ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA TOUCH THE SKY, TOUCH THE UNIVERSE ~ User Guide ~ - 1 -
WELCOME TO TOUCH THE SKY, TOUCH THE UNIVERSE...2 FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM...3 CONTENT...3 USING THE PROGRAM'S FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES...7 GENERAL FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES...7 The Menu Bar...7 The Toolbar...13 The Navigator...13 Manipulating the Program's Windows...14 THE GRAPHIC MENU SCREENS...14 THE KNOWLEDGE BASE ENTRY SCREEN...15 Accessing Information...15 Viewing Movies...16 SEARCHING...16 Media Search...16 Keyword Search...16 Combined Search...17 MY COPY: MAKING YOUR MARK ON THE PROGRAM...17 USING PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS...18 Copying Text from the Knowledge Base...18 Copying Pictures from the Knowledge Base...18 Printing...19 GOING ON-LINE...19 GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE NAVIGAT...20 ENTERING THE 3-D WLDS...21 GETTING READY TO EXPLE...23 Modes of Exploration...23 Focusing on a Particular Object...23 Viewing the Planets' Orbits...24 NAVIGATING...24 Exploring in the Free Mode and the Sun in Sight Mode...24 Exploring in the Stationary and Planetary Views...26 Using the Map...27 USING THE GAUGES...28 The Speed Control Panel...28 The Timer...28 ACCESSING INFMATION...29 EXITING THE 3-D WLDS...30 CREDITS TOUCH THE SKY...31-1 -
1 WELCOME TO TOUCH THE SKY, TOUCH THE UNIVERSE What lies out there in the distance? How did it all begin? Are we alone in this vast universe? These questions have occupied human beings throughout history and have brought about the development of astronomy, one of the most ancient sciences. In recent decades, developments in space research have enabled scientists to investigate these complex questions and to answer some simpler ones, such as where falling stars come from; what causes a solar eclipse; and whether there is life on Mars. Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe is a computer-based learning environment that introduces celestial bodies and various processes in the solar system and the universe at large, including, for example, the origin of the universe, the development of galaxies, and the birth and death of stars. In addition, the learning environment chronicles the scientific research that has explained many of the phenomena that occur in our universe. Using the most up-to-date technologies, the program carries you off to dynamic virtual simulations of the Milky Way galaxy and the solar system. Navigating through space with a cosmic remote control panel, you can explore the solar system and its planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, and you can investigate rotation and revolution as well as examine the planets' atmosphere and surface. This simulated space flight offers a unique and engaging scientific experience. Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe invites you to touch the celestial objects and learn of worlds that are different from, yet very much the same as, our planet Earth. Take this opportunity to join an effort that is common to us all the attempt to decipher the riddle of the universe. - 2 -
Features of the Program The rich learning environment of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe features the following major components: A multimedia knowledge base about the universe, the bodies in it, technological tools used in studying them, and highlights of astronomical research past and present. The information is presented in the form of text, narration, photographs, sounds, animation, and full-screen video. An electronic glossary provides definitions of terms, and hypermedia links take you to related information. Virtual three-dimensional simulations of our solar system and the Milky Way galaxy. In these real-time simulations, you can view and manipulate planets, moons, asteroids, and comets as they orbit around the sun. Research projects, Internet-based activities, and writing assignments that focus on the information presented in the program. As you work on these projects, you can highlight important sections of the program's text, write memos, add bookmarks, and print out information. With direct access to productivity tools a word processor, a drawing program, presentation software, and a spreadsheet you can include material from the knowledge base in original pieces of work that you create based on your own research. Links to many Internet sites, including the site of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe. There you can find additional information, recommended reading, and links related to the topics covered in the knowledge base. The program also enables you to automatically update the provided links. Content The knowledge base of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe contains 36 entries that are grouped into six major topics. The following list includes all the topics and entries featured in the knowledge base:! The Universe: Its origins, structure, and evolution, and methods of investigating it Entries: About the Universe, Detecting Radiation! Galaxies: Kinds of galaxies, their structure and dimensions, galactic clusters, and the role of galaxies in astronomical research Entries: About Galaxies, Andromeda, Galaxy M33, The Magellanic Clouds, The Milky Way! Nebulae: Kinds of nebulae and their composition; light and color; and the Messier Catalog Entries: About Nebulae, The Crab Nebula, The Horsehead Nebula, The Ring Nebula! Stars: Stellar evolution; the life cycle of stars; neutron stars; and pulsars Entries: About Stars, Alpha Centauri, Polaris, Sirius - 3 -
! Constellations: Specific constellations, the zodiac, the use of constellations to determine the seasons and find directions Entries: About Constellations, Cassiopeia, The Big Bear, Orion, Scorpion, The Summer Triangle! The Solar System: The sun; data on the nine planets' size, structure, composition, atmosphere, moons, and more; research methods; and phenomena such as phases, tides, and eclipses! Entries: About the Solar System, The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, The Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Asteroids, Comets, Meteors - 4 -
