Astronomy

PlanetariumVR

The XR School › Astronomy › PlanetariumVR
£8.50 on Steam Hubert Cecotti • hublab Planetarium • Sky challenges PC VR • SteamVR
Released 17 December 2021 • 41,375 stars • 88 constellations • Seven deep sky catalogues

PlanetariumVR

A detailed VR planetarium for serious stargazing. Set your location and time, switch on coordinate grids, point at any object to identify it, and learn the sky through challenges based on the Messier objects and the brightest stars.

Developer: Hubert Cecotti (hublab)
Price: £8.50 on Steam
Platform: Windows PC VR via SteamVR
Subject: Astronomy • Physics
6.6
/10
XR School Score
Recommended for Astronomy
Huge star and deep sky catalogue • Point to identify • Messier and star challenges • Coordinate grids • Plain presentation • PC VR only
Steam • Education tagged Small number of reviews
Overview

PlanetariumVR is a virtual reality planetarium made by Hubert Cecotti and published under the name hublab. It was released on Steam on 17 December 2021 and costs £8.50. It is VR only and runs on a Windows PC with SteamVR, supporting Valve Index, HTC Vive and Oculus Touch controllers.

Its catalogue is far larger than most VR sky apps: 41,375 stars, the 88 constellations, the planets and the Moon, and deep sky objects from seven catalogues, including the 110 Messier objects, the 109 Caldwell objects, the Herschel 400 and the NGC and IC catalogues. You can set your location and time, change the Bortle scale to simulate light pollution, and switch on equatorial, azimuthal, ecliptic and galactic grids. Point at any object with the trigger to see information about it, or browse a gallery of deep sky images. A Messier Challenge and a Star Challenge test whether you can find objects in the sky, and a bonus Star Sweeper game, a version of Minesweeper played under the night sky, adds some fun.

Learning the Sky by Heart Being able to find objects in the night sky is a real skill, and PlanetariumVR is built to practise it. The Star Challenge asks you to locate 103 bright stars and the Messier Challenge the 110 Messier objects, turning star charts into an active test rather than something to read.
What Students Can Do
⭐
Explore the sky
41,375 stars, 88 constellations and the planets.
🔭
Identify objects
Point at anything to see what it is.
🎯
Take challenges
Find the Messier objects and 103 bright stars.
🌐
Change conditions
Set location, time, grids and light pollution.
What You Need PlanetariumVR needs a Windows PC capable of VR (the minimum listed is a GTX 1050 graphics card) and a SteamVR headset. A standalone Quest can only run it through a PC link. The interface is functional rather than polished, and it assumes some interest in astronomy, so it suits older students and enthusiasts best.
PlanetariumVR vs a Planisphere
Feature
PlanetariumVR
Planisphere
Stars
41,375
The brightest few hundred
Deep sky objects
Thousands, from 7 catalogues
A handful
Identify objects
Point and click
Read the chart
Light pollution
Simulated with the Bortle scale
Not shown
Classroom Value
Astronomy content
8.6
Engagement
6.4
Curriculum links
7.0
Ease of setup
4.5
Presentation
5.0
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths
  • Very large star and deep sky catalogue
  • Point to identify any object
  • Messier and bright star challenges
  • Coordinate grids and light pollution settings
  • Deep sky image gallery
  • Low price
Considerations
  • PC VR only
  • Functional, plain presentation
  • Best for older or keen students
  • Few user reviews
  • No narration or guided lessons
For Teachers: GCSE Astronomy and Clubs PlanetariumVR fits the GCSE Astronomy specification well, especially naked eye observation, constellations, coordinates and deep sky objects. Use the challenges for revision, and the Bortle scale setting to show why dark skies matter. It is also ideal for a school astronomy club on cloudy nights.
£8.50
Windows PC VR via SteamVR • Index, Vive and Touch controllers
Get on Steam → More astronomy apps →
Quick Facts
Developer
Hubert Cecotti (hublab)
Release
17 December 2021
Price
£8.50
Platform
Windows, SteamVR
Stars
41,375
Constellations
88
Deep sky catalogues
Messier, Caldwell, Herschel 400, NGC, IC, Arp, Sharpless 2
Challenges
Messier Challenge, Star Challenge
Verdict
PlanetariumVR is one of the most detailed VR sky apps available, with a vast catalogue, point to identify and challenges that build real observing skills. Its presentation is plain and it needs PC VR, so it is best suited to GCSE Astronomy students, keen enthusiasts and astronomy clubs, where it is recommended.

Gareth Griffiths

Gareth Griffiths is a scientist and the founder of World of Teaching, a free library of over 1,000 teacher made PowerPoints. He set up The XR School to help teachers, schools and parents find virtual and augmented reality apps that genuinely help young people learn, and to give an honest view of what each app teaches, which headsets it needs and what it costs.