 Screenshot of Version 3 beta 0.1.0 | |
| Developer(s) | Patrick Chevalley |
|---|---|
| Stable release | 4.2.1 / 24 November 2019; 4 years ago (2019-11-24) |
| Preview release | 4.3 beta-4358 / April 26, 2021 (2021-04-26) |
| Written in | Object Pascal |
| Operating system | Cross-platform (Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux) |
| Type | planetariumEducational software |
| License | GPLv2 |
| Website | Cartes du Ciel homepage |
Cartes du Ciel ("CDC" and "SkyChart") is a free and open source planetarium program for Linux, macOS, and Windows.[1] With the change to version 3, Linux has been added as a target platform, licensing has changed from freeware to GPLv2 and the project moved to a new website.
CDC includes the ability to control computerized GoTo telescope mounts, is ASCOM and INDI compliant, and supports the USNO's UCAC catalogs and ESA Gaia data,[citation needed] along with numerous other catalogs and utilities.[2]
The "red bulb" feature is useful when using software outside on a laptop on a dark night.[3]
According to the programmer, Patrick Chevalley, it was released as freeware because "I’d rather see amateurs spend their money for a new eyepiece than for astronomy software".[4]
Chevalley has also created a lunar atlas program, Virtual Moon Atlas, which is also free and open source software.[5]
Astronomy software | |
|---|---|
| Open source | |
| Freeware | |
| Proprietary | |
