Stellarium 0.16.0

[alexwolf]

Stellarium 0.16.0 is a stable version (based on Qt5.6 but it can still be built from sources with Qt5.4) that introduces some new features and closes 38 bug and wishlist reports.

New features include
- RemoteSync plugin, which allows running several connected instances of Stellarium.
- Non-spherical models for solar system objects like asteroids and small moons.
- Solar system config file is now split into two parts.
- AstroCalc feature extension: What's Up Tonight, graphs, ...
- DSO: Addition of catalogs of peculiar galaxies and planetary nebulae (standard edition of catalog contains over 83,000 objecs; extended edition of catalog contains over million objects)
- New Skycultures: Belarusian, Hawaiian Star Lines
- Telescope plugin: support for the RTS2 telescope system.
- Location can now be read from a GPS device.

A huge thanks to the people who helped us a lot by reporting bugs!

Full list of changes: https://launchpad.net/stellarium/0.16/0.16.0
 

[michael.h.f.wilkinson]

Great! Thanks for all the good work!

[Pondus]

Cant think of anything other to say than :  Thank you for Your great work

 

Rune

[Dave In Vermont]

Thank you, and your team, for this latest version Alex!

Off to install & play!

All the Best -

Dave

 

PS - I loaded the 0.16.0 without issue. But I've noted a problem in displaying DSO cataolgs such as NGC, IC, etc. All but PGC - which was the only one labeled that were shown - along with a very few LDN's.

I removed the 0.16.0 and re-installed 0.15.2

ps - After talking with Alex and another of the developers of Stellarium, George, I followed their advice and did a completely 'cold' install of 0.16.0. This did also take out all my settings, but I'd made re-installing the settings easy. And this worked - 0.16.0 is now up & running just fine - with all catalogs of DSO's showing & available. So if you run into the same, or similar, problems - be prepared (in advance) to find need to remove your settings. Why this happened this time remains a mystery. But I suspect my running Windows 8.1 could have played a role.

Re-installing my settings was a straight-foreward task. Took about 30-minutes. If you are prepared for such - in advance - it shouldn't be too much to do so as to get 0.16.0 up & running. It's worth it! This new build is great! And Alex and George were a great assist. I was (and remain) amazed to see how fast they showed showed-up in my email-box!

Thank you & the same to the rest of your team! Great job, folks!

[Tommohawk]

Alex - this is excellent!

I mentioned to you before that object centration didn't seem right in equatorial mode with V15, but its fine in V16.

I have done some further checks and I'm pretty sure the issue of planets "wandering" under high mag is simply down to their tracking rate being different to sidereal - I suppose this is inevitable though I've yet to figure out how most imagers deal with this!

The Astro calculations tool is fabulous! One small thing to put on the wish list if thats possible please! Currently in the positions tab you can order alphabetically or by SB or by mag.  It would be handy - for me anyhow!- if it was possible to order by angular size also.

Thanks again for all the great work

[alexwolf]

On 08.07.2017 at 04:44, Tommohawk said:

One small thing to put on the wish list if thats possible please! Currently in the positions tab you can order alphabetically or by SB or by mag.  It would be handy - for me anyhow!- if it was possible to order by angular size also.

Please check it in next beta (v0.90.0.9620).

[MikeGM]

I have Stellarium 0.15.1 and am hesitant to upgrade to 16.0 because of all the objects I have added (Asteroids etc).  Do not want to re-add them all.   When I try to go to a target using the position tab, the screen changes after I put in the RA and does not change when I put in the Dec.  The exact position is not marked.   Is this feature improved in 0.16.0 release?

[Dave In Vermont]

You could go ask the developer's team through Stellarium's own forum:

http://www.stellarium.org/

And -

https://answers.launchpad.net/stellarium

I do know this much though: It used to be you needed to purposefully check the boxes when installing a new version over the older version - or all your additions and settings would be lost. Now this is set to automatically retain your settings when you install over an older version. I made that mistake some ways back, so I understand your hesitation. But always keep your eyes on the screen to be sure - whenever you install ANY software-program. Saves you from having your browser changed to "Hot Mama's in Lubricating-Oil" or other dirty tricks!

