Here’s a **# Asteroid Visualization Tool

A web-based 3D visualization tool for viewing Near-Earth Objects (NEOs) using NASA's API data. This project converts asteroid data into an interactive 3D space environment where you can explore asteroids, their orbits, and detailed information.

Features

• 3D Visualization: Interactive 3D space environment with Sun, Earth, and asteroids
• Real NASA Data: Fetches real-time asteroid data from NASA's NEO API
• Interactive Controls:
  • Mouse controls for camera movement (zoom, pan, rotate)
  • Click on asteroids to view detailed information
  • Search functionality to find specific asteroids
  • Animation controls (pause, speed up, slow down)
• Filtering Options: Filter asteroids by size range
• Responsive Design: Works on desktop and mobile devices

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

• A modern web browser with WebGL support
• Internet connection for NASA API access

Getting Started

1. Get NASA API Key (Optional but recommended):

   • Visit NASA API Portal
   • Sign up for a free API key
   • The application will work with the demo key but has rate limits

2. Configure API Key:

   • Open script.js
   • Find the line: const NASA_API_KEY = 'DEMO_KEY';
   • Replace 'DEMO_KEY' with your actual API key

3. Run the Application:

   • Open index.html in your web browser
   • Or serve it through a local web server for best performance

Using a Local Server (Recommended)

For better performance and to avoid CORS issues, serve the files through a local web server:

# Using Python 3
python -m http.server 8000

# Using Node.js (if you have http-server installed)
npx http-server

# Using PHP
php -S localhost:8000

Then open http://localhost:8000 in your browser.

How to Use

1. Select Date Range: Use the date pickers to choose a start and end date for asteroid data
2. Apply Filters (Optional): Enable size filtering to focus on asteroids within specific size ranges
3. Fetch Data: Click "Fetch Asteroids" to retrieve data from NASA's API
4. Explore:
   • Use mouse to navigate the 3D space
   • Click on asteroids to view detailed information
   • Use the search box to find specific asteroids
   • Control animation speed and pause/resume
5. Reset View: Click "Reset View" to return to the default camera position

Controls

• Mouse:
  • Left click + drag: Rotate view
  • Right click + drag: Pan view
  • Scroll wheel: Zoom in/out
  • Click on asteroid: Select and view info
• Buttons:
  • Pause/Resume: Toggle animation
  • Speed Up/Slow Down: Control animation speed
  • Reset View: Return to default camera position

Technical Details

Technologies Used

• HTML5: Structure and layout
• CSS3: Styling and responsive design
• JavaScript (ES6+): Application logic
• Three.js: 3D graphics and rendering
• NASA NEO API: Real asteroid data

File Structure

asteroid-visualization-tool/
├── index.html          # Main HTML file
├── style.css           # Styling and layout
├── script.js           # JavaScript logic and Three.js code
├── .env.example        # Environment variables template
└── README.md           # This file

API Information

• NASA NEO API: https://api.nasa.gov/neo/rest/v1/feed
• Rate Limits: 1000 requests per hour with API key, 30 per hour with demo key
• Data Coverage: Near-Earth Objects for specified date ranges

Customization

Asteroid Colors

Asteroids are color-coded by size:

• Green: Small asteroids (< 100m diameter)
• Blue: Medium asteroids (100m - 500m diameter)
• Red: Large asteroids (> 500m diameter)

Scale Factors

The visualization uses scale factors to make the data visible:

• Distance scale: 0.00001 (distances are scaled down)
• Size scale: 100 (asteroid sizes are scaled up)
• Earth distance: 150 units from the Sun

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. "Error fetching data":

   • Check your internet connection
   • Verify your API key if using a custom one
   • Try with demo data (automatic fallback)

2. 3D scene not appearing:

   • Ensure your browser supports WebGL
   • Try using a different browser
   • Check browser console for errors

3. Performance issues:

   • Reduce the date range to fetch fewer asteroids
   • Use size filtering to limit the number of objects
   • Close other browser tabs to free up memory

Browser Compatibility

• Chrome 80+
• Firefox 75+
• Safari 13+
• Edge 80+

Future Enhancements

• Asteroid trajectory predictions
• Real-time tracking mode
• VR/AR support
• Advanced filtering options
• Export functionality
• Historical data visualization

Contributing

Feel free to fork this project and submit pull requests for improvements!

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.** file template for your Asteroid Visualization Tool GitHub repository:

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Asteroid Visualization Tool

An interactive tool for visualizing the orbits and properties of near-Earth objects (NEOs) using NASA’s NEO API. The tool allows users to explore asteroid data, select a date range, filter objects based on characteristics like size, and visualize their orbits in 3D.

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Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Features
• Tech Stack
• Installation
• Usage
• Future Enhancements
• Contributors
• License

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Introduction

The Asteroid Visualization Tool aims to educate users about the risks and characteristics of near-Earth objects (NEOs). By leveraging NASA's Near Earth Object Web Service (NeoWs) API, this project provides real-time data and interactive 3D visualization to help users explore and understand asteroids in a more engaging way.

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Features

• Fetch Real-Time Asteroid Data: Retrieves NEO data from NASA’s NEO API based on user-defined date ranges.
• Interactive 3D Visualization: Visualize asteroid orbits in a 3D space using VPython.
• Filter Asteroids: Filter asteroids by size, close approach date, or minimum distance from Earth.
• User-Friendly Interface: Simple, intuitive interface built with Tkinter for easy navigation and interaction.
• Educational Content: Inform users about the characteristics and potential risks of various asteroids.

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Tech Stack

• Programming Languages: Python
• API: NASA’s Near Earth Object (NEO) API
• Libraries:
  • VPython: For 3D orbital visualization.
  • Tkinter: For creating the graphical user interface (GUI).
  • Requests: For handling API calls to NASA’s NEO API.
• Database (optional): MySQL for saving user preferences or search history.

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Installation

Prerequisites

• Python 3.x
• VPython library
• Tkinter library
• Requests library

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/NexionisJake/Asteroid-Visualization-Tool.git
   cd Asteroid-Visualization-Tool

2. Install Required Libraries:

   pip install vpython tkinter requests

3. Run the Application:

   python main.py

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Usage

1. Open the Application: Launch the program by running the main.py file.
2. Select Date Range: Use the GUI to input a specific date range for fetching NEO data.
3. Filter Asteroids: Filter the data by asteroid size, distance from Earth, or other characteristics.
4. View in 3D: Visualize the orbits of selected asteroids in a 3D environment.
5. Educational Insights: Explore additional information on each asteroid, including potential risks and their significance.

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