Aladin Lite

What Aladin Lite actually is

Aladin Lite is the browser version of the atlas maintained by the Strasbourg astronomical data centre. It streams tiled survey imagery at any zoom level and overlays catalogue entries and published measurements on top, which is how objects in a paper get checked against the real sky.

Why it is worth your time

It is the same tool cited in research papers, so you can paste a coordinate from a preprint and see precisely what the authors were pointing at.

Common questions

Is Aladin Lite free?

Yes. Aladin Lite is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Aladin Lite take?

Five to fifteen minutes of proper attention. We file it under "Coffee break" — the sky atlas professional astronomers use, in a tab.

Does Aladin Lite work on a phone?

Aladin Lite really wants a mouse and a wide window. It will load on a phone, but the experience is built for desktop.

What kind of site is Aladin Lite?

We list it under Cosmos & Scale — zoom out until you feel small. It is the same tool cited in research papers, so you can paste a coordinate from a preprint and see precisely what the authors were pointing at.