2 INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS Minimum requirements: ===================== CD-ROM version: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ - Pentium II 233Mhz - Windows 95/98-32Mb RAM (64mb recommended) - 3D accelerator, AGP Graphics card with 4MB memory (8MB recommended) Color depth 16bits - Resolution 600x800 - CdRom drive, speed X8 - Sound card 16 Bits - Mouse Setup ===== Insert the CD in the CDROM drive and wait about 10 seconds. The setup will start automatically. If the setup process does not start automatically follow the instructions below: 1. Click once on 'Start' 2. Choose 'Run'. In the command line type 'D:\Setup.exe'. (where D is your Cd-Rom drive letter). 3. click 'OK'. follow the instructions shown on the screen. The setup program will create a CET group with 4 icons: - 5 -
A. The program icon. B. Read Me from the CD. C. DirectX6 - Setup program for DirectX6 drivers. D. Uninstall - Program name. 4. The program uses DirectX version 6. If DirectX version 6 is not installed in your computer click on the "DirectX6" icon in the 'CET' folder. 5. Restart your Windows. Directx6 setup ============== Insert the program CDROM in the CDROM drive. Click on Directx6 icon in the CET group. For distributors only: Insert the "Utility" CDROM in the CDROM drive. Click on Directx6 icon in the CET group. Running the program =================== Double Click on the Program icon created on Windows desktop. or Choose "Start", "Program", "CET", Program name. Removing the program ==================== From the CET folder choose the "Uninstall" icon. - 6 -
3 USING THE PROGRAM'S FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES The learning environment of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe consists, on the one hand, of information presented in a variety of formats, and on the other, of a functional framework that includes, for example, a hierarchical topic "tree," many kinds of tools, and Internet connectivity. In this chapter you will find out how to access the different types of information and how to use the program's various functions and features. When you enter the program, after the introductory screen, you find yourself in the sky, surrounded by a variety of celestial bodies. On this screen, as on most of the others in the program, you can see a Menu Bar at the top, a Toolbar on the left side, and a control panel, called the Navigator, on the lower right. The first part of this chapter describes how to use those three features, and the second part explains how to work with the informational screens. General Functions and Features As you work in Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, the Menu Bar, Toolbar, and Navigator are constantly available to provide functions that will help you in your exploration of the knowledge base and your preparation of projects. This section describes those functions as well as some basic techniques for handling the program's windows. The Menu Bar The Menu Bar lies across the top of your screen and consists of nine menus and four icons. The four icons are as follows: Closes the program after displaying a message that asks whether you really want to quit. Minimizes, or collapses, the program screen. You can restore it to normal size by clicking on the program name in the Taskbar on your Windows screen. Displays or hides the Toolbar Displays or hides the Navigator control panel - 7 -
The functions of each menu in the Menu Bar are described below. Topics Selecting Topics opens a window with a menu of the six topics of the knowledge base The Universe, Galaxies, Nebulae, Stars, Constellations, and The Solar System. To access an informational screen, follow these steps: 1. Click on a topic (for example, The Solar System), and a list of entries opens. 2. Each entry consists of a number of sections. Click on an entry (for example, Venus) to display the names of its sections. 3. Click on the name of a section (for example, Climate) to display the information. To close the list of sections, click on the entry. To close the menu of entries, click on the topic. You can also access the entries from graphic screens. For more information, see the section The Graphic Menu Screens below. 3-D Worlds The 3-D Worlds menu gives you access to models of the solar system and the Milky Way in the virtual simulation. From the menu you can choose specific celestial bodies or one of the following options: Activate Current 3-D Menu Solar System: View from Above View of the Sun Milky Way Milky Way: View from Above These options are described in detail in the chapter Exploring the 3-D Worlds. Search When you open the Search menu, you can choose the Glossary, the list of Movies, or the Search Window. Glossary: Displays a list of terms that are in the knowledge base. Click on a term in the list to view the definition. When you see a highlighted word in the text, you can click on the word to display its definition. - 8 -
Movies: Displays a list of the video movies in the knowledge base. To view one, click on its title. Search Window: Offers two search modes, Media and Keywords. For more information, see the section Searching below. Investigation When you click on Investigation, a window opens up and displays a menu of four types of activities: Research Assignments: Investigative activities in which data must be collected from different parts of the knowledge base and synthesized so that conclusions can be drawn Internet Projects: Activities that focus your attention on a particular research topic and involve searching for data on the Internet, organizing and analyzing the data, and then presenting your findings 3-D Explorations: Activities that direct you to observe the solar system via the 3-D models and answer questions related to your observations Creative Writing: Writing activities (of various genres) based on themes from the knowledge base Internet When you select Internet, a menu of five options is displayed: Touch the Sky Site: Opens your Web browser and takes you to the site of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, where you will find links relevant to the program MOST Web Site: Opens your Web browser and takes you to the home page of the Minds-On Science and Technology series Internet Links: Displays all the Internet links in the program. Click on each link in the list to see a brief description and the site s address. Click on the address to access the site. New Links: Displays a list of the new Internet links that were added after the most recent updating (with the Update Links function) Update Links: Copies the updated links from the Center of Educational Technology site View When you select View, a menu displays the following functions: - 9 -
