Stellarium
Fails to load
Hi
I just downloaded Stellarium to my win11 PC which more than adequately meets your specs.
When I start stellarium it gets to loading the solar system editor then just crashes with no messages.
What am I doing wrong or what have I missed in the installation?
Thanks for your help.
Regards
Peter
This is a weird - Stellarium should work without problem.
I have a strange hypothesys - please open file config.ini and set Exoplanets = false in [plugins_load_at_startup] section before startup of planetarium.
thanks
Made the change - first time I started it, I briefly has the sky up (still daylihght here) before it disappeared. Subsequent attempts it didn't get that far, but did get past loading solar system editor.
Hmm... Another attempt - please edit config.ini:
[init_location]
location = Sydney, Australasia
and check it again
Thanks Alex. That's fixed it.
Having found it works, I edited config again to turn exoplanets back to true, and it still worked.
I'm actually in Balranald, 10hrs drive south-west from Sydney.
Playing around with the location - it was fine when I set location by lat/long, but crashed when I tried to use network, although other apps have no problems with location - eg weather apps.
I had to reset location from auto back to Sydney in config.ini.
Thanks for all your help Alex.
@pjb2600 please check the setting of location via network in our weekly snapshot - https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium-data/releases/tag/weekly-snapshot
Thanks for that! I understand this is already fixed in the next release but just in case someone else comes in searching for this before it is available I'll leave extra detail:
I'm on openSUSE Tumbleweed, also on East Coast Australia. When I started Stellarium, I saw the splash screen, the progress text would pause at loading exoplanets, and then crash. Running from terminal gave
...
[ 4.280][INFO] Creating GUI ...
[ 4.663][INFO] Loading style file: :/graphicGui/normalStyle.css
[ 4.689][DBG ] Got location (my location here)
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
[ exit: 139 ]
I tried the above tests and I needed a slight variation:
[init_location]
landscape_name = guereins
location = Sydney, Australasia
For me, 'landscape_name' was already set, and if I removed it, stellarium would not start.
@pallaswept please check our last weekly snapshot - https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium-data/releases/tag/weekly-snapshot
@pjb2600 please check the setting of location via network in our weekly snapshot - https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium-data/releases/tag/weekly-snapshot
@pallaswept please check our last weekly snapshot - https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium-data/releases/tag/weekly-snapshot
Thanks! I tried the AppImage, with and without providing the location as above, but it segfaults for me. I tried the 25.1 release AppImage and it works OK with the location specified.
> ~/Downloads/Stellarium-25.1-5d13699-qt6-x86_64.AppImage
[ 0.197][WARN] Could not find the Qt platform plugin "wayland" in ""
[ 0.496][INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ 0.496][INFO] [ This is Stellarium 25.1+ (v25.1.148-5d13699 [stellarium-next]) - https://stellarium.org/ ]
[ 0.496][INFO] [ Copyright (C) 2000-2025 Stellarium Developers ]
[ 0.496][INFO] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ 0.496][INFO] 2025-06-03T22:35:29
[ 0.496][INFO] Operating System: openSUSE Tumbleweed
[ 0.496][INFO] Platform: xcb
[ 0.496][INFO] Compiled using GNU 11.4.0
[ 0.496][INFO] Qt runtime version: 6.2.4
[ 0.496][INFO] Qt compilation version: 6.2.4
[ 0.496][INFO] Build ABI: x86_64-little_endian-lp64
[ 0.496][INFO] Addressing mode: 64-bit
[ 0.496][INFO] Processor architecture: x86_64
[ 0.496][INFO] Processor name: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X 12-Core Processor
[ 0.497][INFO] Processor maximum speed: 3701 MHz
[ 0.497][INFO] Processor logical cores: 24
[ 0.497][INFO] Total physical memory: 32045 MB
