Astrographics: Interactive Data-Driven Journeys through Space

Humans have been fascinated by astrophysical phenomena since prehistoric times. But while the measurement and image acquisition devices have evolved enormously by now, many restrictions still apply when trying to estimate the three-dimensional structure of extraterrestrial objects. The most notable limitation is our confined vantage point, disallowing us to observe distant objects from different points of view. In an interdisciplinary German-Mexican research project with Wolfgang Steffen, partially funded by German DFG and Mexican CONACyT, we evaluated different approaches for the reconstruction of plausible three-dimensional models of planetary nebulae. The team was comprised of astrophysicists working on planetary nebula morphology and computer scientists working in the field of constrained reconstruction and physically correct rendering of astrophysical objects.