Next Window: Takes you to another open window. It is the next window in the List of Open Windows (see below). List of Open Windows: Displays a list of all the windows that are currently open. Click on an item in the list to view that window. Minimize All Windows: Collapses the windows that are currently displayed and places an icon for each in the Toolbar. (See the section The Toolbar below.) Close All Windows: Closes all the windows that are currently open, including the minimized windows Restore All Windows: Retrieves the minimized windows and restores them to their original size Arrange Windows: Places all the currently displayed windows in a cascading, or overlapping, arrangement. Click on the title bar of a window to make it active. Show InfoTips: Displays short explanations when you roll your mouse over a button. If you do not want InfoTips to be displayed at this time, click here. Show My Copy: Displays the highlighting and memos that you created while working in the My Copy mode. If you do not want to view your Copy at this time, click here. Play Sound Automatically: Turns on the music and narration wherever applicable. If you do not want to hear the music and narration as a screen comes up, click here. Adjust Volume: Opens the Volume Control settings in Windows to enable you to change the volume Show Toolbar: Enables you to display or hide the Toolbar My Copy This menu lets you personalize your copy of the knowledge base by highlighting important points in the text, writing memos, and inserting bookmarks. The options are as follows: Current Copy: Indicates the name of the Copy that is currently on display. Open My Copy: Enables you to open previous work you did in the My Copy mode Save Current Copy: Saves your work in the location that you indicated when you opened the My Copy file Clean Copy: Removes all the highlighting, memos, and bookmarks that you created - 10 -
Highlight: Enables you to highlight text. When Highlight is active, the cursor appears as a marker. Drag it over the text you wish to highlight. To stop highlighting, click on Highlight again. Change Highlighting Color: Opens a menu of colors to use for highlighting Add General Memo: Opens a typing box where you can write a memo. You can view it later by choosing List of Highlights and Memos in the My Copy menu. Clear This Screen's Memos and Highlighting: Removes all the memos and highlighting that you added to the currently displayed screen. Delete Highlighting: Changes the cursor into an eraser, which you can use to erase highlighting that you added to the text. When you've finished with the eraser, click here again. List of Highlights and Memos: Displays the names of the sections you highlighted and the memos you wrote. To view one of them, click on its name in the list. Tools The Tools menu provides a variety of editing functions and access to external productivity tools that allow you to work with the information in the knowledge base. Copy: Opens the following submenu: Text: Places the text of the currently dispscreen in the computer's memory so that you can paste it wherever you wish (in a General Memo, for example, or in a word processor document). If you select text before opening the Copy menu, this option appears as Selected Text and copies only what you have selected. From Screen: Changes your cursor into a selection device, which you can use to select an area and copy it into the computer's memory so that it will be available for use in an external application Print: Opens the following submenu: Text: Prints the currently displayed text Picture: Prints the currently displayed picture Copyright Notice: Displays copyright information regarding the use of the material in the program Word Processor: Opens the word processor program that is installed in your computer, if that program produces documents with the.doc extension, as does Microsoft WordPad, for example - 11 -
Drawing Tool: Opens a drawing program (such as Microsoft Paint) Presentation Program: Opens software for creating presentations (such as Microsoft PowerPoint), if you have installed such software in your computer Spreadsheet: Opens a spreadsheet program (such as Microsoft Excel), if you have installed such software in your computer Please note that the list of productivity tools in the Tools menu depends on the software that is installed on your computer. Navigation The Navigation menu offers the following options: Back: Takes you back to the previous screen Forward: After you have used the Back option, takes you forward again to the screen where you selected Back North View from Earth: Takes you to the screen that displays the northern sky as viewed from Earth. This screen provides access to the entries for the celestial bodies that you see when you look north from Earth. South View from Earth: Takes you to the screen that displays the southern sky as viewed from Earth. This is the first screen in the program and provides access to the entries for the celestial bodies that you see when you look south from Earth. Solar System Menu: Takes you to the simulated three-dimensional model of the solar system Milky Way Menu: Takes you to the simulated three-dimensional model of the Milky Way History: Displays a list of the entry screens and windows you have viewed during this session. To see one of the items on the list, click on it. Bookmarks: Displays a list of the bookmarks that you have created. To see one of the bookmarked items, click on its title. Credits: Displays the names of the people who created this program About : Displays the version number of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe and legal and copyright information Start Over: Closes all the open windows, clears the History list, and takes you back to the first screen of the program, which displays the southern sky as viewed from Earth - 12 -
