Astronomy Data Visualization with Blender

Abstract

We present innovative methods and techniques for using Blender, a 3D software package, in the visualization of astronomical data. N-body simulations, data cubes, galaxy and stellar catalogs, and planetary surface maps can be rendered in high quality videos for exploratory data analysis. Blender's API is Python based, making it advantageous for use in astronomy with flexible libraries like astroPy. Examples will be exhibited that showcase the features of the software in astronomical visualization paradigms. 2D and 3D voxel texture applications, animations, camera movement, and composite renders are introduced to the astronomer's toolkit and how they mesh with different forms of data.