Download It is well documented how technological advancements have

“In order to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe.”
-
Carl Sagan1
Introduction
The use of visual effects in scientific visualization is essential to
understanding the events of the universe that cannot be seen through natural
human perception. Throughout the cosmos, phenomena occur every day that
cannot be seen by the human eye because the vast majority of all light and
energy in the universe lies outside the visible spectrum. Compared to the timescales of most celestial events, human lifetimes are relatively insignificant. Space
travel is still extremely limited, so all astronomical events are studied from a great
distance through automated probes or by peering through telescopes. Because
of this, the science of astronomy is studied, tested and hypothesized entirely
through observation alone.
The continual advancement of visual effects technology has made a
significant impact on the ability to visualize cosmic phenomena. In a science,
such as Astronomy, that relies entirely on visual observation, it is only logical that
the use of visual effects holds a much more significant role than in other scientific
disciplines.
Short History of Astronomical Visualizations
The first attempts to visualize the heavens can be seen in early celestial
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COSMOS Episode 1
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maps.A Most of these were centered on defining the different constellations and
attributing mythical or religious significance to their existence. Islamicate celestial
globes, created as early as the sixth century B.C., are perhaps the oldest
detailed representations of the heavens visualized in three dimensions (figure
2).B They are of significance because they demonstrate an early understanding
that the earth is indeed not flat. Like all celestial maps from the ancient world,
they were based upon observations of the positions of stars visible with the
naked eye and represented with constellations inferred from the patterns seen in
the stars. An interesting feature of these globes is that the stars were always
shown in reverse from how they would be seen on earth, as if the observer were
floating outside the sphere of the stars and looking in on them.
As the science advanced, the motion of the stars and planets became
better understood and the mythology around the heavens began to lose some of
its significance. By far, the most important use of celestial mapping was for
navigational purposes, so accuracy became of vital importance (figure 3).C
The planets of our solar system posed a problem for still map makers
because of their seemingly erratic paths in the sky. To the naked eye, the planets
appear as points of light just like the stars, but while the stars all move along the
same path, the planets seemed to follow an entirely different pattern. The
invention of the telescope revealed the planets as different bodies from the stars.
Kepler’s laws of planetary motion and the realization that the Earth and other
planets orbit the sun helped unravel the mystery of their movement. Based upon
these new discoveries, moving maps of the solar system, also known as orreries
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were developed. An orrery (figure 4) D is a mechanical model of the solar system,
named for the Fourth Earl of Orrery, who is credited with their invention. 2 The
size and distance of the planets is altered, but otherwise, they are remarkable in
their accurate representation of planetary motion.
These were all simply different forms of visual media utilized to enhance
our understanding of the world in which we live. Whether based on mythology or
solid observational science, the common theme was to better see what was
happening or to translate the slow moving, mysterious heavens into a concise
and easy to understand image. As observations yielded more accurate data, the
visualizations improved. Better visualizations helped to foster more informed
theories, which in turn led to better observations. This symbiotic relationship
between the science and the visualization has helped to advance concepts,
practices and technology related to both.
How Scientific Visualization is Useful
Humans need to visualize problems to fully understand them, but the
natural human experience is limited. For the purposes of this exploration, four
main areas of human limitations will be discussed:
1. The human eye can only see a tiny fraction of the total spectrum of light
and energy.
2. Some celestial events emit no known electro-magnetic energy and are
therefore truly invisible.
3. Compared to celestial time-scales, human lifetimes are extremely short.
2
Mapping of the Heavens, p. 101
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4. Space travel is limited and the physical scale of the universe makes direct
observation of any celestial event or phenomena is virtually impossible.
Different technologies and techniques are developed to record the information
from various celestial phenomena that cannot be naturally observed. The data
collected must then be translated into a visual form in order to be studied and
understood.