Exit Program: Takes you out of the program after asking whether you really want to quit The Toolbar On the left side of the screen is a rectangular Toolbar. It consists of two main sections. The upper section contains shortcut buttons for various functions, and the lower section stores minimized windows in the form of icons. Clicking on a shortcut button in the Toolbar activates a function. The functions represented in the Toolbar are as follows: Word Processor: Opens the word processor that is installed in your computer Drawing Tool: Opens Microsoft Paint Web Browser: Opens the Web browser that is installed in your computer and initiates an Internet connection Back: Takes you back to the previous screen Highlight: Enables you to highlight text. After you click on Highlight, the cursor appears as a marker. Drag the marker over the text you wish to highlight. To turn off the highlighting feature, click on the Highlight button again. Add General Memo: Enables you to write your own notes. When you click on this button, a typing box opens up and you can type your memo right in. You can view your memo later by choosing List of Highlights and Memos in the My Copy menu. Turn Off Sound: Turns off the music and the narration Copy Text: Places the active text in the computer's memory so that you can paste it wherever you wish (in a General Memo, for example, or in a word processor document) The lower section of the Toolbar is divided into squares. Whenever you minimize an entry screen, topic list, glossary definition, or other resource, its icon is stored in one of these squares in the Toolbar. To return a window to its original size, just click on its icon in the Toolbar. The Navigator - 13 -
The Navigator is a tool that enables you to change the view on your screen in order to explore different regions of the universe as well as to navigate within those regions and obtain information about them. When you enter the program, the Navigator is situated on the lower right of your screen. You can change its location by dragging it anywhere on the screen. The buttons on the Navigator provide different functions depending on the view that is currently on display. When you are in the View from Earth, the following buttons are active: Hide: Hides the Navigator from view. To display it again, click on the Navigator icon at the far right end of the Menu Bar. Looking North: Displays the night sky over Earth s Northern Hemisphere Looking South: Displays the night sky over Earth s Southern Hemisphere Solar System: Takes you into the three-dimensional, virtual solar system environment Milky Way Takes you into the three-dimensional, virtual simulation of our galaxy, the Milky Way When you select the Solar System or Milky Way view, additional options become available. See the chapter Exploring the 3-D Worlds to find out how to use the Navigator's features in those views. Manipulating the Program's Windows Much of the information in the program is displayed in window form. The following features enable you to perform various operations on these windows. Minimize: Reduces the currently displayed window to the size of an icon and places that icon in the Toolbar. A click on the icon of the minimized item enlarges it to its original size. Close: Closes the currently displayed window The Graphic Menu Screens - 14 -
The information in the knowledge base is accessible not only through the Topics menu, as described above, but also through several graphic menus. When you enter Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, the first screen you see displays the southern skies over Earth. As you move your mouse around, note that celestial bodies come into view. You can obtain information on the celestial bodies that display this icon: Just click on the icon, and the entry will appear. To display another graphic menu, that of the northern skies, click on the Looking North button on the Navigator. Then you can select celestial bodies to see the associated entries in the knowledge base. Similar graphic menus can be found in the Milky Way view and the Solar System view, both accessed through the Navigator. For a description of the Navigator, see the section General Functions and Features above. The Knowledge Base Entry Screen Accessing Information The Entry Screen of the knowledge base contains text, graphics, and an icon for each section of the entry. At the top of the text area you will find the title of the entry and the name of the section. As you read the text, note the words highlighted in color. These are glossary words. To see the definition of a glossary word, click on it. The information in each entry is divided into sections, each of which is one or more screens long. The first section displayed is the Introduction. You can access the others by clicking on the icons that lie across the bottom of the screen. To see the namof the sections, just move your mouse over each icon. When you click on a section icon, an informational screen is displayed. On some screens, an arrow at the bottom indicates that the information continues onto another screen. Click on the arrow to move there. At any point you can return to the first screen of the entry by clicking on the icon next to the title. The following icons are found on many of the entry screens: See Introduction: Takes you to the first screen of the entry Sound: Stops or starts the narration Click and See: Displays a graphic image or animated sequence See Movie: Displays a short movie related to the entry 3-D Worlds: Takes you into the virtual simulation of the solar system, right to the object associated with the currently displayed information - 15 -
Options: options: Copy Text: Print Text: Opens a menu with several editing Places selected text or the text of the entire screen into the computer's memory so that you can paste it wherever you wish Prints the currently displayed text Delete Highlighting: Erases the highlighting that you added to the text Viewing Movies Many of the entries include a short, full-screen video movie. You can access the movie by clicking on the See Movie icon (a little "spaceling"), which is situated near the text. To stop the movie in the middle, click anywhere on the screen. Searching To locate information in the program, you can use several kinds of search mechanisms. Click on Search in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen, and select Search Window. Media Search When the Search Window opens, Media is automatically selected. Choose one or more types of media and click on Go! On the right side of the window you will see the names of all the items that match your request and, next to each name, an icon that indicates the type of media, as follows: Entry Glossary word Click on the name of an item to display it. If you want to start a new search, select Clear. Keyword Search To perform a keyword search, click on the Keywords button in the Search Window. Mark one or more keywords. Two options are available: - 16 -
