Copyright & Credits
Developer
AstroGrid is designed and built by John Lee. Contact: [email protected]. Website: https://velonspace.com/
System Requirements
Minimum
A modern desktop browser with WebGL 2 support, dedicated or reasonably capable integrated GPU, and at least 4 GB of system RAM. Low-end devices may experience reduced frame rates.
Recommended
Desktop or high-spec laptop with a discrete GPU, 8 GB+ RAM, and a Chromium-based browser at the latest version. Hardware acceleration and stable network connection improve initial loading.
Usage Rights
- FreePersonal, educational, and non-commercial viewing in the browser is free.
- NoncommercialScreenshots and screen recordings for personal sharing, classes, and articles are allowed.
- CommercialCommercial use, broadcast, paid courseware, or product integration requires written permission.
- AttributionPlease credit "AstroGrid by John Lee" with a link back to velonspace.com when sharing.
- ProhibitedRe-hosting the app, scraping bundled data, or using assets in deceptive contexts is not allowed.
Data Sources
Astronomical data is aggregated from public scientific catalogs. All rights remain with their original authors and institutions.
| Category | Source | Records | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar System | NASA JPL Horizons | planets | ~16 KB |
| Stars | HYG v3.8 (Hipparcos-Yale-Gliese) | 119,617 | ~40 MB |
| Stars | Gaia DR3 (100 pc subset) | subset | — |
| Galaxies / Nebulae | OpenNGC | NGC/IC | — |
| Galaxies | SDSS (Sloan Digital Sky Survey) | 100,000 | — |
| Galaxy Clusters | Abell Clusters | — | — |
| Exoplanets | NASA Exoplanet Archive | ~5,700 | ~15 MB |
| Asteroids | Minor Planet Center | 10,000 | ~3.3 MB |
| Black Holes | LIGO GWOSC + BlackCAT | — | ~300 KB |
| Pulsars | ATNF Pulsar Catalogue | ~3,400 | ~3 MB |
| Supernovae | Open Supernova Catalog | — | ~50 MB |
| Supernova Remnants | SNRcat | 383 | ~24 KB |
| Satellites | CelesTrak (TLE) | — | ~182 KB |
| Probes | NASA JPL Horizons (Voyager) | — | ~240 KB |
| Constellations | — | 88 | ~44 KB |
| Textures | NASA / ESA / Hubble | — | — |
References
- Hou & Han (2014), Galactic spiral-arm tracers and their distances. DOI · arXiv:1407.7331
- Reid et al. (2019), Trigonometric parallaxes of high-mass star-forming regions. DOI
Limitations
Positions, distances, and physical properties are approximations derived from public catalogs and simplified models. AstroGrid is intended for education, exploration, and aesthetic appreciation — not for navigation, research, or any safety-critical purpose.