Spherical Panoramas for Astrophysical Data Visualization

Abstract

Data immersion has advantages in astrophysical visualization. Complex multi-dimensional data and phase spaces can be explored in a seamless and interactive viewing environment. Putting the user in the data is a first step toward immersive data analysis. We present a technique for creating 360 degree spherical panoramas with astrophysical data. The three-dimensional software package Blender and the Google Spatial Media module are used together to immerse users in data exploration. Several examples employing these methods exhibit how the technique works using different types of astronomical data.

22 pages, 10 figures; accepted for publication in the PASP Special Focus Issue: Techniques and Methods for Astrophysical Data Visualization

References in corpus (3)

• WSClean: an implementation of a fast, generic wide-field imager for radio astronomy
• The Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA Survey: VI. Second HI Source Catalog of the Virgo Cluster Region
• Voxel datacubes for 3D visualization in Blender

Cited by in corpus (2)

• Immersive Virtual Reality Experiences for All-Sky Data
• Editorial: Techniques and Methods for Astrophysical Data Visualization