WinStars Alternatives
WinStars
WinStars uses the latest 3D technology to show the objects of our solar system in a realistic manner. Thus, it is possible to move from one planet to another, to follow a space probe on its long voyage or to observe a celestial event from a place to which you could never go. The use of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s DE 404 planetary theories allows us to have a precise representation of the events displayed.
Here are the chief characteristics of the software:
a database of 2,500,000 stars;
a catalogue of 10,000 nebulae, galaxies and star clusters;
a direction of observation which is easily controlled by a mouse and in real time;
a precise representation of the observable sky from a point on the earth’s surface on a given date;
a 3D interface to give more realism to celestial objects;
a calculation of notable astronomical phenomena visible from an observation point on the earth;
detailed information about each object;
a calculation of the positions of the principal satellites of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, of comets and of asteroids;
an outline of the celestial equator, the ecliptic, and a grid of azimuthal and equatorial coordinates;
a 3D outline of the planetary orbits;
drives a large range of telescopes;
Internet resources are also available:
updated comets and asteroids' elements, querying of DSS (Digitized Sky Survey) servers to obtain a photograph of that portion of the sky being displayed by the program, a notice of the visibility of artificial satellites, etc.
Best WinStars Alternatives
Need an alternative to WinStars? Read on. We've looked at the best WinStars alternatives available for Windows, Mac and Android.
Google Earth
Free PersonalMacWindowsLinuxWebAndroidiPhoneAndroid TabletBSDiPadGoogle Earth lets you fly anywhere on Earth to view satellite imagery, maps, terrain, 3D buildings, from galaxies in outer space to the canyons of the ocean. You can...
Features:
- Google Drive integration
- Street panning and viewing
Stellarium
FreeOpen SourceMacWindowsLinuxPortableApps.comStellarium 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. It...
Features:
- 3d animation
- Education
- Portable
Celestia
FreeOpen SourceMacWindowsLinuxPortableApps.comCelestia is an application for real-time 3D visualization of space, with a detailed model of the solar system, over 100,000 stars, more than 10,000 galaxies, and an...
Features:
- Simulation
- Portable
Space Engine
CommercialWindowsSpace Engine - a real-time 3D space simulator, procedural universe generator and visualiser. It lets you explore the universe in three dimensions, starting from planet...
Features:
- Free roam
- Multiple languages
- Procedurally generated
KStars
FreeOpen SourceMacWindowsLinuxKDEKStars is a Desktop Planetarium for KDE. It provides an accurate graphical simulation of the night sky, from any location on Earth, at any date and time. The display...
StarCalc
FreeWindowsWindows MobileStarCalc is the fastest professional astronomy planetarium & star mapping program for Windows 9x/ME/NT/2000/XP (StarCalc version for PocketPC is available). It...
WorldWide Telescope
FreeOpen SourceWindowsWebThe WorldWide Telescope (WWT) is a Web 2.0 visualization software environment that enables your computer to function as a virtual telescope, bringing together imagery...
Gaia Sky
FreeOpen SourceMacWindowsLinux3D visualization software for ESA's (European Space Agency) Gaia mission to chart about 1 billion stars of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Features:
- Notifications
- 3d animation
- Education
- Simulation
Solar System Scope
FreemiumMacWindowsWebAndroidiPhoneAndroid TabletiPad3D simulation of the Solar System and night sky - real time virtual orrery and observatory Features: - Heliocentric view with real-time positions of planets and...
Features:
- Multiple languages
- Works Offline
Planetarium
FreeWebA browser-based virtual planetarium of stars and planets customizable by location (latitude and longitude) and time of day.
Features:
- Browser based
- Based on Flash Player
Upvote Comparison
Interest Trends
WinStars Reviews
Add your reviews & share your experience when using WinStars to the world. Your opinion will be useful to others who are looking for the best WinStars alternatives.