Title: The planetary simulator for understanding planetary phenomena by multiple viewpoints

Authors: Masato Soga, Kohe Tokoi, Yasunori Nakanishi

Addresses: Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan. ' Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, 930 Sakaedani, Wakayama 640-8510, Japan. ' Toppan Printing Co., Ltd., 1 Kanda Izumi-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0024, Japan

Abstract: We developed the planetary simulator that is able to simulate astronomical phenomena in the solar system. It can simulate planets| revolutions around the sun fixing viewpoint on another planet. The planetary simulator also supports viewpoint guiding function for self-learning. Moreover, the planetary simulator shows a small dynamic guide map that shows current learner|s viewpoint, target and scope. Also, we developed the function by which a learner can perform the virtual experiment in the simulator to understand Kepler|s laws of planets| revolutions. Finally, we evaluated viewpoint guidance function by comparing with CG animation of Mercury|s transit in front of the sun.

Keywords: learning environment; astronomy; planets; viewpoints; planetary simulation; astronomical phenomena; solar system; sun; self-learning; Mercury; Kepler; planet revolutions.

DOI: 10.1504/IJAIP.2008.024778

International Journal of Advanced Intelligence Paradigms, 2008 Vol.1 No.2, pp.211 - 223

Published online: 30 Apr 2009 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article