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The program allows you to take virtual trips across the universe

The program allows you to take virtual trips across the universe

Amateur astronomers are getting their money’s worth with the new program.

Astrophysicists and computer scientists from EPFL (EPFL) have developed a program with which to explore the observable universe from home. To do this, the researchers collected vast amounts of astrophysical and cosmological data.

A virtual journey through the universe

The app called Virup (Virtual Universe Project) allows amateur astronomers to travel through space and time: from the solar system to the extremes of the visible universe, along the 4,500 exoplanets discovered to date, over fifty million galaxies and up to traces of similar structures. thread to the cosmic web. “Visualizing astrophysical data is much more accessible than drawings and numbers. It helps us develop a sense of these complex phenomena,” Astrophysicist Yves Rivas was quoted as saying:.

Huge amount of data

The virtual reality environment, which he developed with EPFL computer scientist Florian Cabot, displays ninety images per second, based on several terabytes of data from eight databases collected by astronomers and astrophysicists on Earth and in space.

Virup is also looking into the future: using simulations, for example, a future collision of the Milky Way with the Andromeda galaxy can be observed. Researchers are currently working to integrate more celestial bodies into 3D applications, such as asteroids, galactic nebulae, and pulsars.


According to EPFL, hiking through the universe requires not only a headset for virtual reality, but also a computer on which the program is running and sufficient storage space for astrophysical and cosmological data. The university will also open the exhibition “Archaeology of the Universe: Explorations in Space and Time” on April 21, 2022, where visitors can experience a journey through the cosmos in the planetarium dome.

External link

The official home page of the “Virup” project

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