Beyond our solar system lies a vast expanse of the unknown, where direct observation is impractical, if not impossible. To bridge this gap, NASA employs a creative approach, using available data to craft visualizations of stars and exoplanets.

 

The Trappist-1 system, one of the most thoroughly researched explanatory systems, exemplifies this creative interpretation. Despite the wealth of data available about its exoplanets, there's considerable room for artistic freedom in modeling each celestial body. The resulting NASA visuals are overwhelmingly dependent on a concept artist's interpretation.

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The power dynamics at play in shaping our understanding of the universe cannot be overlooked. Institutions like NASA, entrusted with our cosmic exploration, often prioritize mass communication over pinpoint accuracy. This necessitates a reliance on creative expression to convey complex concepts to a general audience. The reason behind NASA's approach is the high demand for information about the universe, coupled with the challenge of making complex scientific concepts digestible and engaging. Prioritizing science communication over precision becomes necessary to meet these expectations. Although there is transparency, the lack of alternative visuals for comparison means that these representations, despite their likely inaccuracies, shape a collective perception of reality.

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The truth is, we may never know what TRAPPIST-1 truly looks like in our lifetimes. In this interactive project, I present you with a unique perspective—using the same dataset as NASA, and thus maintaining the same level of accuracy, I produce a surrealistic visualization of the system. In other words, whether crafted by a concept artist at NASA or by my own imagination, each rendition holds equal validity in its representation of the system. As a result, I reveal just how little we truly understand about data visualization and critique the way we passively engage with such visuals.