[ 0.497][INFO] Total virtual memory: 64813 MB
[ 0.497][INFO] Writing log file to: /home/pallaswept/.stellarium/log.txt
[ 0.497][INFO] File search paths:
[ 0.497][INFO] [0]: /home/pallaswept/.stellarium
[ 0.497][INFO] [1]: /usr/share/stellarium
[ 0.498][INFO] Config file: /home/pallaswept/.stellarium/config.ini
[ 0.498][DBG ] Default surface format: QSurfaceFormat(version 2.0, options QFlags<QSurfaceFormat::FormatOption>(), depthBufferSize -1, redBufferSize -1, greenBufferSize -1, blueBufferSize -1, alphaBufferSize -1, stencilBufferSize -1, samples -1, swapBehavior QSurfaceFormat::DefaultSwapBehavior, swapInterval 1, colorSpace QColorSpace(), profile QSurfaceFormat::NoProfile)
[ 0.498][INFO] OpenGL module type: desktop OpenGL
[ 0.500][INFO] System language (ISO 639 / ISO 3166): C
[ 0.500][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium"
[ 0.500][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium"
[ 0.721][DBG ] Default surface format: QSurfaceFormat(version 3.3, options QFlags<QSurfaceFormat::FormatOption>(), depthBufferSize 24, redBufferSize 8, greenBufferSize 8, blueBufferSize 8, alphaBufferSize -1, stencilBufferSize 8, samples -1, swapBehavior QSurfaceFormat::DefaultSwapBehavior, swapInterval 1, colorSpace QColorSpace(), profile QSurfaceFormat::CoreProfile)
[ 0.721][INFO] OpenGL module type: desktop OpenGL
[ 0.721][DBG ] StelGLWidget constructor
[ 0.738][DBG ] StelGraphicsScene constructor
[ 0.879][DBG ] initializeGL(windowWidth = 1920, windowHeight = 1050)
[ 0.879][INFO] OpenGL supported version: "3.3.0 NVIDIA 575.51.03"
[ 0.879][INFO] Current Format: QSurfaceFormat(version 3.3, options QFlags<QSurfaceFormat::FormatOption>(), depthBufferSize 24, redBufferSize 8, greenBufferSize 8, blueBufferSize 8, alphaBufferSize 0, stencilBufferSize 8, samples 0, swapBehavior QSurfaceFormat::DefaultSwapBehavior, swapInterval 1, colorSpace QColorSpace(), profile QSurfaceFormat::CoreProfile)
[ 0.879][INFO] Initializing StelMainView
[ 0.879][INFO] Luminance textures are not supported
[ 0.879][INFO] Running in High Graphics Mode
[ 0.879][INFO] Maximum texture anisotropy: 16
[ 0.879][INFO] Maximum 2D texture size: 32768
[ 0.880][INFO] Detected: OpenGL 3.3
[ 0.880][INFO] Driver version string: 3.3.0 NVIDIA 575.51.03
[ 0.880][INFO] GL vendor: NVIDIA Corporation
[ 0.880][INFO] GL renderer: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3090/PCIe/SSE2
[ 0.880][INFO] GL Shading Language version: 3.30 NVIDIA via Cg compiler
[ 0.880][INFO] GLSL Version Number detected: 3.3
[ 0.880][INFO] GLSL version is fine, we should not see a graphics problem.
[ 0.890][INFO] Vertex Array Objects are supported
[ 0.891][INFO] Initial high-DPI scaling factor: 1
[ 1.597][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium-skycultures"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium-skycultures"
[ 1.597][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium-sky"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium-sky"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty skyculture-independent translation file for language "C"
[ 1.597][INFO] Sky language: C
[ 1.597][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium-planetary-features"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium-planetary-features"
[ 1.597][INFO] Planetary features language: C
[ 1.597][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium"
[ 1.597][INFO] Application language: C
[ 1.597][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium-scripts"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium-scripts"
[ 1.597][INFO] Scripts language: C
[ 1.597][WARN] Couldn't load translations for language "C" in section "stellarium-skycultures-descriptions"
[ 1.597][WARN] Empty translation file for language "C" in section "stellarium-skycultures-descriptions"
[ 1.597][INFO] Sky culture description language: C
[ 1.634][INFO] Cache directory: /home/pallaswept/.cache/stellarium/stellarium
[ 1.686][INFO] Loaded 252 countries
[ 1.686][INFO] Loaded 193 regions
[ 1.934][INFO] Loading Solar System data (1: planets and moons) ...
