the Stellarium planetarium for Android. Some of the functions are cut down, there are no plugins, there is no Russian language, but the program is more than suitable for studying constellations and navigating the sky. There is a "night mode", as well as the rotation of the map depending on the position of the device in space (although its accuracy depends on the accuracy of the position sensors).

The program has become paid, but the price is purely symbolic.

Google sky map

Google Sky Map is one of the first astronomy planetarium programs on the Android platform. Alas, the program has not been updated for a long time, but, nevertheless, it is quite suitable for use. The program uses the compass and accelerometer of the device - just point your phone or tablet at the sky, and a map of the area of \u200b\u200binterest will be displayed on the screen. There is an object search function - for example, you want to find Mars in the sky, the program prompts you in which direction you should turn to see it.

Star Chart

Star Chart is a colorful planetarium for android platforms... The program is free, however, various add-ons (for example, displaying meteor showers and comets) must be purchased. The map displays both stars, constellations and planets, as well as artificial satellites of the Earth. There is a "night mode", as well as voice control.

When you select an object, the program shows additional information... The program is Russified and has an intuitive interface. Star Chart also knows how to navigate by the position of the device in space.

Skyeye

Skyeye is another planetarium, fast and functional. The map shows many faint objects, including galaxy clusters. The program accurately takes into account the position of the device in space, in automatic mode the map moves very smoothly (compared to Google Sky Map). There is a mode of attachment to a telescope - after the planetarium is attached to a bright celestial object, the phone can be used as a finder. Of course, there is "Night mode" as well as "Twilight" mode.

Astro panel

For astronomy enthusiasts, it is very important to know the accurate weather forecast to plan astronomical observations. Astro Panel - useful application, which brings together the weather forecast and provides an estimate of atmospheric conditions for observations.

It shows not only the weather forecast, but also an indicator of the calmness of the atmosphere (seeing), moon phases, humidity, wind, as well as the time of visibility of the International Space Station (ISS).

Jupiter Widget

For observers of Jupiter, the Jupiter Widget is a very useful widget. The program shows the visibility of the Great Red Spot, as well as the position of the satellites relative to the planet. With it you will not miss a single transit of the Great Red Spot!

Moon 3D

To always know what the phase of the moon is now, as well as the nearest new moon or full moon, you can install the free Moon 3D widget.

Mobile planetariums for iOS devices.

Star walk

There are also various planetariums for the iOS mobile platform. One of the most famous is Star Walk. It is enough to raise the device to the sky, and you will see the location of the constellations and planets on the screen.

Moon globe
Moon Globe is a great free moon globe for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad. The program provides image rotation and mirroring.

Starmap 3D

Starmap 3D is a portable star atlas for both beginners and experienced astronomy enthusiasts. Starmap 3D can be used to search for constellations, star clusters, galaxies, nebulae.

As you can see, the choice among virtual planetariums is quite large. First of all, we recommend that you install Stellarium on your computer, and any of the mobile planetariums on your phone or tablet. They will teach you how to navigate among the constellations and find interesting celestial objects, even if you do not have a telescope.

We wish you successful observations and success in studying the starry sky!

Stellarium is a virtual planetarium on your computer. Free multi-platform application that is regularly updated and contains a fairly large database of celestial bodies.

Modest but tasteful

Don't be fooled by the capabilities of the Stellarium app - it's a planetarium and nothing more! A database of constellations and nebulae, georeferenced and time-bound, but quite flexible in customization and easy to use. This application should be downloaded for those who are in any way interested in astronomy, or simply interested in the subject.

The Stellarium installation procedure is standard and does not raise any questions. The program does not write anything to system folders, the exception is the config.ini configuration file in the folder of the same name, in the user's home directory. This is a text file and you can manually edit some data in it. For example, accurately set the latitude and longitude of a virtual observatory

Mastering Home Planetary Management

After launching the application, a sky with visible (in given time) constellations. The planetarium program takes the current date and time from the system clock, and the location can be set through the settings menu - it is easy to find it in the panel located in the lower left corner of the screen. Various functional "buttons" are located here, and one of them is responsible for the settings. Here you can show or remove the names of the constellations, search for a heavenly body, etc.

The "picture" of the sky is not static, it changes in real time. Moreover, the program has the ability to "slow down / speed up" the course of time or "return" to the current one. The panel in the lower right corner of the screen is responsible for these functions.

It is better to "navigate" the sky with the mouse: by holding down the left key, you can "move" the sky, and with the wheel - "zoom in / out" the stars.
Selecting an object of interest with the left mouse button, in the upper left corner we see detailed information about it: coordinates, distance, azimuth and height. By the way, the meaning of the latter is changing right before our eyes - do not forget that the planetarium operates in real time.

In conclusion…

Stellarium is not just an application, it is a whole project of astronomy lovers on the Internet. Since the program is distributed under a free license, those who wish can translate the interface into their native language, "rebuild" the application for any operating system, be it Windows or macOS, download additional files for the program and even try to link the virtual planetarium with a real telescope.