At Least One Keyword: When this option is checked, any item that contains at least one of the words you marked will be displayed. All Keywords When this option is checked, only items that contain all of the words you marked will be displayed. Mark one of the options and click on Go! On the right side of the window you will see the names of all the items that match your request, and, next to each item, an icon indicating the type of media (for an explanation of the icons, see above, Media Search). Click on the name of an item to display it. If you want to start a new search, select Clear. Combined Search You can use both search mechanisms at the same time. In the Keyword Search window, mark one or more Keywords. In the Media Search window, mark one or more types of media. Then click on Go! The items that match your request will be displayed on the right side of the window. My Copy: Making Your Mark on the Program Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe provides a facility for creating your own "copy" of the program and personalizing it by inserting bookmarks, highlighting important passages, and making notes on specific entries. The work that you do in the My Copy mode does not affect other users who are working at the same computer with the same copy of the software. Any user of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe can create a personalized Copy in which the user s own notes, highlighting, and bookmarks are saved. To start your own Copy, select My Copy in the Menu Bar. Then click on Open My Copy. Type your name (one word only) and indicate the location where you want your Copy to be saved. As you are working, select Save Current Copy to save your work. Your Copy is automatically saved in the location that you indicated when you opened the My Copy file. One of the features of My Copy enables you to add your own memos to the program and bookmark them. You can post a memo on highlighted text and also write General Memos that are not linked to any particular entry. To add a memo to text that you have highlighted, click on the highlighted area, and the Edit Memo window appears. Type your memo, name it, and click on OK to save it. It is now associated with that particular highlighted text. To bookmark the memo, click in the Bookmark box at the bottom of the Edit Memo window. For information on General Memos and the other My Copy features, see the sections The Menu Bar and The Toolbar. - 17 -
Using Productivity Tools To take best advantage of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, you can open third-party tools directly from the program and use these tools to edit text and graphics, to create presentations, and to produce spreadsheets. Note: The copying of material from the program is permitted only for personal use. Depending on which applications are installed in your computer, you can access various kinds of tools from the Tools menu. These might include a word processor, a drawing tool, a presentation program, and a spreadsheet, for example. The word processor and drawing tool are also accessible from the Toolbar. Copying Text from the Knowledge Base To copy text from the knowledge base and bring it into a word processor file, mark the text by dragging your mouse and then copy the text by using any of these methods: Open the Tools menu in the Menu Bar, and select Copy Selected Text. Go to the Toolbar, and select Copy Text. Click on the Options button, and select Copy. Press <Ctrl> + <C> on your keyboard. Then open the Tools menu in the Menu Bar, and select Word Processor. Insert the text into your word processor file by either of these methods: Select the Paste function in the word processor. Press <Ctrl> + <V> on your keyboard. Copying Pictures from the Knowledge Base To copy a picture from the knowledge base and bring it into a word processor or Paint, copy the picture by either of these methods: Open the Tools menu in the Menu Bar, and select Copy. Then click on From Screen in the submenu, and drag your cursor to select the area you wish to copy. Click on the Options icon next to the picture. Then select Copy Picture. Then open the Word Processor or Drawing Tool from the Tools menu in the Menu Bar. Insert the picture into your document by either of these methods: In the word processor or Paint, select the Paste function. - 18 -
Press <Ctrl> + <V> on your keyboard. Printing Before attempting to print, be sure that your computer is connected to a printer. If you plan to print graphic items, your computer and printer must support graphic printing. To print material from the program, follow these steps: In the Menu Bar, open Tools. Then select either Print Text or Print Picture. Click on the Options button and select Print Text or Print Picture. The printing begins immediately. Going On-Line For you to go on-line directly from the program, your computer system must have a Web browser (such as Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer) and an active Internet connection (by modem, for example) while you are using the program. Internet sites with additional information on the subjects covered in Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe are listed throughout the knowledge base, in the sections entitled Links. To access a site, just click on its address. Your Web browser will open and take you directly to the site. You can reach the same sites by selecting Internet in the Menu Bar and then the Internet Links list. If you select Touch the Sky Site in the Internet menu (or click on Web Browser in the Toolbar), you are taken right to the site of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe. There you will find content-related information, links to other sites, and more. If you select MOST Web Site, you will reach the home page of the Minds-On Science and Technology series, which contains instructional materials and Internet-based projects. SINCE THE INTERNET IS DYNAMIC, YOU SHOULD UPDATE OFTEN WITH THE UPDATE BUTTON. - 19 -
