Celestia vs WorldWide Telescope
Celestia
celestiaproject.spaceWorldWide Telescope
worldwidetelescope.orgSide by side
| Figure | Celestia | WorldWide Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| iOS | Yes | — |
| Android | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Astronomy Apps | 8.3 (#8) | 7.1 (#32) |
| Open source | The project describes Celestia as open source and links to source code for its mobile frontends and original project. | The project describes its software and data sets as free and open source, and says its source code was released under the MIT License. |
| Purpose | Celestia is a real-time 3D visualization of space. | WorldWide Telescope enables visualization and sharing of scientific data and stories from telescopes, observatories, and institutions for students, researchers, museums, planetariums, and scholarly publications. |
| Support | The original project directs users to its forum or GitHub discussions, while frontend and website feedback can go through in-app feedback, GitHub issues, or email. | Users can ask questions and get help through the online WWT Forum or contact the project by email. |
Plans
In their own words
Celestia
Celestia is free, open-source software for visualizing space in 3D. It simulates objects ranging from planets and moons to star clusters and galaxies, which can be viewed from different positions in space and at different times. Solar system positions and movements are calculated in real time, and users can choose the rate of motion. Celestia also works as a planetarium: users can travel to celestial worlds, land on their surfaces, and see solar system objects in the sky. Add-ons expand the catalogues with objects, high-resolution textures, 3D models, spacecraft, and fictional objects. Celestia is licensed under the GNU General Public License and is available for Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows. The browser option is a lite version. Installation routes differ: Android versions are offered through Google Play, GitHub APK, and alternative markets; Apple versions are on the App Store, with a direct GitHub download for macOS. Windows users can use the Microsoft Store or sideload a GitHub version. The latest stable original-project release for Linux is listed as source code.
WorldWide Telescope
WorldWide Telescope has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.