Firefly is an interactive tool that allows users to fly through any 3 dimensional dataset by rendering it on-the-fly. Here we present simulation data created as part of the FIRE galaxy formation collaboration. Interactively exploring data generates powerful intuition and helps one isolate regions of interest in the data using humans' pattern recognition abilities. Additionally, by applying filters to data before passing it into Firefly, you can explore the way different categories of your data are distributed spatially. Finally, being web based, Firefly can help users share their data with collaborators (or the public) in a visually compelling and approachable way.
Description
Firefly is an interactive tool that allows users to fly through 3 dimensional datasets by rendering it “on-the-fly.” Here every dot is a “particle” in our spiral galaxy simulation– the different colors represent each of gas, stars, and dark matter.