Digital Universe Guide - Hayden Planetarium

1
Overview
1.1 What is the Digital Universe?
The Digital Universe, developed by the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium with
support from NASA, incorporates data from dozens of organizations worldwide to create the most
complete and accurate 3-D atlas of the Universe from the local solar neighborhood out to the edge of
the observable Universe.
In preparation for the reopening of the Hayden Planetarium in 2000, the American Museum of
Natural History embarked on the creation of a 3-D astronomical atlas to provide a framework for
teaching about the discoveries of modern astrophysics. While the Rose Center for Earth and Space was
constructed outside the Museum, a digital model of the Universe was constructed inside. The atlas grew
out of a convergence of two great streams of technical achievement: celestial mapmaking, which
incorporates centuries of observation and scientific breakthroughs, combined with hardware and
software engineering, which enables sophisticated data visualization. As new data are gathered, and
new tools developed, the Digital Universe will continue to expand, filling in more details of our Universe
as our understanding evolves.
6