Uploaded January 2025 | Updated September 2026, 4 hours ago
3D Models of the Butterfly Nebula and Box Nebula were recently added to this Open Source Universe Simulation Software called Gaia Sky. Gaia Sky is free and open source astronomical visualization software that represents the entire observable universe 1:1 scale and lets you navigate with free camera and spaceship with bookmarks. If you've ever heard of Space Engine, it is very similar except that it is free and open source, which is great! You can download it at the project page linked here: zah.uni-heidelberg.de/gaia/outreach/gaiasky
This software is different from games like Universe Sandbox or Kerbal Space Program in that it isn't about physics interactions (at least not gameplay driven ones) and it is more of an accurate to scale representation of our entire galaxy and observable universe in three dimensions that is scientifically accurate. Some might call it a universe simulation or a universe simulator or a virtual universe. Google Earth for the universe. Now that I think about it it is kind of similar in concept to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and MSFS 2024 except that it's for the whole universe instead of just for the planet Earth.
0:00 - 3:51 Exploring Nebula
3:51 - 14:19 Exploring The Observable Universe
14:19 - 19:59 Exploring TRAPPIST-1 (TRAPPIST-1b)
I tested this out on my Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti and intel i9 11900k with 32GB of ram and with all these data packs enabled it does slow my PC down and drop frames while recording if I'm not careful. There's so much more to see in this program and I'm just learning and messing around after coming from the very old free version of Space Engine years ago. I'm very impressed with Gaia Sky! #gtx1080ti #spaceengine #opensource #astronomy
3D Models of the Butterfly Nebula and Box Nebula were recently added to this Open Source Universe Simulation Software called Gaia Sky. Gaia Sky is free and open source astronomical visualization software that represents the entire observable universe 1:1 scale and lets you navigate with free camera and spaceship with bookmarks. If you've ever heard of Space Engine, it is very similar except that it is free and open source, which is great! You can download it at the project page linked here: zah.uni-heidelberg.de/gaia/outreach/gaiasky
This software is different from games like Universe Sandbox or Kerbal Space Program in that it isn't about physics interactions (at least not gameplay driven ones) and it is more of an accurate to scale representation of our entire galaxy and observable universe in three dimensions that is scientifically accurate. Some might call it a universe simulation or a universe simulator or a virtual universe. Google Earth for the universe. Now that I think about it it is kind of similar in concept to Microsoft Flight Simulator 2020 and MSFS 2024 except that it's for the whole universe instead of just for the planet Earth.
0:00 - 3:51 Exploring Nebula
3:51 - 14:19 Exploring The Observable Universe
14:19 - 19:59 Exploring TRAPPIST-1 (TRAPPIST-1b)
I tested this out on my Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti and intel i9 11900k with 32GB of ram and with all these data packs enabled it does slow my PC down and drop frames while recording if I'm not careful. There's so much more to see in this program and I'm just learning and messing around after coming from the very old free version of Space Engine years ago. I'm very impressed with Gaia Sky! #gtx1080ti #spaceengine #opensource #astronomy
![Doom Eternal (Nekravol) [GTX 1060 6GB][i5 4690k@4.4ghz][Windows]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/eah_22ci9VU/mqdefault.jpg "Doom Eternal (Nekravol) [GTX 1060 6GB][i5 4690k@4.4ghz][Windows]
Minor spoilers for the Nekravol level. I cant quite get a locked 60 with my setup, even with the settings lowered. So I play this game with a 50fps cap on a mix of low/higher settings. This game looks great regardless so low still looks quite good. With all that, it runs great! There is an added stutter from my recording software, which is not present in gameplay.")
