"We are star stuff which has taken its destiny into its own hands."

June 1, 2013 12:43 PM

Kosmos allows you to explore a virtual, computer-generated 3-d universe from your browser. Background, screen shots and hardware requirements. (Requires WebGL and a little time to load on slower computers.)

Presentation video by the programmer, John Judnich, from the 43rd Annual Senior Design Conference. This is his senior design project for a BS degree at Santa Clara University.

posted by zarq (15 comments total)

Demo / Source code at mozilla.
posted by zarq at 12:44 PM on June 1, 2013

If you disable the autopilot and crank the speed up, it has 'engaging' qualities.
posted by KMB at 1:23 PM on June 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

It seems to only work on Firefox, according to the warning which popped up when I tried it...
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 1:26 PM on June 1, 2013

It slows Firefox down quite a bit on my dual core machine. It's also not very easy to find interesting places to explore. One thing to try is to aim towards a star, then as you get close look for nearby bodies to explore.

BTW, if you get too close to a planet you'll clip right through it, so be careful.
posted by JHarris at 1:28 PM on June 1, 2013

I'm suddenly filled with the urge to tell someone the odds.
posted by R. Schlock at 1:36 PM on June 1, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'm suddenly filled with the urge to tell someone the odds.

Never do this.
posted by curious nu at 1:40 PM on June 1, 2013 [5 favorites]

BTW, if you get too close to a planet you'll clip right through it, so be careful.
Try "flying" over a planet/star with your autopilot enabled. It's sort of a explore-mode.
posted by KMB at 1:46 PM on June 1, 2013

I thought that I had? May have accidently turned it off, I guess.
posted by JHarris at 1:56 PM on June 1, 2013

It's very neat, and the in-browser aspect is impressive, but a brief look makes me think it won't hold a candle to Celestia.
posted by Salvor Hardin at 2:40 PM on June 1, 2013

Mr Sulu.
posted by Pyrogenesis at 2:47 PM on June 1, 2013

Noctis V... Any day now, right?
posted by Skwirl at 2:49 PM on June 1, 2013 [2 favorites]

If you disable the autopilot and crank the speed up, it has 'engaging' qualities.

I like that it simulates the red and blue shifts as you move more quickly.
posted by laconic skeuomorph at 3:00 PM on June 1, 2013

Whatever, Windows did this in 95.
posted by nosila at 5:06 PM on June 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

BTW, if you get too close to a planet you'll clip right through it, so be careful.

It aint like dusting crops, boy.
posted by Ironmouth at 7:40 PM on June 1, 2013 [1 favorite]

It's very neat, and the in-browser aspect is impressive, but a brief look makes me think it won't hold a candle to Celestia.

Its like some weird steady-state universe with no galaxies or nebulae.
posted by Ironmouth at 10:29 AM on June 3, 2013