A free open source desktop planetarium for your computer

Stellarium
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Stellarium

  -  436.55 MB  -  Open Source
Free Download

Security Status

  • Latest Version

    Stellarium 25.3 (64-bit) LATEST

  • Review by

    Marian Marinescu

  • Operating System

    Windows 10 (64-bit) / Windows 11

  • User Rating

    Click to vote

  • Author / Product

    Fabien Chereau / External Link

  • Filename

    stellarium-25.3-qt6-win64.exe

  • MD5 Checksum

    97760a563748d0ba8785bb6649407b3f

Stellarium is a free, open-source planetarium software for Windows designed for astronomy enthusiasts, educators, and anyone interested in exploring the night sky.

Stellarium Screenshot 1

It provides a highly detailed and realistic simulation of stars, planets, nebulae, and other celestial objects, allowing users to view the sky as it would appear from any location on Earth.

With a vast catalog of over 600,000 stars and deep-space objects, Stellarium for PC is widely used in educational settings and by amateur astronomers for planning observations.

Key Features

Realistic Night Sky Simulation – Displays stars, planets, moons, constellations, and deep-sky objects with high accuracy.

Extensive Object Database – Over 600,000 cataloged stars and nebulae, with additional databases for more celestial objects.

Telescope Control – Connects to telescopes via third-party plugins for automated tracking.

Time Travel Feature – Simulates sky conditions at any past or future date.

Constellations and Mythology – Displays constellation lines, names, and mythological figures from different cultures.

Customizable Views – Allows users to adjust sky elements, landscapes, and atmospheric conditions.

Educational Tools – Includes labels, grids, and overlays for learning and teaching astronomy.

Scripting Support – Enables automation and custom simulations using scripts.

Stellarium Screenshot 2

Installation and Setup
  • Download this program from the official website or FileHorse.
  • Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
  • Choose installation options, including the default directory and additional plugins if needed.
  • Launch the application and configure your viewing location using GPS coordinates or selecting a city.
  • Adjust settings such as sky brightness, labels, and object visibility according to preference.
How to Use

Set Location – Use the location window to specify your observing position.

Explore the Sky – Click and drag to move around the sky, zoom in with the mouse wheel.

Search for Objects – Use the search tool to find stars, planets, or constellations.

Stellarium Screenshot 3

Time Control – Adjust the date and time slider to simulate past or future celestial events.

Enable Telescope Mode – If using a telescope, configure and connect it for guided tracking.

Use Shortcuts – Learn keyboard shortcuts to toggle grids, labels, and other features quickly.

FAQs

Is Stellarium free to use?
Yes, this program is completely FREE and open-source. However, premium versions with additional features are available for mobile devices.

Can Stellarium control my telescope?
Yes, with the appropriate plugin, it can connect to and control various telescope models.

Does Stellarium work offline?
Yes, it works entirely offline once installed, but online features like database updates require an internet connection.

Can I use Stellarium for astrophotography planning?
Yes, this app is widely used for planning astrophotography sessions by simulating star positions and visibility.

Is Stellarium available for macOS and Linux?
Yes, the software is cross-platform and available for Windows, macOS, and Linux.

System Requirements
  • OS: Windows 7, 8, 10, 11 (64-bit)
  • Processor: 2 GHz dual-core or higher
  • RAM: 2 GB (4 GB recommended)
  • Graphics: OpenGL 3.3 compatible GPU
  • Storage: 1 GB of available space
PROS
  • Free and open-source
  • Realistic sky simulation with a vast celestial database
  • Telescope control capability
  • Educational and customizable
  • Works offline after installation
CONS
  • Requires a decent GPU for smooth rendering
  • Some advanced features need plugins
Conclusion

Stellarium is an outstanding planetarium software for anyone interested in astronomy, from casual stargazers to serious amateur astronomers. Its detailed sky simulation, telescope control support, and educational features make it a valuable tool for planning observations and learning about celestial objects.