[ 1.934][INFO] Loading from: /usr/share/stellarium/data/ssystem_major.ini
[ 1.975][INFO] Loaded 83 Solar System bodies from /usr/share/stellarium/data/ssystem_major.ini
[ 1.975][INFO] Solar System now has 83 entries.
[ 1.975][INFO] Loading Solar System data (2: minor bodies) ...
[ 1.975][INFO] Loading from: /home/pallaswept/.stellarium/data/ssystem_minor.ini
[ 2.000][INFO] libpng warning: iCCP: profile 'icc': 'GRAY': Gray color space not permitted on RGB PNG
[ 2.007][INFO] Loaded 294 Solar System bodies from /home/pallaswept/.stellarium/data/ssystem_minor.ini
[ 2.007][INFO] Solar System now has 377 entries.
[ 2.008][INFO] File ssystem_minor.ini is loaded successfully...
[ 2.008][INFO] SolarSystem: We have configured 0 threads (plus main thread) for computePositions().
[ 2.109][INFO] libpng warning: iCCP: profile 'ICC profile': 'RGB ': RGB color space not permitted on grayscale PNG
[ 2.120][INFO] Loading nomenclature for Solar system bodies ...
[ 2.278][INFO] Loaded 15524 / 16049 items of planetary surface nomenclature
[ 2.278][INFO] INFO: Cannot find these planetary objects to assign nomenclature items: Arrokoth, Bennu, Ceres, Dactyl, Didymos, Dimorphos, Eros, Gaspra, Ida, Itokawa, Lutetia, Mathilde, Ryugu, Steins, Vesta
[ 2.279][INFO] Loading star data ...
[ 2.279][INFO] Loading star catalog: /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/stars_0_0v0_18.cat - 0_0v0_18; 5045 entries
[ 2.279][INFO] Loading star catalog: /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/stars_1_0v0_15.cat - 1_0v0_15; 21611 entries
[ 2.279][INFO] Loading star catalog: /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/stars_2_0v0_16.cat - 2_0v0_16; 141761 entries
[ 2.279][INFO] Loading star catalog: /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/stars_3_0v0_10.cat - 3_0v0_10; 418129 entries
[ 2.283][INFO] Finished loading star catalogue data, max_geodesic_level: 3
[ 2.283][INFO] Loading scientific star designations from /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/name.fab
[ 2.288][INFO] Loaded 5060 / 5060 scientific designations
[ 2.288][INFO] Loading scientific star designations from /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/extra_name.fab
[ 2.313][INFO] Loaded 26200 / 26200 scientific designations
[ 2.313][INFO] Loading variable stars data from /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/gcvs.cat
[ 2.324][INFO] [...] GCVS 5.1-20250125
[ 2.585][INFO] Loaded 49853 / 49853 variable stars
[ 2.586][INFO] Loading double stars from /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/wds_hip_part.dat
[ 2.634][INFO] Loaded 22992 / 22992 double stars
[ 2.634][INFO] Loading cross-identification data from /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/cross-id.cat
[ 2.928][INFO] Loaded 327097 / 327097 cross-identification data records for stars
[ 2.928][INFO] Loading orbital parameters data for binary system from /usr/share/stellarium/stars/hip_gaia3/binary_orbitparam.dat
[ 2.928][INFO] Loaded 15 / 15 orbital parameters data for binary system
[ 2.980][INFO] Of 118205 HIP stars, 22991 are binaries, 6891 variable (644 Algol-type, 216 Cepheids), 316 Carbon stars, 159 Barium stars, and 220 have PM>1000mas/yr.
[ 2.986][WARN] StelCore: Invalid timezone name: "" -- not setting timezone.
[ 2.986][INFO] navigation/preset_sky_time is a double - treating as jday: 2451514.25001
[ 3.049][INFO] Loading DSO data ...
