I got to thinking after reading t00fri's idea

[Size_Mick]

His "Conformal Mapping of the Entire Universe" idea. Basically, what we can see in celestia is only what is seen in the visible range of light in real life, is it not?

Is there any need or desire for some sort of view mode which allows you to view things in different bandwidths? Like "infrared mode" or "ultraviolet" or "microwave", perhaps even user-specified frequency ranges.

I could see where this might be neat for viewing nebulae in some sort of "true" way, where when viewed normally it might be invisible, but then you toggle a filter and woosh, there it is in glorious color! Nebulae may be a bad example, but hopefully you get the general idea.

This could perhaps even be extended to textures? But then of course that places another burden on texture makers and on the program, and I don't know if it's a keen enough idea to make it worth trying or not. So here I am posting about it.

[Toti]

Basically, what we can see in celestia is only what is seen in the visible range of light in real life, is it not?

With diverse degree of simplification on light intensity effects (bodies distant from stars, nebulae, etc.)

Is there any need or desire for some sort of view mode which allows you to view things in different bandwidths? Like "infrared mode" or "ultraviolet" or "microwave", perhaps even user-specified frequency ranges.
I could see where this might be neat for viewing nebulae in some sort of "true" way, where when viewed normally it might be invisible, but then you toggle a filter and woosh, there it is in glorious color! Nebulae may be a bad example, but hopefully you get the general idea.

Very limited support for this is currently available -for certain body classes- under the form of alternate surfaces.
On the other hand, a much more ambitious feature -continuous spectra characterization- will need a lot of on-the-frontier development to fit enormous spectra datasets into the extremely reduced boundaries of realtime 3d graphics. Undoubtely, this will include intensive "complexity-condensing" of involved phenomena, with the current risk of overreducing physical simulation aspects. (But maybe some research on this direction should start)

This could perhaps even be extended to textures? But then of course that places another burden on texture makers and on the program, and I don't know if it's a keen enough idea to make it worth trying or not. So here I am posting about it.

I do not imagine this feature as very artistic-oriented (and maybe bitmapped textures shouldn't be used at all). What we need is a way to automatize the spectra creation process.

Bye

[t00fri]

His "Conformal Mapping of the Entire Universe" idea. Basically, what we can see in celestia is only what is seen in the visible range of light in real life, is it not?

Is there any need or desire for some sort of view mode which allows you to view things in different bandwidths? Like "infrared mode" or "ultraviolet" or "microwave", perhaps even user-specified frequency ranges.

I could see where this might be neat for viewing nebulae in some sort of "true" way, where when viewed normally it might be invisible, but then you toggle a filter and woosh, there it is in glorious color! Nebulae may be a bad example, but hopefully you get the general idea.

This could perhaps even be extended to textures? But then of course that places another burden on texture makers and on the program, and I don't know if it's a keen enough idea to make it worth trying or not. So here I am posting about it.

You are perfectly right, so far an essential design principle of Celestia was to simulate the visual appearance of the Universe as closely as possible.

I was elaborating about a considerable extension of Celestias abilities through the concept of "Celestia instruments" in general and "filters" in particular a little while ago!

Personally I would find modes of specific light bandwidths most interesting. There would be a host of possible applications ahead.

Using the great blending possibilities of OpenGL, one might for instance think of switching between the visual, infrared and X-ray sky views! There are amazing data in each regime.

Analogously, one might incorporate this philosophy into existing textures of Saturn, Uranus, Neptune,...in the infrared wavelength bands...

As long as there are no statements whatsoever by Chris, neither about a Cosmic Celestia mode nor about such bandwidth considerations, these ideas will continue to stagnate...

I think an ideal way of proceeding would be through forming small "working groups" among interested people with some expertise in relevant areas. These possible major extensions of Celestia clearly require systematic feasibility studies first. Different kinds of know-how would be required..

Bye Fridger