This project visualizes stars from HYG database and tycho2 system. We can also see the default 88 IAU constellations and other skycultures namely Indian, Aztec, Anutan, Maya, Romanian. These skycultures can be switched using the menu. There is also an option to switch between different background files in the menu. The menu also has an option to reset the position back to the start. Data sources can be switched between HYG database and tycho2. Modes can be switched between low poly and high poly stars in HYG database. The high poly version also shows data about the exoplanets in nearby star systems and star names if available.
The application is developed for both CAVE2 and Vive, using the omicron unity module here.
The star data is available on github. The file hygdata_v3.csv contains the latest star database. This has data about the star's IDs, Bayer/Flamsteed designation, common name if available, right ascension and declination, Cartesian coordinates of the star based on equatorial coordinates as seen on Earth, spectral type, visual magnitude, radial velocity etc., I plan to use the data about star systems in my application to represent binary and higher order star systems.
The data about the constellations is available on github. This also has information about various skycultures such as Chinese, Norse, Korean etc.,
Exoplanet data is from NASA exoplanet archive at https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/.
Tycho2 dataset is from http://chrusion.com/public_files/tycho/Tycho2_370K_csv.zip.
More description can be found at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WvnSxnpZl9jmNL1TBOYl8HWIHFH-vAq0Snz08L5yMlc/edit?usp=sharing.
- One of the main benefits of using VR comes from the intrinsic spatial nature of the star data. Representing the spatial data in VR gives the user a better and more suited perspective of the data.
- Another aspect where VR is beneficial is that the user will be able to look at the stars from other directions as well, based on the user's current location in VR. This will afford the user multiple perspectives of data and also spatial overview of the data.
© Sai Priya Jyothula. All rights reserved.