Stellarium tour
Download this program from: http://stellarium.org/
(this tour was written using this downloaded version)
Or use it online: https://stellarium-web.org/
This guide is very brief. It is best to have a play and become familiar with the basic features before
attempting to present it to your class
Most of what you need can be found
on the toolbar which appears when
you hover at the bottom of the
screen. To keep it simple stay with
the options on this bar. Hover over
each icon to see what they do.
If you want more of an adventure try
the toolbar that appears when you
hover on the left edge of the screen.
If you stuff it all up try Ctrl-H.
Tour
1) Set time and date to now.
Bottom toolbar, third icon from the right. Otherwise use the clock icon on the left edge.
2) Show how the stars (earth) moves by speeding up the progression of time.
Bottom bar, second from right: multiple clicks on the double arrow (fast-forward). To
return to real time click the single arrow (play) icon.
3) Turn off ground and atmosphere.
Bottom toolbar, third group of icons from left.
4) Return to now, real-time
5) Show constellation labels, lines, art
Bottom toolbar, first group of icons from left
6) Find well-known constellations by click-drag around sky, e.g. Orion, Crux
(can ffwd to tonight and show students where these constellations will be at, say 7pm)
7) Similarly you can find the planets or moon by a search.
Left toolbar, magnifying glass icon
Advanced:
8) Change the “Starlore” to Kamilaroi (Aboriginal Australian Peoples from north-western NSW)
Left toolbar, “Sky and viewing options”: Starlore is a tab on the top of the window that
appears – Scroll and select “Kamilaroi/Euahlayi”
9) Show constellations from bottom toolbar and find the Emu (Gawarrgay). The head is “under
the tree” (Europeans call the head the Coalsack and the tree is the Southern cross (Crux)).
In march, now, the Emu is rising in the South in the evening and becomes fully visible in
April-May. It is seen by the Kamilaroi as a running emu at this time and represents the
females running from the males during mating. At this time emu eggs are laid by the
females and can be collected for eating by the Kamilaroi people. Later, in winter, the
constellation head disappears and at this time the eggs must be left for the male emus to
hatch. For the Aboriginal people this shows males caring for the young and is a time for
male initiation.
Source: http://www.aboriginalastronomy.com.au/content/community/kamilaroi/
Single constellation mode:
Key
Ctrl-Alt-Shift-V
Mouse click on star
W
Alt-W
Ctrl-space
Command
Initiate single constellation mode
Select single constellation to view
Deselect constellations
Select all constellations
Remove text information about
object from top left of screen