Exploring the Visual Spectrum
The human eye can only perceive a tiny fraction of the light and energy
present in the universe (figure 5).E Using visual effects techniques, these events
can more fully be understood. Most cosmic events occur in the ‘invisible’
wavelengths outside the visible spectrum. The human eye cannot see this light,
but specialized equipment can. These images are recorded in grayscale as a
single channel image from one isolated band of light. Multiple exposures to
different wavelengths are captured and recorded. To fully understand what’s
being seen, the different grayscale images are combined in the same way a
photograph would be exposed; one image for the each of the red, green and blue
channels.
As an example, the Egg Nebula (CRL 2688)3 shows the remnants of a
dying star. Though it is visible to the naked eye, much more energy is being
emitted from the ‘invisible’ wavelengths of light and energy, as seen in figure 6.F
Truly Invisible Phenomena
3
NASA source
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Phenomena such as black holes and dark matter emit no light at all,
therefore it is impossible to see them without the aid of visual effects techniques.
Extrasolar planets are discovered by astrometrics, or observing the wobble of a
star’s motion. The planets are not seen, but their presence is made apparent by
their effect on the motion of the stars they orbit. The visualization of black holes
is done by observing the effects of a black hole on the objects around it and how
the light is altered by its presence. Various methods can adequately represent
these phenomena, but through the visual effects techniques of advanced 3D
animation, a more complete picture can be presented. <video of black hole
visualized <figure 8 – DVD 1>> G
Dark matter, or the “scaffolding of the universe,”4 is visualized in a similar
manner. Because dark matter does not emit or absorb light like regular, visible
matter, it cannot be observed directly. Instead, its presence is extrapolated by
noting the distortions of the light that passes through it. To visualize this, the
COSMOS survey uses five different telescopes; three in space, and two on earth.
Each of the five telescopes surveys the same section of sky at slightly different
angles. The five images are combined into the composite image shown in red in
figure 9.2. The blue image on the right shows the extracted distortions from the
composite image. This process is repeated at three different distances; 3.5
billion, 5 billion and 6.5 billion light years away. These three images are then
lined up in virtual 3D space based upon their actual distances from each other. A
complete 3D model can then be extrapolated from these three images
representing the approximate location of dark-matter in the universe.H <image of
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Dark Matter
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dark matter <figure 9>>
Compressing Time, Size and Distance to Human Scales
Our solar system is quite small in comparison with the size of our own
galaxy. Our galaxy is merely an average sized galaxy in a universe with billions
of other galaxies, each of which is incredibly far apart. It would take several
lifetimes for a space ship to travel to the nearest star.
To help understand the size of the solar system, a scale model was built in
Maine. At 1:93,000,000 scale, the planets were built at correct sizes and
distances from each other. From the Sun to Pluto, the model spans 40 miles5
While this is a unique and innovative representation of the scale of the solar
system, its size makes it impossible to view the entire model. Cheating the sizes
or animating a virtual camera through the solar system would be the only way to
experience the 3 billion, 720 million miles distance from the sun to Pluto all at
once.
Analogy is an effective method to demonstrate many cosmic events, as
seen with Carl Sagan’s ‘Cosmic Calendar,’6 but the use of visual effects can
provide a more direct alternative to the abstraction of these analogies. Digital
visual effects animations are particularly well suited to representing scale and
time. Through animations and digital models, events, such as the beginning of
the universe, the birth of the moon or the eventual demise of our own Sun can be
shown in a direct and realistic way.
5
6
http://www.umpi.maine.edu/info/nmms/solar/
COSMOS Disk 1?
