19 November 2018

VR Simulation of Black Hole

The black hole at the centre of our galaxy, Sagittarius A*, has been visualised in virtual reality for the first time. Scientists at Radboud University, The Netherlands and Goethe University, Germany used recent astrophysical models of Sagittarius A* to create a series of images that were then put together to create a 360 degree virtual reality simulation of the black hole, that can be viewed on widely available VR consoles. 

Researchers suggest that this virtual reality simulation could be useful for studying black holes. Traveling to a black hole in our lifetime is impossible, so immersive visualizations like this can help us understand more about these systems from where we are. They also suggest that the virtual reality simulation could help encourage the general public, including children, to take an interest in astrophysics.

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