Progress in Rendering and Modeling for Digital Planetariums

Abstract

Contemporary challenges in the production of digital planetarium shows include real-time rendering realism as well as the creation of authentic content. While interactive, live performance is a standard feature of professional digital-dome planetarium software today, support for physically correct rendering of astrophysical phenomena is still often limited. Similarly, the tools currently available for planetarium show production do not offer much assistance towards creating scientifically accurate models of astronomical objects. Our paper presents recent results from computer graphics research, offering solutions to contemporary challenges in digital planetarium rendering and modeling. Incorporating these algorithms into the next generation of dome display software and production tools will help advance digital planetariums toward make full use of their potential.