NASA Solar System Visualizer

A 3D interactive visualization of the solar system built with Next.js, React Three Fiber, and Three.js.

Features

• Interactive 3D Cartesian space with grid and axes
• Realistic representation of the Sun and inner planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars)
• Accurate orbital mechanics with proper scaling of distances and periods
• Enhanced visual effects:
  • Animated shader-based Sun with realistic glow and surface details
  • Planets with atmospheres and improved textures
  • Dynamic star field background
  • Special effects including particle-based explosions
• Interactive controls for animation speed and labels

Technical Details

• Next.js for React framework
• React Three Fiber for 3D rendering in React
• Three.js as the underlying 3D engine
• Custom GLSL shaders for special effects

Future Development

• Integration with NASA's NEO (Near Earth Object) API to visualize asteroids
• Addition of outer planets and moons
• Enhanced textures and visual effects
• Interactive data display for celestial bodies

Usage

1. Install dependencies:

   npm install
   

2. Run the development server:

   npm run dev
   

3. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser.

Controls

• Click and drag to rotate the view
• Scroll to zoom in and out
• Use the slider to adjust animation speed
• Toggle labels on/off
• Double-click anywhere to trigger explosion effects (Easter egg)

we won nasa space apps btw