Wild Copyright Status of Celestia

[Wallstone]

Hi, folks. This is my first post here, so please bear with me...

I've read through the forums, in an attempt to garner the copyright status of using Celestia for commercial use (such as backgrounds for books, etc.) Since many of the data files, textures, etc. come from a wild mix of public domain and outside licensed content (such as the JPL license on certain items), it sounds impossible to get permission from everyone involved in its creation, especially outside sources.

Being a publisher, I tend to look for excellence in the programs I use. My mother was a writer, my dad used to be a musician (before his mild stroke), and I write, edit, and create great artwork using GIMP and other photo editors. For Sci-Fi works (especially space-shots), I love Celestia. I've never released anything using the program - yet.

Now, my question here is fairly simple. Giving credit to the creators is a given, but other than Chris, who would I have to ask to get permission to use screen-captures as backgrounds for commercial eBook covers? I have no add-ons to the program, so that thread is a moot point in my case.

I don't just capture the screen and say, "That looks good - we'll use it!" No.... For planets, I create a texture, and then go to one of the extrasolar systems, then do a screen-capture. Other stuff can be added this way, but I'd have to do some research on changing the database info first, since I've never done it.

Text or special effects can be added to these screen-captures as well. In any event, the galaxy and star backgrounds are all I'm really wanting to use, since Celestia is the best program I've seen for this type of thing. However, the copyright status of the program, mixed with its license, makes this a difficult problem to work out. So I'm stuck. I just love the backgrounds!

I don't have any of the reworked artwork online, as I don't have a site - yet. This will change after the first of the year. If any of the developers want to see what I'm talking about, just drop me a personal message, and I'll email a few images to you for review.

Thanks,

- Danny

[selden]

Danny,

Anything that you create using the standard, unmodified Celestia distribution, i.e. screengrabs and movies, can be used in any way you want, although crediting Celestia and its authors is appreciated. That output belongs entirely to you. You are its copyright holder. (This has been discussed fairly often.)

The contents of the Celestia distribution itself are covered by v2 of the GNU Public License, but the provisions of that license do not extend to the things that you create while using Celestia as a tool. Nor does it extend to any Addon that you might create for use with Celestia, so long as that Addon does not itself contain any of Celestia's files.

If you want to include credit for its authors, Celestia includes a file titled AUTHORS.txt which lists them. That list does change for different versions of Celestia.

Of course, as you've mentioned, usage of Addons is a much more complicated can of worms, since each has its own different author and license.

I hope this clarifies things a little.