NASA releases VR app to explore Trappist-1 galaxy

NASA has released an application that allows virtual exploration of the recently discovered Trappist-1 exoplanets. The VR images show an animated representation of what the seven planets should look like, and how they orbit their star.

According to NASA, the VR application in question is available for the Oculus and Vive, and can be downloaded from the website for the Spitzer Space Telescope. Soon the application should also appear in the Oculus application store. With the application it is possible to take a virtual tour through the Trappist-1 system, which contains seven planets with a size roughly that of Earth. The planets were discovered last year, and much research has been done on them in the past year.

If you don’t have VR glasses, you can also do the virtual tour via a 360-degree video that has been posted on YouTube. Finally, NASA has released an application that makes it possible to take selfies where the user is placed in a virtual spacesuit against a background of a galaxy.

The Trappist-1 exoplanets are special because they have similar properties to Earth, and may contain a lot of water. Research shows that some of the planets in the system may have favorable conditions for life to emerge.