Gaia Sky vs SpaceEngine: catalog facts
Gaia Sky | SpaceEngine |
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Free Free and open source under the MPL-2.0. |
Paid A paid purchase, sold through Steam. |
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Windows, macOS, Linux |
Windows |
- Uses real scientific catalogs including Gaia star data
- Handles around a billion objects in real time
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- Seamless travel from galactic scale to planetary surfaces
- Real catalogued objects mixed with scientifically based procedural systems
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- Large datasets need significant download space and capable hardware
- Aimed at scientific exploration rather than a guided planetarium experience
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- Paid software
- Procedurally generated regions are plausible models, not observed data
|
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Downloadable app |
Downloadable app |
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Open source |
Closed source |
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License: MPL-2.0 |
License not stated |
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No account needed |
Not stated if an account is needed |
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Not stated if it works offline |
Not stated if it works offline |
Checked October 1, 2026 | Checked September 24, 2026 |
Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.
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