Planetariums

Planetarium softwarePlanetariums employ both prerendered content, or recorded shows, and real-time simulation software in presentations. Common real-time applications include the open source environment Celestia and Stellarium, and proprietary platforms such as Digistar, SCISS AB's Uniview, Global Immersion's Fidelity solution range, Zeiss POWERDOME and Sky-Skan Inc's DigitalSky.

Production of prerendered content for Planetariums often parallels feature film studio production, using tools like the open source Blender3D, or powerful, proprietary applications including Autodesk Maya for modeling, Shake and Nuke compositors, Cinema3D and Cinema4D, and Pixar RenderMan family of particle distribution and rendering engines. Modern Planetarium production facilities often include recent, scientific data in their presentations, using the output of scientific modeling software as a base for compositing, creating an aesthetically pleasing visualization of legitimate, scientific data.