Getting datasets#
The Gaia Sky installer does not come with any data. In order for the software to display planets and stars, you need to download some datasets. Luckily, Gaia Sky guides you through the process of installing datasets when you first run it.
Welcome screen#
When you launch Gaia Sky for the first time, you are greeted by the following onboarding screen:
The onboarding screen offers a choice between a quick-start recommended setup or a fully customized experience.#
From this window, you can access global Preferences (
), the Help window (
), or Exit the program (
) using the icons in the bottom-right corner.
There are two primary ways to begin:
Start with recommended datasets — Automatically downloads a curated selection of essential datasets and launches Gaia Sky immediately.
Customize datasets — Opens the dataset manager, allowing you to manually pick and choose which data to download and enable.
If you choose the recommended option, a progress window will appear. Once the download is complete, Gaia Sky will launch automatically.
If you choose to customize your setup, you will see the following view:
The welcome screen displayed when no local datasets are detected.#
From here, you can return to the previous screen by clicking Back, or click Dataset manager to begin your manual selection. This process is covered in detail in the next section.
Dataset manager#
The Dataset manager is used to download, update, delete, and enable or disable datasets. It consists of two main tabs:
Available for download — lists datasets available for installation from the remote servers.
Installed — lists the datasets currently stored on your local machine.
Datasets are downloaded via an encrypted HTTPS connection, and SHA256 checksums are automatically used to verify file integrity.
The first time you launch Gaia Sky, you must download at least the Base data pack (dataset key: default-data). This is a required step. The base data pack contains essential components, including the primary Solar System (planets, moons, orbits, and asteroids), the Milky Way, grids, and constellations.
The dataset manager showing the base data pack selection.#
You can download any dataset from the Available for download tab by clicking the 
icon.
The Installed tab displays your local library. From here, you can manage your data:
Enable/disable: Use the checkbox in the dataset pane. Only enabled datasets are loaded when Gaia Sky starts.
Remove: Right-click a dataset and select
Remove to delete it from your local storage.
Managing local datasets via the Installed tab.#
Once you have finished your selection, close the dataset manager and click Start Gaia Sky.