Best Free Astronomy Software [1]
Introduction
Astronomy Software is a pretty broad spectrum, providing everything from simple mapping software (relative positions of the solar system), through detailed observation planning software to first-person planetarium software.
I looked at several free astronomy programs for producing sky maps and didn't pick a best as I couldn't decide among the three contenders for the top spot. The best for your purposes would depend on your needs.
Index
Unless otherwise stated, all planetarium programs reviewed here do the following:
- Simulate a view or the stars as if the observer is looking at the horizon.
- Display the sun, moon, and major planets.
- Display or hide planet names or symbols.
- Display or hide constellation names.
- Display or hide names or designations of the brighter stars.
- Display deep space objects, e.g. Andromeda galaxy.
- Display lunar phases.
- Can vary the space time coordinates of the observer.
- Can zoom in on sections of the sky.
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Viewers
Our Rating:
License: Free
Platforms/Download: Linux [6] | Mac OS [6] | Windows (Desktop) [6] | [7]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [5]
Platforms/Download: Linux [6] | Mac OS [6] | Windows (Desktop) [6] | [7]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 5/5 |
View stars and deep space objects--all of them that have been imaged. Actual images in different wavelengths. Also density maps and other databases. Excellent index of stars and deep space objects. Bookmarks.
No solar system objects.
Read more... [5]
License: Free
View stars and deep space objects--all of them that have been imaged. Actual images in different wavelengths. Also density maps and other databases. Excellent index of stars and deep space objects. Bookmarks.
No solar system objects.
Read full review... [5]
[9]
Sky-Map.org [9] [10]
An online system to view a detailed sky map with positions and characteristics of space objects.
Our Rating:
License: Free
Platforms/Download: Web App [11] | [7]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [10]
Platforms/Download: Web App [11] | [7]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 4.5/5 |
Image viewer of stars and deep space objects. Excellent index of stars and deep space objects. Bookmarks.
No solar system objects.
Read more... [10]
License: Free
Image viewer of stars and deep space objects. Excellent index of stars and deep space objects. Bookmarks.
No solar system objects.
Read full review... [10]
Planetariums
Our Rating:
License: Free (Open source)
Platforms/Download: Linux [14] | Mac OS [14] | Windows (Desktop) [14] | [7]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [13]
Platforms/Download: Linux [14] | Mac OS [14] | Windows (Desktop) [14] | [7]
Version reviewed: n/a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 5/5 |
Excellent index. Many images. Ephemerides for twilight, planets, sun, moon, comets, asteroids, and solar and lunar eclipses. Variable star observer. Telescope controls.
No satellites, e.g. no International Space Station.
Read more... [13]
License: Free (Open source)
Excellent index. Many images. Ephemerides for twilight, planets, sun, moon, comets, asteroids, and solar and lunar eclipses. Variable star observer. Telescope controls.
No satellites, e.g. no International Space Station.
Read full review... [13]
Our Rating:
License: Free
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) [17] | [7]
Version reviewed: 2.0.41
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [16]
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) [17] | [7]
Version reviewed: 2.0.41
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 5/5 |
Great index. Many images in separate viewer. With internet connection can download images from sky surveys of the area in the viewer. Ephemerides for planets, sun, moon, comets, and asteroids. Animated ecliptic view of the sun, planets, asteroids, and comets. Telescope controls.
No satellites, e.g. no International Space Station.
Read more... [16]
License: Free
Great index. Many images in separate viewer. With internet connection can download images from sky surveys of the area in the viewer. Ephemerides for planets, sun, moon, comets, and asteroids. Animated ecliptic view of the sun, planets, asteroids, and comets. Telescope controls.
No satellites, e.g. no International Space Station.
Read full review... [16]
[18]
WorldWide Telescope [18] [19]
A rich visualization environment functions as a virtual telescope to enable explorations of the universe.
