For those who love astronomy, both the joy and difficulty of the activity are sitting by your telescope for long hours, continually checking and adjusting it. You may also juggle different software, each requiring its own know-how, such as SkyChart, which, as the name implies, helps to create sky charts to streamline your viewing. However, everything can be made easier and more efficient through Raspberry Pi’s Astroberry system.
Raspberry Pi is a computer-making company, creating hardware and software for high-quality performance. The company has been in business since 2012 and uses Linux as the operating system. There are plenty of fun ways to even repurpose your old Raspberry Pi for new projects. The products are available through most retailers that carry technology, as well as on Raspberry Pi’s website.
Astroberry is a system for all Raspberry Pi products, as well as console and UI interface configurations, that allows you to remotely control your astronomy equipment. With a fun name and open-source software backing, your astronomy hobby can be made even easier. It boasts access to plenty of features and, most importantly, it is completely free to download.
The details of Raspberry Pi’s Astroberry system
The Astroberry is a remote desktop system you can access through your web browser. It takes advantage of reputable astronomy software such as SkyChart, KStars, and Stellarium. Some of its features include satellite tracking, a celestial almanac, and captured video streams. It also has planetary tracking and a range of other capture and imaging capabilities. Perhaps you will be one of the astronomers to discover a new planet with Astroberry.
The Astroberry system is highly customizable with over a dozen compatible applications, so you can adjust it to suit your needs for your personal computer setup and what you want to find with your telescope. Out in the middle of nowhere, looking at the stars? No problem. Astroberry features a wireless hotspot so you can still connect to the internet even if there isn’t a stable Wi-Fi connection nearby.
One of the interesting things about Astroberry is that it is developed by volunteers around the world. People passionate about astronomy have fueled this project. It is an open-source software, which is a term that means the source code is free for anyone to access and modify, making it a true community initiative. Astroberry welcomes all to contribute in any way that they can. It currently boasts 5,000 users across 83 countries.
How to use Astroberry yourself and get involved
If you want to use Astroberry, first you need to make sure you have a Raspberry Pi or purchase one. The Astroberry server can be downloaded directly from the website with a single click. After the download, follow any prompts on the screen to get it properly set up and working for you. The site also has a direct, quick start installation guide to help with any problems that may occur in the installation process.
Are you not an astronomy hobbyist or don’t want to get Astroberry just yet, but you like this project? You can still support this software through donations, which Astroberry takes directly through its website. It relies on donations since this is a free, volunteer-based project. Donating to these types of initiatives helps independent creators share their passion with the world and is always an important thing to fund.
Whether you’re a seasoned stargazer or just starting your journey, Astroberry offers an accessible, customizable way to elevate your astronomy experience. You may just want to have fun viewing and tracking the stars, or you hope to make a discovery like the astronomers who found a whole new class of black holes. Thanks to free and open-source projects like this one, enjoying astronomy can be more streamlined for professionals and easier to get into for beginners.
