Category
AI astronomy software: what they are and who makes them
imaging automation suites, planetariums and sky charts, image processing, controllers and session planners: Voyager, N.I.N.A., StellarMate through AstroPlanner.
Types of AI astronomy software
Imaging automation suites
Voyager, N.I.N.A., Sequence Generator Pro and Astro Photography Tool run a camera, focuser and mount through a planned night. They differ most in price model, from a free open source project to a perpetual license or a yearly subscription, and in how far each goes beyond capture into focus and alerts.
Planetariums and sky charts
Stellarium, KStars, Cartes du Ciel, SkySafari and Starry Night show what is overhead and help pick targets. Four of the five have a free or low-cost entry, while Starry Night Pro 8 lists $159.95. None of them is built to run a camera through a whole night.
Image processing
Siril stacks and calibrates the frames your camera captured, then stretches and colors the result. It sits after the imaging suite in a workflow, so a buyer usually pairs it with one of the capture tools rather than choosing between them.
Controllers and session planners
StellarMate sells a small controller that runs the Ekos suite beside the telescope, while AstroPlanner and TheSkyX cover planning and mount control on a computer. These cost more up front or need a license key, and AstroPlanner shows no price in the text we read.
Facts at a glance
| Tool | Publisher | Based in | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Voyager | Starkeeper di Orazi Leonardo | Italy (the homepage says Made in Italy) | Trial |
| N.I.N.A. | Stefan Berg, trading as Nighttime Imaging 'N' Astronomy | Germany | Free tier |
| StellarMate | Ikarus Technologies | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| Stellarium | Stellarium developer team | Not stated on the vendor pages | Free tier |
| KStars | KDE community (KDE e.V., Germany, named in the KDE privacy policy) | Not stated on the vendor pages | Free tier |
| APT (Astro Photography Tool) | Distinct Solutions Ltd. (trademark Incanus Ltd.) | Bulgaria | Trial |
| Siril | Siril project | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| Sequence Generator Pro | Main Sequence Software | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| SkySafari | Not stated on the vendor pages | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| TheSkyX | Software Bisque, Inc. | United States (Golden, Colorado) | Paid |
| Starry Night | Simulation Curriculum Corp. | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
| Cartes du Ciel | Patrick Chevalley | Not stated on the vendor pages | Free tier |
| AstroPlanner | iLanga, Inc. | Not stated on the vendor pages | Paid |
