Stellarium planet rendering improvements.

Here are some screenshots of the new planet rendering in the Stellarium software, implemented as part of the European Space Agency Summer of Code in Space. I implemented a bump mapping algorithm (using normal maps) in GLSL shaders and I integrated it into the Stellarium application (C++). The planets are ellipsoids. There are still many different things to be done for further improving the project, these are just some samples.

(Many thanks to my mentor Fabien ChΓ©reau and the Stellarium development team for giving me the opportunity to participate in the ESA SOCIS, as well as to the organizers of the summer of code!!)*

Screenshots of the moon at night:

Moon using the past planet rendering algorithm
Moon without bump mapping.
Moon using the new planet rendering algorithm.
Moon with bump mapping.

Screenshots of the moon when there’s still daylight:

Moon without bump mapping.
Moon with bump mapping.
Moon using new rendering algorithm.
Moon with bump mapping.

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