4 Exploring the 3-D Worlds Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe features a unique portrayal of our solar system and our galaxy in a three-dimensional virtual simulation. This simulation enables you to view and manipulate celestial objects planets, moons, asteroids, and comets as they orbit around the sun in real-time simulations. Modern imaging techniques, including actual images from spacecraft and telescopes, display each object's color, surface structure, rotation, revolution, relative size, and relative distance from the sun. With its dynamic space flight and three-dimensional navigation, this virtual environment makes for an engaging scientific adventure. Using the Navigator control panel and your mouse buttons, go ahead and change the parameters of the system and observe the effects on different astronomical phenomena. Investigate planetary motion, compare and contrast the different planets and moons, fly through space and view the objects you encounter from a variety of angles. From each object you can also call up the associated knowledge base entry to obtain information. A number of perspectives are provided to help you understand the spatial relationships between the bodies in our solar system. For example, you can access a view of Earth from the sun, views of the planets from their own moons, and a view of the entire solar system from outside the system. This chapter explains how to use the many features of the virtual environment of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe. You will find out how to explore in this environment and make the most of your investigation of the Milky Way and the solar system. Getting Acquainted with the Navigator Throughout this chapter, references are made to buttons on the Navigator. Using the Navigator, you can explore different regions of the solar system and the Milky Way, manipulate parameters during your exploration, and obtain information about the celestial bodies that you encounter. When you enter the program, the Navigator is situated on the lower right of your screen. You can change its location by dragging it to a different spot. In the virtual solar system, the following Navigator buttons are usually active (their functions will be described in greater detail in later sections of this chapter): View from Earth: Takes you back to the view of the night sky over Earth Go to Entry: Opens a knowledge base entry that provides information about the celestial body that is currently selected - 20 -
Map: Opens an interactive diagram that shows the solar system as viewed from above. Located on the upper right side of your screen, the Map serves as a type of graphic menu; you can click on any planet to bring it into focus and lock onto it. To hide the solar system Map, click on the Map button again. Orbits: Displays lines that indicate the orbits of the planets. To hide the orbit lines, click on the Orbits button again. Stationary View: Locks you into a fixed position right above the selected planet. As the planet moves in orbit, you move with it and always view the same part of the planet. Planetary View: Displays the selected planet as it rotates on its axis. As the planet moves in orbit, you move along with it. Sun in Sight: Brings the sun into view so that you can see the spatial relationship between the selected planet and the sun Free Mode: Enables you to explore the solar system without being locked onto any particular celestial body. The panel of arrows enables you to move in different directions and view the solar system in various perspectives. Speed Up, Slow Down: Enables you to change the speed of the planets' rotations and revolutions. Just drag the pointer up or down. Earth Time: Shows the amount of time that has elapsed during the simulated orbit of the currently displayed celestial body since you last selected Reset. For more information, see the description of the timer in the section Using the Gauges below. Reset: Puts the Earth Time timer back to zero. For example, you could reset the timer to compare the amount of time that two planets take to orbit the sun. When you select the Milky Way view, many of the above buttons are also active. Entering the 3-D Worlds - 21 -
As you explore the knowledge base of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, enrich your understanding of the solar system and the Milky Way by taking an exciting virtual journey through the program s three-dimensional simulations. You can access these virtual environments from different areas of the program; note that the area from which you access a simulation affects certain variables, such as the mode of exploration, the rotation speed of the celestial body you are viewing, and the region in space that is in focus. In this chapter, the functions are described primarily in reference to the virtual solar system; however, the Milky Way simulation shares the same functionality.! Accessing the 3-D Worlds from the Menu Bar: 1. Select 3-D Worlds in the Menu Bar. A number of options are available: Activate Current 3-D Menu: Takes you into the virtual solar system or Milky Way, where you explore in Free Mode that is, without being locked onto any particular celestial body. Note: When you explore in the simulated solar system or Milky Way and then open a knowledge base entry, the virtual environment temporarily freezes, or stops in place. By selecting Activate Current 3-D Menu, you can return to the environment and continue exploring where you left off. Solar System: View from Above: Takes you into the virtual solar system environment and positions you above the solar system. This perspective enables you to look down at the entire system. When you enter the environment in this way, you explore in Free Mode, without being locked onto any particular celestial body. View of the Sun: Takes you into the virtual solar system environment and portrays a perspective that emphasizes the position of the sun. When you enter the environment in this way, you explore in Free Mode, without being locked onto any particular celestial body. Celestial objects (asteroids, comets, and individual planets and moons): When you select a particular celestial body, you are locked onto that object and stick with it until you choose another option. Milky Way: Takes you into the virtual simulation of the Milky Way Milky Way: View from Above: Takes you into the virtual Milky Way environment and positions you above the galaxy. This perspective enables you to look down at the entire galaxy. When you enter the environment in this way, you explore in Free Mode, without being locked onto any particular celestial body. 1. Select an option from the menu. The simulated solar system is activated.! Accessing the 3-D Worlds from the Navigator: - 22 -
