Stellarium Training Series

Stellarium Training Series

For RASC members, we offer computer software training on Stellarium. It is a popular and powerful planetarium application available for Windows, Macintosh, and Linux computers. The full software for computers is free. It's not just eye-candy. This is your hub for the Stellarium Training Series.

 

Current Courses

  • introduction, level 1: the basics, for people completely new to the app, getting started, or a refresher for those who dabble
  • intermediate, level 2: customisation, advanced time and zoom controls, loading comets, connecting to a go-to mount, bookmarking
  • advanced, level 3: sidereal time, more customisation, using landscapes, using many of the powerful planning features
  • mobile version: coming soon!

Visit the specific course level pages for more info and to access the registration forms.

Each course is about 2 hours in duration. They are scheduled near full Moon phases to not take away from observing. Training materials are provided. The sessions are hands-on and delivered live and interactively by an instructor with lots of time for questions and answers. Class sizes are limited to maintain a good instructor-participant ratio. Courses fill up rapidly but we keep waiting lists.

NOTE: Currently all courses are delivered online using teleconferencing meeting software.

 

Other Materials

  • visit the Stellarium web site for product info, the latest software, the user guide, etc.
  • webinar on basic features: quick 40 minute demonstration, followed by a Q&A period, for up to 100 people; offered periodically...
  • video on download and installing the Stellarium software

 

Future Courses

We are considering higher levels of training or courses for specific audiences.

  • If logistically possible, we'll try to deliver interactive training for the Stellarium app for mobile devices and smartphones.
  • We are assembling an EPO course for educators and outreach volunteers. Handy for showing astronomical concepts such as seasons and planetary motion.
  • A level 4 programming and scripting course.
  • We want to build a train-the-trainer course to help people teach Stellarium courses. It will be lead by a master trainer.

 

Your Instructors 

Ian Bain. Teaching since 1997, Ian is a public school teaching administrator. He has also 32 years experience as a cadet instructor. He works on the Macintosh and Windows platform. Ian teaches the introductory Stellarium courses. He is assisting in Stellarium curriculum development.

Al McCue. Joined RASC in 2019. Al is an engineer who works with oil and gas field operations software. Al has been teaching at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Mount Royal University and the U of Calgary for 40 years. He is primarily a Windows user. Al teaches introductory Stellarium courses. 

Kersti Meema.  She is a retired high school science teacher who has been an active member of the RASC for 12 years. Kersti is a presenter for the RASC NOVA series, and other outreach presentations, and during which she often uses Stellarium to explore the night sky. During retirement, she has pursued her passion for nature photography, including wide-field astrophotography. Kersti teaches the introductory Stellarium courses. 

Blake Nancarrow. Joined RASC in 2007. He started using Stellarium around 2008 and regularly uses it for publication education and outreach events and The Sky This Month presentations. In daylight, Blake is an instructor of information technology and business software. Blake teaches the introductory, intermediate, and advanced Stellarium courses. He's actively developing the curriculum.

  

Any questions? Contact the adminstrator (stellarium AT rascto DOT ca).