Gaia+ VR Interactive Visualization & Flythrough
2016 - 2018
Sung-A Jang: Design & Development (3D Vis & UI/UX)
Benjamin L'Huillier: Science Consultation, Data Handling & Curation
Our project marks the first fully immersive 3D data visualization and VR experience of 2 million stars within our Galaxy, using Gaia's initial data release (DR1) from its billion-star catalog. This VR experience offers an intuitive, spatiotemporal journey, enabling users to explore and navigate the Galaxy using real astronomical data and to gain an embodied understanding of its origins, formation, and evolution. Development is phased to enhance scientific visualization capabilities with upcoming data releases, starting with a 3D representation of the Galaxy’s brightest stars and advancing to include asteroid trajectories, 3D kinematic visualizations, and insights into the mechanics of the GAIA spacecraft.
1st Prototype Test - 3D Navigation
Mission & Background
Our mission was to harness Gaia’s vast catalog to craft a captivating VR experience that deepens spatial understanding of our Galaxy's structure and evolution. Through intuitive exploration and 3D navigation, we aimed to offer fresh perspectives on the movement and organization of stars and celestial phenomena, expanding public insight into the cosmos and stimulating creative scientific inquiries.
Objectives
Phase 1 (10-12.2016):
Interactive 3D visualization of the Galaxy's 2 million brightest stars.
Planetarium-style navigation through a subset of Gaia’s 1.1 billion-star catalog.
Phase 2 (12.2017-7.2018):
Flythrough and interactive visualization of 3D stellar motions and characteristics.
Visualization of the spatial distribution and motion of asteroids.
Optional additions, such as a 3D model of the Gaia spacecraft, illustrating its design and observation mechanisms.
Data
Using Gaia’s DR1 (9.16.2016), the project visualized data from “the largest all-sky survey of celestial objects to date” (Source: ESA), which consisted of 1.1 billion stars (1% of stars that populate the Milky Way, 20x more stars than Hipparcos with 200x accuracy), 400M of which were newly discovered. The data included the following: 1) position and brightness of 1.1B stars, 2) 3D position, parallax, brightness, and proper motion data of 2M stars, 3) positions and brightness of variable stars and quasars. DR2 plans to include data on stellar color indicative of temperature, age, and chemical composition, radial velocity, and asteroids.
Benefits
This project reveals cosmic phenomena and the Galaxy’s dynamic history through direct, embodied interaction with actual data. Subjects for further investigation and visualization include stellar evolution, galactic kinematics, dark matter evidence, galactic mergers, and other extraordinary phenomena. Harnessing the power of VR and storytelling for experiencing data in a visceral way makes complex astronomical data more accessible and educational.
