New Map of the Universe Lets Users ‘Travel Through Space and Time’

 

Swiss researchers say they have completed the most detailed¹ virtual reality (VR) map of the universe ever created.

The map permits users to "travel through space and time," the researchers said in a recent statement. It can be imagined as a kind of Google Earth, but for the universe. The map was created by a team at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL).

With the help of VR headsets, users can visit places in the universe virtually. This includes the International Space Station, the Moon, Saturn² and far away exoplanets.

The software program is called the Virtual Reality Universe Project, or VIRUP. The researchers said they combined the largest data set of information about the universe to create the three-dimensional (3D) experience.

People can see the virtual universe through VR equipment or with 3D glasses in a theater. A personal computer can also be used to see the universe in a non-3D way.

Jean-Paul Kneib is the director of EPFL's astrophysics laboratory. He told The Associated Press one of the best parts of the project was putting together parts of the data set "into one framework."

"You can see the universe at different scales -- nearby us, around the Earth, around the solar system, at the Milky³ Way level," Kneib said. "To see through the universe and time up to the beginning -- what we call the Big Bang." Many scientists believe the Big Bang is the explosion that created the universe.

VIRUP produces images that can appear as close as one meter or seemingly at an infinite distance. It is available to everyone for free, but does require at least a computer and is best experienced with VR equipment that can also show 3D images.

It aims to get many kinds of visitors. This includes both scientists looking to get a virtual picture of the data they collect and people seeking a new way to explore the universe.

The software has been released in its first, or beta version. This version can run on personal computers, but not Mac computers from Apple.

Downloading the software and content can be difficult for less skilled computer users. Users seeking the best experience will also need a powerful computer with a lot of storage.

There are different versions of the software. A smaller version is aimed at the public and a larger one is meant for scientists or astronomy experts.

The project combines information from eight databases. It includes at least 4,500 known exoplanets, tens of millions of galaxies⁴ and hundreds of millions of space objects. More than 1.5 billion light producing objects from the Milky Way alone are included.

The researchers expect to continually add data, meaning the virtual experience will keep getting better with time. Future databases could include space rocks called asteroids⁵ in our solar system or farther objects in our galaxy⁶.

Yves Revaz is an astrophysicist with the EPFL who spoke⁷ to the AP about the effort. He called the system "a very efficient way of visiting all the different scales that compose our universe." Revaz added: "A very important part of this project is that it's a first step toward treating much larger data sets which are coming."

Words in This Story

virtual reality (VR) – n. a set of images and sounds produced by a computer to represent a real place or situation

headset –n. a device worn on the head that permits the use to see and hear computer images

exoplanet – n. a planet that orbits a star outside our solar system

three-dimensional (3D) – adj. having or appearing to have length, depth and height

framework –n. a set of ideas or facts that provide support for something

scale – n. the size or level of something

infinite – adj. extremely large or great

efficient – adj. working well and not wasting time or energy

compose – v. to be the parts that something consists of

1 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

2 Saturn   

n.农神，土星

参考例句：

• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings.天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。
• These comparisons suggested that Saturn is made of lighter materials.这些比较告诉我们，土星由较轻的物质构成。

3 milky   

adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的

参考例句：

• Alexander always has milky coffee at lunchtime.亚历山大总是在午餐时喝掺奶的咖啡。
• I like a hot milky drink at bedtime.我喜欢睡前喝杯热奶饮料。

4 galaxies   

星系( galaxy的名词复数 )； 银河系； 一群（杰出或著名的人物）

参考例句：

• Quasars are the highly energetic cores of distant galaxies. 类星体是遥远星系的极为活跃的核心体。
• We still don't know how many galaxies there are in the universe. 我们还不知道宇宙中有多少个星系。

5 asteroids   

n.小行星( asteroid的名词复数 )；海盘车，海星

参考例句：

• Asteroids,also known as "minor planets",are numerous in the outer space. 小行星，亦称为“小型行星”，在外太空中不计其数。
• Most stars probably have their quota of planets, meteorids, comets, and asteroids. 多数恒星也许还拥有若干行星、流星、彗星和小行星。

6 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

7 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。