Welcome aboard SGL, MikeGM, it's nice to have you join us!

We love questions and finding their answers here, so always feel free to ask yours in these many forums - and answer them yourself, too.

Starry Skies -

Dave

[cuivenion]

On 6/21/2017 at 15:14, Dave In Vermont said:

Thank you, and your team, for this latest version Alex!

Off to install & play!

All the Best -

Dave

 

PS - I loaded the 0.16.0 without issue. But I've noted a problem in displaying DSO cataolgs such as NGC, IC, etc. All but PGC - which was the only one labeled that were shown - along with a very few LDN's.

I removed the 0.16.0 and re-installed 0.15.2

ps - After talking with Alex and another of the developers of Stellarium, George, I followed their advice and did a completely 'cold' install of 0.16.0. This did also take out all my settings, but I'd made re-installing the settings easy. And this worked - 0.16.0 is now up & running just fine - with all catalogs of DSO's showing & available. So if you run into the same, or similar, problems - be prepared (in advance) to find need to remove your settings. Why this happened this time remains a mystery. But I suspect my running Windows 8.1 could have played a role.

Re-installing my settings was a straight-foreward task. Took about 30-minutes. If you are prepared for such - in advance - it shouldn't be too much to do so as to get 0.16.0 up & running. It's worth it! This new build is great! And Alex and George were a great assist. I was (and remain) amazed to see how fast they showed showed-up in my email-box!

Thank you & the same to the rest of your team! Great job, folks!

I've got a similer problem. Certain DSO's aren't showing when they should be. I tried deleting the previous setting on install after uninstalling 15.2.. I've tried reinstalling 16.0 a couple of times and it's not helped. Could you tell me what you did to solve the problem please. What is the 'cold install'? Any help would be much appreciated.

[Dave In Vermont]

'Cold install' meant, in my belief at least, to remove any previous Stellarium-build (like 1.14.0, 1.15.2...etc.) prior to installing the new copy - 0.16.0 in the cited case. The annoying thing about going by this route is that you lose all your previous settings. So I had to sit down and go to work to redo the new copy into what I like.

Have you gone to the Stellarium website about your problem yet? Try that and click on 'Get Support' link on the right-hand side of the main page. I've needed to do this once before. And I had 'pings' from 2 of the developer's within about 20 minutes! Sent me into shock!

Main page of Stellarium:

http://www.stellarium.org/

I know how much 'fun' these things are for folks. But hang in there - you'll get it sorted out. I'm now running the latest 'Trunk' add-on (like a 'beta' version) on my 0.16.0 and it's work beautifully. Hoping my computer doesn't catch fire! Ah! Computers.....

Dave

[cuivenion]

16 minutes ago, Dave In Vermont said:

'Cold install' meant, in my belief at least, to remove any previous Stellarium-build (like 1.14.0, 1.15.2...etc.) prior to installing the new copy - 0.16.0 in the cited case. The annoying thing about going by this route is that you lose all your previous settings. So I had to sit down and go to work to redo the new copy into what I like.

Have you gone to the Stellarium website about your problem yet? Try that and click on 'Get Support' link on the right-hand side of the main page. I've needed to do this once before. And I had 'pings' from 2 of the developer's within about 20 minutes! Sent me into shock!

Main page of Stellarium:

http://www.stellarium.org/

I know how much 'fun' these things are for folks. But hang in there - you'll get it sorted out. I'm now running the latest 'Trunk' add-on (like a 'beta' version) on my 0.16.0 and it's work beautifully. Hoping my computer doesn't catch fire! Ah! Computers.....

Dave

Hi Dave, thanks for the reply. I've tried that already, so I'll give the developers a shout.

