KStars is a program that simulates space, allowing you to view celestial objects and measure the distance between them, as well as generate charts. It provides a fairly accurate simulation of space as seen from Earth, displaying the planets of our solar system, millions of stars, the Sun, the Moon, asteroids, comets, satellites, and supernovas, among many other space objects.
Once you've downloaded the program from its official website, you'll notice an interface that might be a bit intimidating at first. To see the sky from your current location, simply select a place on Earth. The environment will show you the exact view of the night sky from the location you chose. For more information and utilities, watch the video below, which is very well explained.
The utility includes a wide range of tools that are of great help to astronomers and students. Besides the program's own services, you can also tap into Internet resources associated with the platform, such as information from Wikipedia, Eclipse, or NASA.
Key Features
- Calculate the distance between two different objects using the Angular Distance option: right-click to open the context menu, then draw a line with the mouse to measure the distance.
- Expand information about a celestial object by right-clicking on it and selecting the Information Resources option.
If you're an astronomer, the platform offers you the tools to calculate, predict, and plot charts, convert coordinates, obtain planetary coordinates and conjunctions, and the option to plot a planetary almanac, among many other options.
KStars is one of the best space simulators. You'll get a very realistic simulation of the night sky from any point on our planet, and thanks to its many tools, the environment adapts well to both students and astronomers. KStars is a free program available for Windows and Linux, and it also has a Lite version for Android.
