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.
More information: