🔭 Science, nature and the world
Stellarium Web
By Stellarium Labs / Noctua Software. Visit Stellarium Web
Desk research from the maker's own pages. Not yet tried by us. Checked 2026-10-24.
A free planetarium that runs in a web browser, built by the creators of the open-source Stellarium desktop program. It shows the sky for your location and time: stars, planets, constellations, deep-sky objects and satellites, with a search box and a tonight view. Kids can point it at a direction, jump in time, or look up what a bright light is. An optional sign-in saves an observation log. It is still labeled beta and links to paid mobile apps.
Our take: An easy free way for families to identify stars and planets together; kids who want guided lessons will need a book or class alongside it.
Checked in a browser
A browser check on 2026-10-25: what loads, the ads and trackers we saw, and what a child meets first. Not a hands-on test.
| Child safety: 4 out of 5 | No ads or chat; a Sign in link and an 'App' button. |
|---|---|
| Data: 2 out of 5 | Google's ad servers (ad.doubleclick.net, googleads) loaded and set a doubleclick cookie before consent, with Google Analytics; the site also looked up the visitor's location through its own service; no ad was shown. |
| Ease: 3 out of 5 | The star map loads at once, but the controls are small icons and a cookie notice covers the bottom; a child would need help. |
| Cost honesty: 4 out of 5 | Free on the web; a yellow 'App' button points to the app. |
What we found
- 13 third-party hosts on 9 sites
- Google ad hosts ad.doubleclick.net and googleads.g.doubleclick.net contacted; a doubleclick.net cookie set
- No ad frames on the screen
- A cookie notice reads 'By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies'
From the test: A free, ad-free star map, though it loads Google ad servers and needs an adult to help with the controls.
| Ages it suits | about 7 and up |
|---|---|
| What its terms say about age | Not stated: there are no terms of use, and the privacy policy names no age limit. (terms) |
| Price | Free. Free in the browser (Oct 2026); the separate Stellarium Mobile apps have paid versions. |
| Works on | Web |
| Account | No account needed |
| Ads | None |
| In-app purchases | None |
| The AI in it | No AI. |
What's good
- Free, no install, works on most devices
- Accurate sky for your place and time
- No ads
- Sign-in is optional
Watch for
- Still in beta
- Asks for location
- No terms or child-specific rules
- Prompts toward paid mobile apps
Data and privacy
Uses your location and time to draw the sky, plus analytics cookies; signing up collects name, email and any observation notes and photos. The policy says it never sells or exchanges data with third parties. Read the privacy policy.
Does it work?
No independent study found; the maker's own claims only.
In the Big Index
- On the list 13 AI science and nature apps for curious kids
- On the list 23 best museum and virtual field trip sites
Alternatives to Stellarium Web
Desk researchPaidNo ads
Adafruit Circuit Playground Express
Adafruit Industries · ages about 8+ with adult help
A low-cost, flexible first electronics board for kids 8+ with a helper; kids who want a guided kit may prefer a subscription box.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
Adafruit Learning System
Adafruit Industries · ages about 10 and up with an adult
A top free resource for families building electronics together; kids should not work through it alone.
Desk researchFree, with paid extrasNo ads
Algodoo
Algoryx Simulation AB · ages about 8 and up
A great creative sandbox for curious kids and science classes; parents should supervise use of the public sharing site and forum.
Desk researchFree
Babble Dabble Do
Ana Dziengel · ages about 3-12
Great for families and teachers who want craft projects with a design or science twist; an adult should pick and prep the projects.
Desk researchFree, with paid extras
Birdbuddy (AI bird feeder)
Bird Buddy Inc. · ages family use; kids with a parent's account
A fun family science gadget for bird-curious kids if parents accept the subscription and default model training; skip it if you want an offline camera.
Desk researchFreeNo ads
BirdNET
Cornell K. Lisa Yang Center for Conservation Bioacoustics and Chemnitz University of Technology · ages about 9 and up with a parent
A good pick for a curious older child with a parent who is comfortable sharing recordings for science; Merlin is friendlier for beginners.
Where these facts come from
- https://stellarium-web.org/
- https://stellarium-labs.com/
- https://stellarium-labs.com/stellarium-web/
- https://stellarium-labs.com/privacy-policy/
Prices, terms and features change. Nobody paid to be listed, nothing here is an affiliate link, and Peabody never rates itself. Where we and the maker disagree, the maker's own pages are the ones to trust.