Presentation Information
[PO2-16]Development and Utilization of the VR Planetarium Using the Internet Telescope
*Yuki Yamamoto1, Haruhiko Ueda2, Junko Kushida3, Hiromichi Kobayashi4, Seiji Sakoda5, Nobuyuki Sawado6, Toshiko Takata7, Koichi Toda8, Hiroyuki Nakanishi9, Atsushi Nakamula10, Eiji Matsumoto11, Hiroshi Yoshida12 (1. Tohoku University of Community Service and Science (Japan), 2. Akita University (Japan), 3. Tokai University (Japan), 4. Keio University (Japan), 5. National Defence Academy of Japan (Japan), 6. Tokyo University of Science (Japan), 7. Miyagi University of Education (Japan), 8. Toyama Prefectural University (Japan), 9. Ishikawa Prefectural University (Japan), 10. Kitasato University (Japan), 11. Bukkyo University (Japan), 12. Fukushima Medical University (Japan))
Keywords:
Internet Telescope,VR planetarium,Astronomy education
The Internet Telescope System, developed and operated by our project, enables remote astronomical observations by controlling telescopes located at multiple sites via the Internet. We have extended this system by integrating its astronomical image data and star-map visualization programs with virtual reality (VR) technology to create an interactive “VR Planetarium.”
Our VR Planetarium offers a variety of features. Messier objects and Solar System bodies are placed within the virtual space. When the user hovers the cursor over an object at the center of the field of view, images and descriptions of that object are displayed. It can be operated entirely via the VR headset, without the need for controllers. By changing parameters such as latitude, longitude, altitude, and time, users can recreate the night sky for various locations and moments. Without requiring large-scale equipment like an actual planetarium, the VR Planetarium lets anyone experience an immersive virtual night sky anytime, anywhere, with just a VR headset.
The VR Planetarium is being developed in collaboration with students at Yamagata Prefectural Chidokan Senior High School. For development, we use the A-Frame to build WebVR environments and the JavaScript version of the Astronomy Engine for celestial coordinate calculations.
Currently, our VR Planetarium is mainly used at science events, providing enjoyment for both adults and children. In the future, we plan to create educational content aligned with school curricula to facilitate its use in astronomy education as well. Especially in rural areas where few schools have a nearby planetarium, such content is expected to be highly beneficial.
Our VR Planetarium offers a variety of features. Messier objects and Solar System bodies are placed within the virtual space. When the user hovers the cursor over an object at the center of the field of view, images and descriptions of that object are displayed. It can be operated entirely via the VR headset, without the need for controllers. By changing parameters such as latitude, longitude, altitude, and time, users can recreate the night sky for various locations and moments. Without requiring large-scale equipment like an actual planetarium, the VR Planetarium lets anyone experience an immersive virtual night sky anytime, anywhere, with just a VR headset.
The VR Planetarium is being developed in collaboration with students at Yamagata Prefectural Chidokan Senior High School. For development, we use the A-Frame to build WebVR environments and the JavaScript version of the Astronomy Engine for celestial coordinate calculations.
Currently, our VR Planetarium is mainly used at science events, providing enjoyment for both adults and children. In the future, we plan to create educational content aligned with school curricula to facilitate its use in astronomy education as well. Especially in rural areas where few schools have a nearby planetarium, such content is expected to be highly beneficial.