An interactive solar system visualization tool with support for stellar neighborhood mapping and Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams.

• Real-time 3D visualization of celestial objects using NASA JPL Horizons data
• Interactive plots of planets, dwarf planets, moons, asteroids, and space missions
• Solar system animation capabilities (days, weeks, months, years)
• Detailed visualization of the Sun's structure from core to heliopause and Oort Cloud
• Stellar neighborhood mapping up to 100 light-years
• Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams for stellar classification
• Support for both distance-based and apparent magnitude-based star plotting
• Visualization of Messier objects (nebulae and star clusters)
• Interactive camera controls and notable star navigation
• Toggle between detailed and simplified hover information

• Python 3.8 or higher

numpy>=1.24.0
pandas>=2.0.0
plotly>=5.18.0
astropy>=5.3.4
astroquery>=0.4.6
kaleido>=0.2.1  # Required for saving static images
tk>=0.1.0

1. Clone this repository:

git clone https://github.com/tonylquintanilla/palomas_orrery.git
cd palomas_orrery

2. Install required packages:

pip install -r requirements.txt

1. Run the main program:

python palomas_orrery.py

2. Using the Interface:
   • Select celestial objects from the scrollable menu
   • Choose a center object (default: Sun)
   • Set the date and time for visualization
   • Select scale options (Auto or Manual)
   • Generate different types of visualizations:
     • Solar System 3D plots
     • Stellar neighborhood 3D plots (distance or magnitude based)
     • Hertzsprung-Russell diagrams (2D)

• Interactive 3D plots with accurate orbital trajectories
• Detailed Sun visualization from core to outer corona
• Mission paths and comet trajectories
• Animated position tracking
• Scale options from planetary orbits to Oort Cloud

• Distance-based mapping:

  • Up to 100 light-years from Sun
  • Shows actual stellar positions in 3D space
  • Combined data from Hipparcos and Gaia catalogs

• Apparent magnitude plots:

  • Range from -1.44 (Sirius) to 9.0 (space visibility limit)
  • Includes Messier objects
  • Shows both nearby and distant bright stars
  • Reveals galactic structure at higher magnitudes

• Temperature vs Luminosity plots
• Stellar classification visualization
• Main sequence and evolved star populations
• Options for both distance and magnitude-limited samples

The program creates and uses several data cache files:

1. hipparcos_data_magnitude.vot (~193KB)
2. gaia_data_magnitude.vot
   • ~1.2MB for magnitude 4 (default)
   • Up to ~292MB for magnitude 9
3. hipparcos_data_distance.vot (~30KB)
4. gaia_data_distance.vot (~9.4MB)

1. star_properties_magnitude.pkl (~12MB)
2. star_properties_distance.pkl (~1MB)

Note: Files are created on first run and reused in subsequent sessions.

• Solar system positions: JPL Horizons System
• Stellar data:
  • Hipparcos Catalog
  • Gaia DR3
• Object properties: SIMBAD database
• Messier objects: SEDS Messier Database

• Initial data fetching may take several minutes, especially for higher magnitude limits
• Animation speed depends on number of objects selected
• Large-scale visualizations (e.g., Oort Cloud) may require manual scale adjustment
• Toggle between detailed and simple hover text can improve performance

Created by Tony Quintanilla with assistance from ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini AI assistants. Updated January 16, 2025.

MIT License - See LICENSE file for details.