Also Available: Stellarium for Mac

Download Stellarium Latest Version
Why is this app published on FileHorse? (More info)

  • Stellarium 25.3 (64-bit) Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    Stellarium 25.3 (64-bit) Screenshot 1
  • Stellarium 25.3 (64-bit) Screenshot 2
  • Stellarium 25.3 (64-bit) Screenshot 3
  • Stellarium 25.3 (64-bit) Screenshot 4

What's new in this version:

Added:
- more realistic texture of the Sun
- ability to compute time when Sun and Moon at custom altitude in AstroCalc/Almanac tool
- ability to set minutes before sunrise/after sunset in AstroCalc/Almanac tool
- ability to handling yesterday/tomorrow in AstroCalc/Almanac tool
- ability to increase cross size in “Markings” Menu
- ability to toggle current time speed to zero and back
- ability to select object at rise, transit or set time in AstroCalc/RTS tool
- ability to draw graph’s (AstroCalc/Graphs) from keyboard
- patch for INDI from OpenIndiana
- new plugin: Sky Culture Maker
- the missing 7 stars in Chinese SC
- ability to show object’s constellation info in InfoString
- Arab Lunar Mansions
- english name as comment to translation of sky cultures items
- code to extract byname and pronounce for translation of sky cultures
- bynames to a few modern skycultures
- byname tag to constellation descriptions for further label refinement
- communication data for some satellites
- groups of communications satellites

Fixed:
- possible dependency problem in linux
- repetition of “modern” label part
- rendering the center of umbra after adding SSO’s
- crash
- crash in AstroCalc/Graphs/Lunar Elongation in debug mode
- star catalog loading on big-endian systems
- decoding packed number
- CSS
- compilation on GCC 9
- infostring
- hardware detection in linux
- hardware detection in *BSD
- unintended rotation by 180° of sky surveys
- type conversions
- few typos in docs
- text errors in two Chinese Sky cultures
- issues in Chinese Song Dynasty Skyculture
- Chinese SC: correct the lines of Ox
- missing “Added” in Chinese names ending in “(In XYZ mansion)”
- typos in Chinese SC
- gravity labels for RTL languages
- search the minor planet by name without number
- ugly display some glyphs in Qt 6.9+
- getting CPU frequency in macOS (Apple Silicon)
- show pixel grid of sensor crop overlay
- formatted output of object info
- HIP number for Menkar in NavStars
- LandscapeFisheye shader in GLSL 1.00 mode
- a few names and trace references
- InfoString with RTL components
- Error message in plugin SkyCultureMaker
- visual bug in Solar System Editor plugin

Changed:
- Changed core: center Zodiac and Lunar Station labels
- Changed core: make sure a Zodiac/Lunar label is visible
- Changed core: don’t break orientation lock when moving location
- Changed core: extended time interval
- Changed core: allow variations in latitude extent of Lunar mansions
- Changed core: reduce labels for Zodiac and Lunar Stations to single components
- Changed core: speedup texture loading when desired frame rate is low
- Changed core: make it possible to choose between multiple planetary HiPS per planet
- Changed core: avoid label position reset
- Changed core: switching to using SourceForge.net CDN as default storage of the stars catalogs
- Changed core: store flagConstellationPick (isolated constellation selection)
- Changed core: undo false optimisation
- Changed core: use exact stars magnitude when there is a artificial cutoff
- Changed GUI: apply screen font scaling to compass marks
- Changed GUI: follow the user selected time format in GUI
- Changed GUI: fix handling of app font change
- Changed GUI: moved few related actions into ‘Scripts’ group
- Changed GUI: avoid disabling checkbox in sky cultures
- Changed GUI: single language box for whole program
- Changed logger: cosmetic fixes for CPU data
- Changed logger: cosmetic fixes - normalization
- Changed logger: limit list of video adaptors by availability

Updated:
- rules for creating an AppImage package
- installer for Windows: added hook for Qt6WebEngine
- standard DSO catalog
- star catalog (level 0)
- icons for macOS
- the list of planetary nomenclature
- default catalog of pulsars
- default catalog of novae
- the default list of satellites
- photometry data of satellites
- the default list of locations
- the default catalog of exoplanets
- the discovery circumstances for comets
- the discovery circumstances for minor planets
- script ‘Messier Objects Tour’
- script ‘Jupiter Moons’
- AstroCalc/Ephemeris GUI: Increase duration from 100 -> 1000 units of time
- standard DSO catalog
- minimal requirements for macOS
- Modern SC: move star name translations to bynames
- Babylonian (Seleucid) SC
- Babylonian (MUL.APIN) SC
- Chinese (Song dynasty) SC
- all Arabic SC
- dependency: upgrading CPM from 0.40.8 to 0.42.0

Removed:
- old edges from Chinese skycultures
- workaround for bug LP:1498616
- double application of nutation in Infostring
- duplicate point in Coma Berenices line in Modern (IAU) sky culture

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