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Accuracy in Scientific Visualization
Artists developing scientific visualizations have a great responsibility to
remain mindful of the power of the image to create the illusion of truth. The image
often holds its own authority over the facts, regardless of its accuracy.7
One of the greatest challenges in scientific visualization, and indeed, all
visual effects relating to natural phenomenon, is the balance of accuracy and
aesthetics. This balance is dependent entirely on the intended audience and the
purpose of the visualization. As the audience shifts towards the technical realm,
the accuracy becomes more important and as the audience shifts towards the
entertainment realm, the aesthetics begin to dominate. If the intended application
is to prove a theory, the primary consideration is accuracy. If the intended
application is to educate, accuracy need only be relative, providing the audience
clearly understands the material being presented. In the case of visualizations
made purely for entertainment, aesthetics becomes the sole concern and it is up
to the creator of the work to determine how accurate the images will be. Digital
visual effects technology has reached a point that, given enough time and
resources, no sacrifices need to be made to satisfy both accuracy and aesthetic
concerns.
As mentioned before, better visualizations can lead to more concise
theories about the nature of the universe. For example, to answer the question of
the origin of the earth’s moon, scientists generated computer models to test
various possibilities. One specific model not only resulted in the creation of a
7
Kallick-Wakker, Science Icons, P. 310
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single moon, but also accurately predicted the size and motion that is observed
today, suggesting a very strong probability that the moon was formed by the
impact of an object roughly the size of Mars.I Figure 9 and DVD chapter 2 show
the actual computer model generated during this experiment.
Technology has reached a point where the standard tools used by the
entertainment industry are able to produce many of the same results that are
seen from the computer models used by the major scientific facilities, such as
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The primary difference between visual effects
technology and the technology used by scientists is the intended application. The
underlying mathematics and physics are fundamentally quite similar. A visual
effects artist can duplicate the results of the scientific visualization while applying
an aesthetic quality to generate more interest and understanding in the general
populous.
Visualization serves to inspire as well as educate, so aesthetics cannot be
completely discounted as merely entertainment value.
Visualizations
For the visual portion of this thesis, the birth of a star is represented in a
complete, fully rendered 3D visual effects animation. The intended audience is
the general public, so the overall aesthetics are the primary concern. Given that
consideration, the goal is to be as accurate as possible while still delivering a
compelling and exciting piece, thus demonstrating that the use of visual effects
can be used to educate, inform and entertain. The technology used will be some
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of the most advanced software available to the public and the intent is to prove
that accuracy and aesthetics can coexist in the same presentation in a
comprehensive and entertaining format.
Stellar formation represents an example of the three primary limitations
that can be bridged through the use of visual effects. The majority of light and
energy produced during stellar formation is invisible to the naked eye. The timescale, physical size and distance from earth are all effectively represented
through the visual effects used. These aspects of stellar formation are best
represented in this format.
The basis for the simulation starts with the science as the outline and
basic script. A simple early version was visualized to be sure that the events to
be shown were as accurate as possible. Once that had been achieved, the
remaining work was entirely centered on aesthetics. This is where the visual
effects artist becomes truly valuable. The effectiveness of the visualization is
tightly bound to the excitement and interest that the images evoke. Even with
proper science, if the aesthetics fall short, the visualization would fail in one of its
primary goals.
Conclusion
As visual effects capabilities increase, the gap between science and
entertainment is being drawn shut. Visualizations can be both accurate and
aesthetically compelling without sacrificing the integrity of the data that is used as
the starting point of the visualization. The challenge is to create these
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visualizations so that they can be easily understood by the intended audience
while maintaining their scientific validity. Scientific visualization allows the artist to
create beautiful imagery that both entertains and educates the audience.
Visualizing invisible phenomena brings together abstract artistry with scientific
data. The ever improving capabilities of visual effects artists bring art and science
closer together. By bridging the gap between the visible universe and the
elements and forces that define it, visual effects has become a vital tool in
expanding the human capability to understand the complete universe.
Figure 1 – celestial map
Figure 2 – islamicate celestial globe
C Figure 3 - astrolabe
D Figure 4 - orrery
E Figure 5 – EM spectrum
F Figure 6 – EGG Nebula – false color
G Figure 7 – DVD 1 – black hole visualized
H Figure 8 – dark matter breakdown
I Figure 9 – birth of moon still and DVD chapter 2
A
B