Design Critique & Analysis
Design Critique & Analysis
Embedded Files
Aladin Lite is a lightweight, web-based interactive sky atlas developed in France by the Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS) that allows users to visualize astronomical images and catalog data in a customizable and intuitive interface. It's designed to work with a variety of astronomical data, including different sky surveys, multi-wavelength images, and several catalogs of stars, galaxies, and other astronomical objects.
Aladin Lite offers various tools and features for exploring and analyzing astronomical data, including zooming and panning using the mouse, measuring distances and angles, overlaying multiple images and catalogs, and querying and filtering data based on various criteria. Aladin Lite also provides an API for developers to integrate its functionality into their own web apps and websites.
Data Source
Data Source
Aladin Lite provides access to a wide range of astronomical data from various surveys and catalogs. The default survey used by Aladin Lite is the Digital Sky Survey 2 (DSS2), which is a collection of optical images of the sky taken using two telescopes located in the northern and southern hemispheres. DSS2 covers the entire sky and provides a resolution of up to 1.7 arcseconds per pixel.
In addition to DSS2, Aladin Lite also allows users to overlay other surveys, such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the Two Micron All Sky Survey (2MASS), and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). These surveys cover a wide range of wavelengths and provide different levels of resolution and depth, allowing users to explore the sky at various scales and sensitivities.
View of M1 using Different Surveys
View of M1 using Different Surveys
Aladin Lite also includes access to various catalogs of astronomical objects, including stars, galaxies, and other celestial objects. Aladin Lite uses three catalogs by default. First, the SIMBAD database provides information on millions of objects beyond our solar system, including their coordinates, physical properties, and bibliographic references. Next, the Gaia DR3 catalog provides astrometric and photometric data for more than 1.8 billion sources in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies. Finally, the 2MASS Point Source Catalog provides near-infrared photometry for more than 470 million sources.
Users can also add their own catalogs to Aladin Lite with various formats, such as VOTable, CSV, and TSV. The data used by Aladin Lite is retrieved from various archives and databases, such as the CDS and the Virtual Observatory and is constantly updated and expanded to provide the most up-to-date and comprehensive view of the sky.
Target Users & Insights
Target Users & Insights
Aladin Lite is primarily designed for astronomers, astrophysicists, and researchers who work with astronomical data. The tool is also accessible to amateur astronomers and enthusiasts who want to explore the night sky. It's designed to help users explore and analyze astronomical data, such as images, catalogs, and spectra. Some example questions that users might want to ask about this data include:
What objects are visible in a particular region of the sky?
What are the properties of a particular star or galaxy?
How do celestial objects compare across different catalogs and/or datasets?
How can I capture an image or screenshot of a specific region in Aladin Lite?
Aladin Lite provides users with a wide range of tools and features to help them explore and analyze astronomical data. For example, to find what objects are visible in a particular region of the sky, either navigate to that region by panning or input the specific coordinates. Similarly, to retrieve the properties of a particular celestial object, either use a catalog or click the object with the SIMBAD pointer. To compare individual celestial objects across different datasets, users can either cross-reference the data or layer multiple catalogs (such as Gaia DR3 and 2MASS). Last, to capture a picture of a specific region of the night sky, Aladin features a screenshot button to export the current view to the local disk.
Polaris Entry in SIMBAD
Polaris Entry in SIMBAD
Aladin can also provide users with a range of valuable insights. For example, users can use Aladin Lite to search for exoplanets, explore the Large Magellanic Cloud, study the populations of stars in different regions of the sky, examine the properties of star clusters, and investigate Messier objects.
Embedded Demo & API
Embedded Demo & API
Aladin Lite provides an API for developers to integrate the web application into their websites and workflows. The API includes a wide range of adjustable properties and provides detailed documentation and examples. Click on any of the examples below to learn more.
The source code for the above embed can be found here. Click on any of the example below to learn more.
Developers can create custom markers using JavaScript with specific target locations. Markers can include a pop-up with a title and a description. Developers can also use transparent PNGs as marker icons. This feature is especially useful to developers looking to pinpoint locations in the night sky, and is actually used by my NASA Exoplanet Archive Search created for my senior design project.
Developers can create overlays with custom properties and behavior. In this example, galaxies in the Virgo cluster are defined as objects. Their labels only appear when the FoV is smaller than 10°, and their types are displayed when FoV is smaller than 2°. This feature is particularly useful for researchers and educators wanting to display data in different ways.
Several planets are included in Aladin Lite's planetary viewer, including Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Pluto, and even the Moon. The viewer includes high-resolution imagery from NASA and other space agencies, and several included layers such as topography, temperature, and mineral maps. This feature is especially useful for researchers and space enthusiasts who are looking to explore the surfaces of other planets in our solar system.
Developers can define shapes and footprints and display them in the viewer at a specific target location. Each object also includes adjustable properties, such as overall shape, color, and line width. This feature can be especially useful for astronomers and educators looking to highlight specific data features in the viewer itself.
Multi-Order Coverage (MOC) maps are a way of dividing up the sky into different hierarchical regions and identifying them with unique numbers. For example, a researcher might want to create a MOC that covers a specific galaxy or star cluster to quickly retrieve the astronomical data they need. MOCs are especially helpful since they are widely used in the astronomy community and are supported by a variety of tools and service, including Aladin Lite. In this example, we define the MOC using JSON serialization. MOCs can also be created from a FITS image, a list of sky coordinates, a region drawn in the sky (such as shapes from the previous example), or an existing catalog or survey.
To summarize, the Aladin Lite API allows developers to integrate the web application into their own applications. Some common examples of using the API include creating a website that displays images and data from a specific telescope or instrument, providing users with an interactive way to explore the data. Another example is creating an educational website that teaches users about different astronomical surveys and how to navigate the sky. Finally, the API can also be used as a research tool that allows astronomers to visualize their own data on top of public survey data, making it easier to compare and analyze different datasets.
Design Analysis & Critique
Design Analysis & Critique
Overall, Aladin Lite features a clean and intuitive user interface that allows users to easily navigate and explore astronomical data. The use of various visual elements such as color coding and overlays help better understand the data and context. Additionally, the integration of external data sources and user-generated catalogs allows users to further customize and analyze the viewer.
However, there are also some limitations to the design of Aladin lite. One significant limitation is the inability to analyze data at a finer level of detail. Even though users can zoom in and out on specific regions, the resolution is ultimately limited by the quality and quantity of available data. Additionally, the lack of advanced analysis tools and statistical functions may limit the usefulness of the visualization for more advanced research purposes.
One design choice that could be improved is the organization of menus and options. The current layout might be overwhelming for new users and may make it difficult to locate specific functions or tools. Simplifying the menu structure and providing clearer labels or explanations could greatly improve the user experience. Additionally, adding more customization options for the visual components (such as opacity or scale) could also enhance the accessibility of this visualization.
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