[Tommohawk]

8 hours ago, cuivenion said:

I've got a similer problem. Certain DSO's aren't showing when they should be. I tried deleting the previous setting on install after uninstalling 15.2.. I've tried reinstalling 16.0 a couple of times and it's not helped. Could you tell me what you did to solve the problem please. What is the 'cold install'? Any help would be much appreciated.

Following on from this, how do you know which DSOs should be showing? Should there be images for all catalogued objects?

[cuivenion]

10 minutes ago, Tommohawk said:

Following on from this, how do you know which DSOs should be showing? Should there be images for all catalogued objects?

It doesn't appear to be showing any globular clusters, there were also other ones missing such as the Iris nebula. They're still there if you search for them or click on them, but there's no labels or symbols showing for them.

[Dave In Vermont]

In the DSO settings, you can use a sliding-bar to increase or decrease the quantity of 'hints' of DSO's, and another sliding-bar to do the same for 'labels.' Elsewhere in the settings you can select which of the catalogs you want Stellarium to use for your settings. If you slide these sliders too far and put in too many, you won't be able to see the screen anymore. It will be totally covered in 'hints' and 'labels'!!  

I kid you not -

Dave

 

A late incarnation of my copy

 

[cuivenion]

Nah they're definitely missing, loads of the NGC catalogue isn't showing either. This is with the hints and labels at full. I've gone back to 15.2 and its fine so I'll stick with that for now.

[Dave In Vermont]

It's probably something that you've overlooked. This, I've noticed personally, is easy to do with Stellarium. Such as forgetting to click-on the box to 'Show Stars' and such.

On my screenshot above, you can see all the blue x's denoting Pulsars, and the mass of such things marked like: 'LDN 592' and such - riding on the Milky Way. Those are dark nebulae (I think - I'm still playing with it! ), and example of DSO's. You can try loading more stars & DSO's and such from here:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/stellarium/files/Extra-data-files/

I'm sure you can get it working soon - with 0.16.0 - but nothing wrong with 0.15.0 either!

Don't stress - it's only bits & bytes,

Dave

[Tommohawk]

45 minutes ago, Dave In Vermont said:

It's probably something that you've overlooked. This, I've noticed personally, is easy to do with Stellarium. Such as forgetting to click-on the box to 'Show Stars' and such.

On my screenshot above, you can see all the blue x's denoting Pulsars, and the mass of such things marked like: 'LDN 592' and such - riding on the Milky Way. Those are dark nebulae (I think - I'm still playing with it! ), and example of DSO's. You can try loading more stars & DSO's and such from here:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/stellarium/files/Extra-data-files/

I'm sure you can get it working soon - with 0.16.0 - but nothing wrong with 0.15.0 either!

Don't stress - it's only bits & bytes,

Dave

 

Agreed the hint sliders work well - although I can slide them all the way up and planetary nebulae hints still don't show unless you zoom right in to the object. Seems a bit odd.

[Tommohawk]

1 hour ago, cuivenion said:

Nah they're definitely missing, loads of the NGC catalogue isn't showing either. This is with the hints and labels at full. I've gone back to 15.2 and its fine so I'll stick with that for now.

Do the hints/labels show if you zoom in more maybe? - See my comment above re PNs

[Dave In Vermont]

On 8/8/2017 at 17:38, Tommohawk said:

Do the hints/labels show if you zoom in more maybe? - See my comment above re PNs

I'll get to your query in a bit, but first I wish to address and/or defend my previous statement to cuivenion regards maybe missing to check or click-on something simple - which has thrown me for an aggravated loop before!

Cui: Okay - here's a few things to check in 0.16.0 - before declaring the copy you downloaded is a dud. Below is a screenshot showing the lower horizontal taskbar on Stellarium (which one has showing by hovering the mouse on the bottom of the screen of Stellarium):

 

From the left, count 13 of the shown setting-applications. You will get to a lit pinwheel-shape next to a Saturn-shaped app. Note it's lit on this copy. It has a script saying - Deep-sky objects.If it's not lit on yours, click-on the pinwheel to light it. This enables the display of DSO's on the copy of Stellarium.

