Any good VR astronomy programs?

[Mokusatsu (Australia)]

I suspect the lowish resolution and narrow FOV of even the latest desktop VR systems would make a fairly mediocre experience, but once VR has achieved good resolution I imagine astronomy apps would be amazing.

Are there any programs now, for the Oculus Rift especially, for virtual stargazing?

Imagine being able to see space from any point on Earth with absolute dark skies, or even from orbit with stars in all directions. Orbiting the Earth, or planets, zooming through the solar system or visiting the Orion nebula.

There are non-VR applications which do that kind of thing, but immersive VR experience would be something else.

Is the answer... wait 10 years for really high definition goggles?

[Ukastronomer (Jeremy)]

Did you do as I did and google, VR astronomy programs

https://www.ph.ed.ac.uk/news/2015/ne...onomy-15-07-07

My son is heavily into gaming, through STEAM, I also have steam installed and a few older games

https://store.steampowered.com

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1.../Astronomy_VR/

https://www.space.com/39857-overview...ugh-space.html

http://starsightvr.org.uk/

As any gamer will tel you there are already HD goggles it just depends on what software is available.

I will be ordering HD ones to replace my laptop screen when doing Ha

[irwjager (Ivo)]

Have a look at Universe Sandbox and Space Engine.
Both have VR versions.


Space Engine can render some fairly convincing imagery (the VR version of the StarTools website uses a 360 image synthesised in Space Engine), while being able to explore the physics and orbital mechanics in Universe Sandbox right in front of you is something quite special. I may or may have not repeatedly smashed a few hundred moons and planets into each other... You know... For science!