2. Click on the Solar System button. The virtual solar system environment is activated. When you enter the environment in this way, you explore in Free Mode, without being locked onto any particular celestial body.! Accessing the 3-D Worlds from an entry: 3. If you see the 3-D Worlds icon (a little "spaceling") near the text, click on the icon. You move directly to the part of the solar system that is associated with the entry that you were just viewing. For example, if an information screen about Jupiter's rotation is currently displayed and you select the 3-D Worlds icon, the virtual environment is activated with Jupiter in focus. You are locked onto Jupiter and move with this planet until you choose another option. Similarly, the 3-D Worlds icon in information screens about each planet's orbit will provide direct access to that planet in the simulated solar system. Getting Ready to Explore Modes of Exploration Four modes of exploration are available in the program's virtual simulation of the solar system: In the Free Mode, you move independently of any celestial body. This is the default mode of the virtual environment. Whenever you enter the environment by selecting the Solar System button on the Navigator, you travel in Free Mode. In the Stationary View mode, you are locked onto a celestial object, in a fixed position. While you are traveling along with the object, you always see the same geographic region on that object. In the Planetary View mode, one celestial body is in focus, in the center of the screen, and you move with it as it travels in its orbit. You can observe its rotations as well. The Sun in Sight mode displays the sun and the orbiting body that is currently in focus. Focusing on a Particular Object As you move about the solar system, note that your cursor often changes into a hand, like this: This indicates that you are over a clickable celestial object. If you click on it, it will move to the center of the screen and become the object in focus. You can open an information entry by double-clicking on the object in focus. - 23 -
Viewing the Planets' Orbits As you explore, you may find it helpful to see the orbits of the celestial objects in our solar system. You can display lines representing the orbital paths by selecting the Orbits button on the Navigator. Note that the orbit lines are shown in different colors, one for each group of celestial objects. If you wish to remove the orbit lines from the screen, click on the Orbits button again. Navigating Once you have entered the virtual solar system, you can wander among the celestial bodies, fly alongside them, view them from above and below, and perform countless maneuvers. In this section you will learn how to navigate on your journey in space. In each of the exploration modes described above, you can navigate in the same way: by means of the Navigator, the mouse buttons, or the keyboard. Try out the different methods, and choose the one that is easiest for you. Exploring in the Free Mode and the Sun in Sight Mode To become acquainted with the various navigational techniques and the viewing perspectives that they provide, start your exploration in the Free Mode, by clicking on the Free Mode icon on the Navigator. Then try out the following techniques (for the arrow number references, see the picture of the Navigator): [GRAPHICS: Picture of the arrows on the Navigator, with each arrow numbered to correspond with the description below.]! To move forward: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 1. Move your mouse to the upper part of the screen, and press the left mouse button. On the keyboard, press the up arrow.! To move backwards: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 3. - 24 -
Move your mouse to the lower part of the screen, and press the left mouse button. On the keyboard, press the down arrow.! To look around you, as if you were turning in place: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 2 or the arrow labeled 4. Move your mouse to the right or the left part of the screen, and press the left mouse button. On the keyboard, press the right or left arrow.! To obtain a tilted view of the solar system: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 5 or the arrow labeled 6. Move your mouse to the left or the right part of the screen, and press the left and right mouse buttons at the same time. On the keyboard, press the Ctrl key and the left or right arrow.! To move below the plane of the solar system (the ecliptic plane): On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 7. Move your mouse to the lower part of the screen, and press the right mouse button. On the keyboard, press the Shift key and the down arrow. - 25 -
! To move above the plane of the solar system (the ecliptic plane): On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 8. Move your mouse to the upper part of the screen, and press the right mouse button. On the keyboard, press the Shift key and the up arrow. The functions in the Sun in Sight mode are the same as in the Free Mode, except for the tilted perspective. In the Sun in Sight mode, you cannot obtain a tilted view of the solar system. To return to the Free Mode from the Sun in Sight mode, press the Esc key on your keyboard. Exploring in the Stationary and Planetary Views Once you have become adept at navigating in the Free Mode, try exploring in the Stationary View. Begin by clicking on a planet and then on the Stationary View icon on the Navigator. You are now in the Stationary View mode. At any time, you can return to the Free Mode by pressing the Esc key on your keyboard.! To move toward the planet: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 1. Move your mouse to the upper part of the screen, and press the left mouse button. On the keyboard, press the up arrow.! To move away from the planet: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 3. Move your mouse to the lower part of the screen, and press the left mouse button. On the keyboard, press the down arrow. - 26 -