Our Rating:
License: Free (Open source)
Platforms/Download: Web App [20] | Windows (Desktop) [20] | [7]
Version reviewed: 2.8.15
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [19]
Platforms/Download: Web App [20] | Windows (Desktop) [20] | [7]
Version reviewed: 2.8.15
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 4.5/5 |
Attractive display. Telescope control available in Windows Client.
No moon phases. Very few asteroids, comets, and planetary moons.
Read more... [19]
License: Free (Open source)
Attractive display. Telescope control available in Windows Client.
No moon phases. Very few asteroids, comets, and planetary moons.
Read full review... [19]
[21]
Stellarium [21] [22]
Provides many visual effects, including the Milky Way, twinkling stars, shooting stars, clouds and light pollution.
Our Rating:
License: Free (Open source)
Platforms/Download: Linux [23] | Mac OS [23] | Windows (Desktop) [24] | [7]
Version reviewed: 0.10.6.1
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [22]
Platforms/Download: Linux [23] | Mac OS [23] | Windows (Desktop) [24] | [7]
Version reviewed: 0.10.6.1
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 4.5/5 |
Stars shown in spectral colors. Very realistic displays with atmospheric controls. Telescope controls. Fewer images than either Skychart or C2A.
Few comets and asteroids in the catalog.
Read more... [22]
License: Free (Open source)
Stars shown in spectral colors. Very realistic displays with atmospheric controls. Telescope controls. Fewer images than either Skychart or C2A.
Few comets and asteroids in the catalog.
Read full review... [22]
[25]
Home Planet [25] [26]
Excels at locating artificial satellites, comets and asteroids with 256,000 stars in its catalog.
Our Rating:
License: Free (Open source)
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) [27] | [7]
Version reviewed: 3.3a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [26]
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) [27] | [7]
Version reviewed: 3.3a
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 3/5 |
Excels at comets, asteroids, and artificial satellites.
No planetary moons.
Read more... [26]
License: Free (Open source)
Excels at comets, asteroids, and artificial satellites.
No planetary moons.
Read full review... [26]
Astronomy Simulators
Our Rating:
License: Free
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) [30] | [7]
Version reviewed: 100830
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [29]
Platforms/Download: Windows (Desktop) [30] | [7]
Version reviewed: 100830
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 4/5 |
Numerous space ships both real and fictional available. Many destinations within the solar system available. Obeys laws of physics.
Nil.
Read more... [29]
License: Free
Numerous space ships both real and fictional available. Many destinations within the solar system available. Obeys laws of physics.
Nil.
Read full review... [29]
[31]
Celestia [31] [32]
A space travel simulator lets you travel throughout the solar system even beyond the galaxy.
Our Rating:
License: Free (Open source)
Platforms/Download: Linux [33] | Mac OS [33] | Windows (Desktop) [34] | [7]
Version reviewed: 1.6.0
Gizmos Freeware [8]
Summary:
Read more... [32]
Platforms/Download: Linux [33] | Mac OS [33] | Windows (Desktop) [34] | [7]
Version reviewed: 1.6.0
Gizmos Freeware [8]
| Our Rating: 4/5 |
Excellent space travel simulator. Additional stars, deep space, and solar system catalogs and images available as add in.
Nil.
Read more... [32]
License: Free (Open source)
Excellent space travel simulator. Additional stars, deep space, and solar system catalogs and images available as add in.
Nil.
Read full review... [32]
Related Products and Links
You might want to check out these articles too:
- EarthSky Tonight [35]
- Google Earth (View>Explore>Sky) [36]
- Google Sky [37]
- Hallo Northern Sky [38]
- Home Planet [27]
- KStars [39] (Linux)
- Sky Map Online [40]
- SkyORB 3D [41]
- WinStars [42]
- Your Sky [43]
Editor
This software category is in need of an editor. If you would like to give something back to the freeware community by taking it over, check out this page [44] for more details. You can then contact us from that page or by clicking here [45].
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