Dataviz by Sunlight

futurejournalismproject:

Exploring Space
The BBC has created a monster infographic illustrating “every attempt to leave Earth’s orbit and reach a destination in extraterrestrial space – be it with probes, orbiters, rovers, or of course manned missions.”
The graphic shows successful and failed missions, country of launch origin and type of mission (eg., fly-by, rover, actual landing).
Related: How Big is Space?
Image: Screenshot, detail from Spacial Awareness: Ultimate guide to exploring space, via the BBC. Select to embiggen.

Exploring Space

The BBC has created a monster infographic illustrating “every attempt to leave Earth’s orbit and reach a destination in extraterrestrial space – be it with probes, orbiters, rovers, or of course manned missions.”

The graphic shows successful and failed missions, country of launch origin and type of mission (eg., fly-by, rover, actual landing).

Related: How Big is Space?

Image: Screenshot, detail from Spacial Awareness: Ultimate guide to exploring space, via the BBC. Select to embiggen.

Asterank: an Accurate 3D Model of the Asteroids in our Solar System

Asterank 3D Asteroid Orbit Space Simulation, developed by software engineer Ian Webster, is a 3D WebGL-based model of the first 5 planets and the 30 most valuable asteroids, together with their respective orbits in our inner solar system.

1afterimage2:

these are a few photos from an awesome collection of visualizations of dark matter made by Ralf Kaehler and others at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and the visualization facilities at KIPAC, the Kavli Institute for Particle Astrophysics and Cosmology.

http://www.slac.stanford.edu/~kaehler/homepage/visualizations/dark-matter.html

Dark matter scaffolding of universe detected for the first time

Scientists have, for the first time, directly detected part of the invisible dark matter skeleton of the universe, where more than half of all matter is believed to reside.
The discovery, led by a University of Michigan physics researcher, confirms a key prediction in the prevailing theory of how the universe’s current web-like structure evolved.

nahoj666:

Cool and beautiful poster, visualizing some of the spaceships of Star Wars. Check out more from the creator Avanaut on flickr.

Space vehicles, to scale

Digging this drawing by astronomy blogger Invader Xan, showing spaceships of the past, present, and (possible?) future lined up side-by-side for size comparison. I, for one, just learn that the Space Shuttle Orbiter was larger than I thought in comparison to the International Space Station.

Catalog (Eyeo 2012)

Explore The Galaxy Using The Actual “Minority Report” Interface

NASA has spotted nearly 2,300 planets that humans could call home. Two brilliant design minds—including the guy who created the UIs in Minority Report—allow us to explore them.

traviskeith:

Has a great data-viz feel. Love this piece.

Unemployed game designer creates mind-blowing solar system explorer app

“The Solar System: Explore Your Backyard” was spotlighted on Reddit by his roommate and the project’s first demo video now has more than 70,000 views. It deserves the attention of the tech community because it shows what a single game designer can accomplish if he or she puts his or her mind to it.

New Infographic Visualizes the Space Debris Cloud Surrounding Earth

Space debris remains one of the biggest challenges for a space-faring humanity in the 21st century, as even the smallest pieces can pose a serious threat to satellites, manned spacecraft and the International Space Station. Now our friends at Fast Company have stumbled on a nifty infographic by Austrian designer Michael Paukner that lays out the space clutter situation more clearly.

Interplanetary Reporting Comes To Google Analytics

At Google we like to create solutions for the future. And we imagine a future where web use won’t be restricted simply to Earth. Rather, people will want to visit their favorite sites while cruising around the rings of Saturn with friends or relaxing at the (inevitable) Mercury tanning facility.

When the galaxy is our playground, marketers, analysts and webmasters will want to understand location use beyond Earth. For example, if you had a chain of taco stands and noticed many users visiting your website from the Mars outpost, well, that might help you make a business case to begin expanding your business to serve Mars colonists.

staceythinx:

This award-winning visualization by Johns Hopkins physicist Miguel A. Aragon-Calvo analyzes 240 million light years of space and renders the “history of matter”, focusing mainly on the role of dark matter.

You can read more about it here.

jimmypensone:

The moon is the fifth largest natural satellite in the solar system, and one quarter the diameter of Earth. The presence of the moon orbiting the Earth actually slows down Earth’s rotation on it’s axis. The effect is slight, but it’s enough to make the Earth day about 2 milliseconds longer every one hundred years. Under the Outer Space Treaty, signed in 1967, the moon remains free for people of all nations to land on and explore; it is not owned by any one nation, despite pennants and flags from both the Soviet Union and the United States being planted on it’s surface.