Linux at Home - Astronomy

Linux at Home: Explore the Universe from your Garden

Last Updated on September 6, 2020

In this series, we look at a range of home activities where Linux can make the most of our time at home, keeping active and engaged. The change of lifestyle enforced by Covid-19 is an opportunity to expand our horizons, and spend more time on activities we have neglected in the past.

Even though many European countries have made significant steps in relaxing some of the restrictions of daily life, the advice is to maintain social distancing rules. The big fear is that there will be a coronavirus resurgence. But it’s important that we don’t cocoonourselves, we need to protect ourselves and be supportive to others. There are many fascinating hobbies that can spark our imagination. Astronomy is a great example.

A widespread belief is that astronomy is an activity which cannot be enjoyed without paraphernalia like telescopes and other expensive equipment. However, astronomy is for everyone, and even with just the naked eye, it can become a fascinating and rewarding hobby for life.

It’s a learning hobby. Its joys come from intellectual discovery and knowledge of the cryptic night sky. But you have to make these discoveries, and gain this knowledge, by yourself. In other words, you need to become self-taught.

With the aid of open source software, budding astronomers can learn how to ‘read’ the stars, to know which constellations lie overhead, their trajectory throughout the seasons, and the legends ascribed to them. With the following software you can learn about the night skies of both the northern and southern hemispheres. I recommend Celestia, Stellarium, and AstroImageJ. For the first two programs, I’ve produced a short video showcasing them in action. The software is cross-platform.

Celestia

Celestia is software that offers a photo-realistic, real-time, 3D viewing of the solar system, the galaxy and the universe. Celestia is an excellent tool for astronomy education, and is used in homes, schools, museums and planetariums around the world.

Celestia’s primary star catalog is based on the Hipparcos database of stars with accurately measured distances. It includes all of the stars within 20 light years of the Sun, as well as about 200 double stars.

Read more about Celestia

Stellarium

Stellarium is a software project that allows people to use their home computer as a virtual planetarium. It calculates the positions of the Sun and Moon, planets and stars, and draws how the sky would look to an observer depending on their location and the time. It can also draw the constellations and simulate astronomical phenomena such as meteor showers, and solar or lunar eclipses.

Stellarium can be used as an educational tool for teaching about the night sky, or as an observational aide for amateur astronomers wishing to plan a night’s observing.

Read more about Stellarium

AstroImageJ

AstroImageJ
Click for full size image

AstroImageJ is a simple and powerful tool for astronomical image analysis and precise photometry.

These include a versatile image display, time-series stacks, built-in AstroCC to set and time and place, links to Simbad for object identification, and exoplanet model fitting.

It reads and writes Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) images with standard headers, and allows FITS header viewing and editing. FITS is the most commonly used digital file format in astronomy.

Read more about AstroImageJ

All articles in this series:

Linux at Home
AstronomyExplore the universe from your garden
Brew BeerWeave malt and hops and yeast together in unique combinations
Circuit DesignLearn to design electronic circuits
CollaboratingEdit documents collaboratively in real-time
CookingHome cooking is an activity that’s great for individuals and families
Creative WritingPen a classic novel or screenplay
Cross-stitchingA form of sewing and a popular form of counted-thread embroidery
Digital ArtPaint and draw directly onto a computer
Digital Music ProductionDigital Audio Workstations
DOOM GamingTake a break and play classic DOOM
EmbroideryCraft of decorating fabric or other materials using a needle
ExercisingKeeping fit can be a challenge with lockdown
GardeningPlan your perfect garden with these great tools
GenealogyResearch your family tree
Home SecurityCCTV solutions to protect your home
Musical InstrumentLearn to play an instrument
RSIReduce and prevent repetitive strain injury
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Patrick Munzer
Patrick Munzer
3 years ago

How could you omit kstars from your article?