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Education · head to head

Stellarium vs Weka

Stellarium logo

Stellarium

Education

Free open source desktop planetarium software, distinct from the paid Stellarium Mobile Plus app

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Weka logo

Weka

Machine Learning

Collection of machine learning algorithms

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Stellarium it is desktop-only software, so it has no native touch-optimised phone interface; the similarly named mobile app is a different paid product from a different company.; Weka the package management system needs an internet connection to download and install packages, so an air-gapped install gets only the core distribution
  • They diverge on capability: Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering, Weka covers Classification.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Stellarium and Weka actually diverge.

Attributes where Stellarium and Weka differ
AttributeStellariumWeka
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxLinux, Mac, Windows
CategoryEducationMachine Learning
FoundedUnknown1993

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Stellarium

  • Photorealistic sky rendering
  • Large object catalogue
  • Telescope control
  • Scripting engine
  • Free and open source
  • Plugin ecosystem

Only in Weka

  • Classification
  • Regression
  • Clustering
  • Association rules
  • Feature selection
  • Java
  • R
  • Python

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Stellarium

  • A student or educator wanting a serious, scriptable planetarium tool without a budget line itemnot Weka
  • An amateur astronomer wanting telescope control from desktop software they can inspect and modifynot Weka
  • Someone running a planetarium display or public astronomy event on a scripted shownot Weka
  • A hobbyist who wants a large object catalogue without paying a subscription, and does not need a phone appnot Weka

Weka

  • Teaching and exploring classic machine learning algorithms through a GUInot Stellarium
  • Running data mining experiments and preprocessing without writing codenot Stellarium

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Stellarium

  • It is desktop-only software, so it has no native touch-optimised phone interface; the similarly named mobile app is a different paid product from a different company.
  • As a volunteer-maintained open source project, support is community-based rather than a guaranteed commercial help desk.
  • The interface, while capable, is less immediately intuitive for a first-time user than a polished commercial phone app.
  • Telescope control and some advanced plugins require additional setup that a non-technical user may find fiddly.
  • Because it shares a name with the unrelated paid Stellarium Mobile Plus app, buyers researching pricing online can easily conflate the two products.

Weka

  • The package management system needs an internet connection to download and install packages, so an air-gapped install gets only the core distribution
  • Weka is split into a stable 3.8 branch that receives only bug fixes and compatibility-safe upgrades and a 3.9 development branch that may receive features that break compatibility
  • Weka requires a 64-bit Java VM; the bundled installers ship Bellsoft OpenJDK 25 per platform and architecture

Pricing, plan by plan

Stellarium

Free
  • Stellarium DesktopFree
    • Full software, GPL licensed
    • No account, ads or subscription
    • Community-developed plugins

Weka

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • All ML algorithms
    • GUI and CLI
    • Java API

Which should you pick?

Choose Stellarium if

  • You need photorealistic sky rendering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want large object catalogue.
Stellarium review

Choose Weka if

  • You need classification.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac, Windows.
  • You also want regression.
Weka review

Questions people ask

Is Stellarium or Weka better?
Neither clearly leads. Stellarium starts at Free and Weka at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Stellarium or Weka?
Stellarium starts at Free and Weka at Free.
Does Stellarium or Weka run on more platforms?
Stellarium runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Weka runs on Linux, Mac, Windows.
Can I use Stellarium for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Stellarium best used for?
Stellarium is most often used for a student or educator wanting a serious, scriptable planetarium tool without a budget line item, an amateur astronomer wanting telescope control from desktop software they can inspect and modify, someone running a planetarium display or public astronomy event on a scripted show, a hobbyist who wants a large object catalogue without paying a subscription, and does not need a phone app. Of those, a student or educator wanting a serious, scriptable planetarium tool without a budget line item and an amateur astronomer wanting telescope control from desktop software they can inspect and modify are not what Weka is typically brought in for.
What can Stellarium do that Weka cannot?
Stellarium covers Photorealistic sky rendering, Large object catalogue, Telescope control, Scripting engine. Weka covers Classification, Regression, Clustering, Association rules.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Stellarium: Is Stellarium really free?

The desktop software is free and open source under the GPL licence. The separate mobile app, Stellarium Mobile Plus, is a different paid product.

Weka: What is the cost of Weka software?

Weka is provided at no cost as open-source software released under the GNU General Public License, making it freely available for download and use.

Source
Stellarium: Is the mobile app made by the same team?

No. Stellarium Mobile Plus is built by Noctua Software, a different company, and is sold on subscription.

Weka: Are there commercial licensing options available?

Yes, the project offers information about commercial licenses for organizations requiring non-GPL terms, which can be found in their commercial applications documentation.

Source
Stellarium: What platforms does the free version run on?

Windows, macOS and Linux desktop.

Weka: What support resources are available to users?

Multiple support avenues exist including comprehensive documentation, frequently asked questions, dedicated help resources, and access to courses for learning the platform.

Source
Weka: Is source code access provided?

Yes, developers have full access to source code through the Git repository, along with development documentation and code credits for contributors.

Source
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