! To circle the planet from east to west or west to east: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 2 or the arrow labeled 4. Move your mouse to the right or the left part of the screen, and press the left mouse button. On the keyboard, press the right or the left arrow.! To circle the planet from north to south or south to north: On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 5 or the arrow labeled 6. Move your mouse to the upper or lower part of the screen, and press the right mouse button. On the keyboard, press the Shift key and the up or down arrow. The functions in the Planetary View are the same as in the Stationary View. Whenever you want to return to the Free Mode, press the Esc key on your keyboard. Using the Map The Map is an interactive, two-dimensional view of the solar system from above. It serves as both an orientation aid and a menu for selecting an object to visit. In addition, when you open up the Map, the Quick Facts function is automatically activated (see Accessing Information, below).! To pinpoint your position in the solar system: 1. On the Navigator, click on the Map button. The Map is displayed in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. 2. Find the camera on the Map. This camera shows where you are located. Note the camera's two yellow arms at the top. They always point in the same direction in which you, the viewer, are looking. If a celestial body is in focus, the yellow arms point toward it.! To go to a celestial body: 3. If the Map is not already open, open it by clicking on the Map button on the Navigator. - 27 -
4. Click on the celestial body that you would like to visit. It will appear on your screen and become the object in focus. Using the Gauges To enrich your investigation of the solar system, you can change certain settings and check their effects on the various bodies. The Speed Control Panel When you activate the simulated solar system directly from an entry, you can see the rotation and revolution of the celestial bodies displayed at realistic relative speeds. However, since the bodies in the simulation do not move at the same speed as in the actual solar system, a speed control panel tells you the ratio between the velocity of the real solar system and that of the simulated system. In addition, the panel enables you to change the speed of the system.! To display the ratio between the velocity of the real solar system and that of the simulated system: 1. Locate the speed control panel, which is on the extreme right side of the Navigator. 2. Move your mouse onto the pointer of the speed control panel. An InfoTip appears showing the Velocity Ratio the ratio between the simulated system's velocity and the real solar system's velocity. For example, if the speed control panel displays a Velocity Ratio of 1:550, the objects in the simulated system are moving 550 times faster than in the real solar system. Note: The Velocity Ratio InfoTip is active only when you come into the simulation from an entry.! To adjust the velocity of the bodies in the simulated solar system: 3. Move your mouse to the pointer in the speed control panel. 4. Drag the pointer up to make the system go faster. Drag it down to make the system go more slowly. The Timer When you activate the simulated solar system directly from an entry, note that the Earth Time panel at the bottom of the Navigator is active. This panel is a timer that shows how much time has elapsed on Earth since you activated the simulated solar system or since you last reset the timer. The timer's units of measurement are Earth years and days, as in the following example: 10:30 means 10 Earth years and 30 Earth days - 28 -
You might find the timer useful for comparing the rotation times or the periods of revolution of different objects in the solar system, for example.! To reset the timer: 1. Click on the Reset button. You can find this button to the right of the Earth Time panel at the bottom of the Navigator. Accessing Information Several forms of textual information about the celestial bodies are available in the simulated solar system: The names of the celestial bodies Quick Facts Knowledge base entries! To display the name of a celestial body: 1. Make sure the Orbits button is selected. 2. Roll your mouse over the celestial body, and hold it there for a few seconds. An InfoTip with the name of the body appears.! To display Quick Facts about a particular celestial body: 3. Make sure the Map is displayed. 4. Roll your mouse over a celestial body anywhere on the screen, and hold it there for a few seconds. 5. Look in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The Quick Facts appear there and remain as long as your mouse stays over the celestial body.! To access a knowledge base entry about a particular celestial body: In any exploration mode: 1. Double-click on the celestial body. The entry is displayed, and the simulation freezes temporarily. On the Map and in the Stationary View, Planetary View, and Sun in Sight modes: 1. Click once on the celestial body. 2. On the Navigator, click on the Go to Entry button (note that it is highlighted whenever you click on a celestial body). The entry is displayed, and the simulation freezes temporarily.! To reactivate the simulation when an entry is on the screen: - 29 -
3. In the Menu Bar, select 3-D Worlds. 4. Click on Activate Current 3-D Menu. The entry is cleared from the screen, and the simulated environment becomes active again. Now you can continue exploring where you left off. Exiting the 3-D Worlds From the virtual simulation of the solar system you have ready access to most areas of the program. When you leave the simulated solar system to go to another area of the program, you will return to the same place in the solar system later, unless you return via a specific entry or an option on the 3-D Worlds menu. Your place in the solar system is saved throughout your session at the computer.! To select an option on the Menu Bar: 1. Move your mouse to the very top of the screen. The Menu Bar appears. 2. In the Menu Bar, click on the menu of your choice.! To return to the view from Earth: 3. Move your mouse to the very top of the screen. The Menu Bar appears. 4. In the Menu Bar, click on Navigation. 5. Select either North View from Earth or South View from Earth. 1. On the Navigator, click on the View from Earth button. A view of the southern skies over Earth is displayed. To switch to a view of the northern skies over Earth, click on the Looking North button on the Navigator. - 30 -