StarMap is an interactive 3D visualization of our solar system that brings the cosmos to your browser. Built with React and Three.js, it provides a real-time, immersive experience exploring planets, stars, and near-Earth objects with live data from NASA.
- Interactive 3D solar system with accurate planetary orbits
- Realistic planet shaders with unique visual effects for each celestial body
- Dynamic lighting and atmospheric effects
- Search through all celestial bodies including planets, the Sun, and asteroids
- Real-time suggestions with object classification
- Instant navigation to any celestial object
- Real-time Near-Earth Object (NEO) tracking
- Daily Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD)
- Potentially hazardous asteroid identification
- Live data freshness indicators
- Mouse drag to rotate the solar system
- Scroll to zoom in/out
- Click objects for detailed information
- Reset view functionality
- Comprehensive data for each celestial body
- Scientific facts and educational content
- High-quality NASA imagery
- Orbital and physical characteristics
- React 18+ - Modern React with hooks for state management
- Three.js - WebGL-based 3D graphics rendering
- Tailwind CSS - Utility-first CSS framework for styling
- Lucide React - Beautiful, customizable icons
- NASA APIs - Real-time space data integration
- Custom Shaders - GLSL shaders for realistic planetary effects
- WebGL-powered solar system simulation
- Real-time orbital mechanics
- Shader-based planetary materials with atmospheric effects
- Real-time NASA NEO tracking with ~20+ objects daily
- Live data freshness indicators
- Automatic data refresh every 30 minutes
- Universal search across all celestial bodies
- Smart suggestions with object typing
- Keyboard shortcuts (Enter to select, Escape to close)
- Detailed scientific information for each object
- Fun facts and educational tidbits
- High-resolution NASA imagery
StarMap is designed to be both educational and entertaining, making space exploration accessible to everyone from students to space enthusiasts. The intuitive interface allows users to:
- Explore the solar system at their own pace
- Learn fascinating facts about celestial bodies
- Track real asteroids currently near Earth
- Experience the scale and beauty of our cosmic neighborhood
Perfect for:
- Students learning about astronomy and space science
- Educators looking for interactive teaching tools
- Space enthusiasts wanting to explore real space data
- Anyone curious about our solar system
StarMap works best on modern browsers with WebGL support:
- Chrome 90+
- Firefox 88+
- Safari 14+
- Edge 90+
Optimized for desktop viewing with plans for mobile optimization in future updates.