ASTRO PROGRAMS (free)

This section contains free software programs for astrophotography with various purposes.

DeepSkyStackerdeepskystacker.free.fr

A free tool for stacking astrophotography images to improve their quality by reducing noise and increasing detail.

GIMPgimp.org

An open-source image editor that can be used for processing and editing astrophotography images.

Sirilsiril.org

An open-source software for astronomical image processing that includes stacking, calibration, and enhancement tools.

Stellariumstellarium.org

A free planetarium software that helps plan astrophotography sessions by simulating the night sky.

Regimastrosurf.com/regim

A free software for stacking and processing images of deep-sky objects.

PIPPpipp.github.io

A free program for preprocessing images by converting, aligning, and stacking video frames from astrophotography sessions.

KStarskstars.org

A free desktop planetarium software that can be used for planning and executing astrophotography sessions.

IRISastrosurf.com/buil/us/iris/iris.htm

A free astronomical image processing software with features for calibration, stacking, and enhancement.

Astronomy Toolsastronomy.tools

Provides free online tools for astrophotography calculations, such as exposure time calculators and field-of-view estimators.

XnViewxnview.com

A free image viewer and editor that can be used for basic astrophotography image processing tasks.

Fits Liberatorfitsliberator.si.edu

A free tool for converting FITS files (a common format in astronomy) to other image formats and performing basic processing.

FireCapturefirecapture.de

A free software for capturing video from webcams and planetary cameras, useful for high-resolution imaging.

SharpCapsharpcap.co.uk

Offers a free version of their software for capturing and live-stacking astronomical images.

SkySafari (Free Version)skysafariastronomy.com

The free version of this app provides basic features for star mapping and identifying celestial objects.

AstroPixelProcessorastropixelprocessor.com

While it has a paid version, the free version allows access to basic image processing features.

Nebulosity (Free Trial)stark-labs.com

Although Nebulosity offers a free trial, the basic version can be used with limited features at no cost.

Planetariumsourceforge.net/projects/planetarium

A free open-source planetarium software for planning observations and astrophotography.

Celestiacelestia.space

A free space simulation software that allows you to explore the universe and plan your astrophotography sessions.

AstroImagerskysafariapp.com

While it has paid versions, there is a free version available that provides basic imaging and tracking features.

Blenderblender.org

A powerful open-source 3D modeling software that can also be used for advanced image processing and animation of astronomical images.

Registaxregistax.net

Free software for aligning, stacking, and processing planetary and lunar images.

Astronomy Logsourceforge.net/projects/astronomylog

A free tool for keeping a log of your astronomical observations and imaging sessions.

Photopeaphotopea.com

An online image editor similar to Photoshop, useful for processing and editing astrophotography images.

AstroArtmicrosoft.com

Offers a free version with limited features, which can be useful for basic image processing tasks.