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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has released two apps to commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Spitzer Space Telescope.
The Spitzer Space Telescope is a telescope launched in 2003 as part of the Spitzer mission, which was carried out to explore and study stars, galaxies, and planets. Although the mission was intended for only 2.5 years, it has been going on for 15 years.
The launch of the two new apps aims to put a spotlight on the telescope’s findings and captured images.
The first app called NASA Selfies allows users to take their own photos in space locations. To activate the app, users will first need to take a close-up photo of their faces. The app will then place the image in a virtual spacesuit, making the user resemble an astronaut. Afterward, users can choose from 30 images that include planets, stars, and galaxies for the photo’s backdrop.
The images are actual photographs captured by the telescope. Each image is accompanied by a description about it.
Users of NASA Selfies can save and post their generated photos online.
Aside from NASA Selfies, the Exoplanet Excursions virtual reality (VR) app was also developed by NASA in celebration of the mission’s anniversary.
The VR app takes users to a guided journey of the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system, where seven Earth-sized planets were found last year. According to NASA, the Spitzer mission greatly contributed to the discovery of these planets and helped in identifying their possible makeup.
In addition to the apps, NASA created a 360-degree video that lets viewers explore a virtual TRAPPIST-1 system on their desktops, smartphones, and 360-viewer devices.