[ 3.091][INFO] [...] Stellarium DSO Catalog, version 3.20 (standard edition)
[ 3.302][INFO] Loaded 94660 DSO records
[ 3.302][INFO] Loading DSO name data ...
[ 3.375][INFO] Loaded 1357 / 1382 DSO name records successfully
[ 3.375][WARN] No position data for 25 objects: PGC 2798, PGC 2907, PGC 23521, PGC 28759, PGC 29167, PGC 34658, PGC 42102, PGC 44750, PGC 54559, PGC 59117, PGC 59858, PGC 59953, PGC 69018, PGC 69877, PGC 73957, PGC 95597, PGC 100170, PGC 100170, PGC 119230, PGC 1000714, PGC 1436754, PGC 1694462, PGC 2822840, PGC 2826829, PGC 3098124
[ 3.375][INFO] Loading DSO outline data ...
[ 3.383][INFO] Loaded 100 DSO outline records successfully
[ 3.383][INFO] Loading DSO discovery data ...
[ 3.385][INFO] Loaded 183 / 183 DSO discovery records successfully
[ 3.461][INFO] LandscapeMgr: initialized Cache for 100 MB.
[ 3.605][INFO] Loading star names from /usr/share/stellarium/skycultures/common_star_names.fab
[ 3.606][INFO] Loaded 411 / 411 common star names
[ 3.620][INFO] Loaded 88 / 88 constellation records successfully for culture modern
[ 3.620][INFO] Loading constellation boundary data ...
[ 3.621][INFO] Loaded 781 constellation boundary segments
[ 3.622][WARN] Error in asterism "TA4": can't find star DR3 1233876351043694464 (Skipping asterism. Install more catalogs?)
[ 3.622][WARN] Error in asterism "TA6": can't find star DR3 2569872520258433152 (Skipping asterism. Install more catalogs?)
[ 3.622][WARN] Coordinate array detected for asterism"AST modern TA8". This is obsolete. Reformulate with Gaia stars. Skipping.
[ 3.622][WARN] Asterisms with coord list no longer supported. Skipping "AST modern TA8"
[ 3.622][WARN] Asterisms with coord list no longer supported. Skipping "AST modern TA8"
Segmentation fault (core dumped)
Please check the latest stable version of Stellarium: https://github.com/Stellarium/stellarium/releases/latest
Same as above I'm afraid, it won't start, even with the modified config, or with that section of the ini removed.
Please rename your config.ini (to force creation of a new file), and run with command line argument --verbose and provide logfile.
The last lines indicate you may be using an older index.json. Actually, the "obsolete" section should not be reached any more. Do you have your own skycultures installed?
Honestly I don't know what that is. I have the package from opensuse tumbleweed installed at present, and just changed a few visual settings. I just tried after renaming the ~/.stellarium directory, and got the same. I can see from the logs that it is referring to stuff from the packaged version, in /usr, when I run the appimage, perhaps that's interfering?
Sorry I'm a bit of an idiot about your software I just like to look at the blinky lights :D
No idiocy here, just too many options. I never used an AppImage, knowingly, so I have zero experience. We are loading a file "index.json" with constellation descriptions from the skycultures/modern directory. This TA8 was buggy in 25.1 but reading it just emitted that message. TA8 is now correctly described in 25.2's index.json, so this message should not be emitted, but also the reading code was changed. I cannot rule out that there is now a crash when confronted with the old file. If the AppImage accesses files from elsewhere in the filesystem, maybe it loads the old file? This must be avoided.
You could also edit all "*/skycultures/modern/index.json" on your system and just delete the TA8 asterism from the JSON, then see if loading gets any further.
Yep that was it. I just removed the packaged version, restored all my config as it was originally, and started the appimage, all working!
I repackaged the new version of the app and that also works. The new version is on its way to tumbleweed now.
I guess for the future it would be cool if there was a command line option for the appimage, to avoid loading files from /usr like that, for more reliable use in testing? I don't know if that would be possible, I'm not well versed in appimages.
Thanks for fixing up the stars down under :)