Next up - Enabling DSO's in the copy itself. Here's another screenshot:

 

Hovering your cursor on the left margin of the Stellarium screen, the leftside taskbar should come into view. The 3rd. from the top is what you want to click-on. And the script: Sky and viewing options window - pops-up the screen the box shown in this next screenshot:

 

Now note the boxes in the DSO-tab. On the lower-right are the slider-bars for 'Labels' and 'Hints.' Now make sure the little square box at the top of this box is checked. As it is in my copy.

Now the slider-bars should work for you. And finally - if all is well - be sure to hit Save Settings before you shut-down Stellarium - or your new settings will vanish and you'll need to do it all again.

Here's how:

 

 

And this should do it! Sorry for using all this bandwidth, FLO, but maybe many people will find this of use.

Off to get some splints for my brain!

Dave

[cuivenion]

I'm afraid I did all that, and there were still a lot of missing DSO's. 15.2 has the same controls and that works fine. My problem sounds similer to what Dave was experiencing, but in my case the reinstall and and settings wipe hasn't fixed it. The DSO's are still visible when you zoom in or search for them, their hints and labels aren't working for me though. Not to worry 15.2 does the job fine until I can figure it out.

As an aside I've always found it strange that Stellarium doesn't support EQMOD natively, but then Stellariumscope works very well and it's otherwise an excellent piece of software, for free it's astounding!

[Dave In Vermont]

Sounds like the developers' could use your information. They'll want as many details about your system as you can muster - Windows? Mac? Version? Build? Etc.

It might well be a new 'bug' that should be eradicated. Especially now as they already have two 'trunk' versions out for folk's to test-fire for 'bugs.' So the next release is coming quickly: 0.16.1

I agree - 0.15.2 is a great version. The best stuff out there is always free! But may need a bit of tweaking...

Dave

[alexwolf]

Damn! 

[alexwolf]

cuivenion, could you deinstall version 0.15.2 before install version 0.16.0?

[Ruud]

I just updated to 0.16.0. Something went wrong with the download. Twice. The .exe was corrupt on both occasions. The third download was a little larger and installed just fine. (Win64 version from stellarium.org)

The new version runs fine on my computer (i5, Geforce GTX 1060) . 

I noticed something strange when I was customizing the info level. Today the Moon has absolute magnitude 0.21?

I have a request because I have my mind set on a 4K monitor: will Stellarium in the future have adjustable font sizes? We may need that with pixels getting smaller.

Looking forward to version 17. That will be super awesome!

Thank you Alexander and thank you other members of the hard working Stellarium team. You people rock!

[cuivenion]

1 hour ago, alexwolf said:

cuivenion, could you deinstall version 0.15.2 before install version 0.16.0?

Hi Alex, I had already tried that but I gave it another go. I deinstalled 15.2 via windows 'uninstall a program'. I then re downloaded and installed 16.0. I made sure all the boxes to remove previous any previous settings were ticked on install of 16.0. After doing this I still had the same problems. I had Messier, IC, Caldwell, and NGC selected in the 'display objects from catalogues' tab. Filter by type unticked, labels and markers was checked and the sliders were at full. Limit magnitude was unticked. I couldn't possibly estimate how may DSO's were missing but at least M13, M57, M92, the messier globs in Ophiuchus, Iris Nebula and the Cigar Nebula are missing, it would seem that a lot more were missing. The image and markers are there if you zoom in and you can click on them when they're zoomed on, but you can't see them in the normal widefield view. Please let me know if you'd rather I made the bug report elsewhere. I only mentioned it in this thread as Dave seemed to have a similer problem and a way to resolve it, which unfortunately doesn't seem to have worked in my case.

Thanks for your help.