The current build is a strong foundation — a DAO-inspired observatory, a large telescope you can operate in VR, and a way to move between ground view and a pulled-back cosmic perspective of where those targets live. The next phase is about turning that foundation into a complete learning platform.
Multi-user sessions with Meta avatars. Control panel, hotspots, animations, and sound effects. Nav table with the start of universal scaling — move between ground view and a pulled-back cosmic perspective.
Full Plaskett telescope simulation, deep-sky catalogue, Lessons and Catalogs panels, PIN-based auth connecting headset to account, and astrophotographer upload integration with Sky Log.
Messier, Caldwell, and NGC objects integrated into the telescope targeting system. Point the Plaskett at any object by name or coordinate.
In-VR learning modules covering coordinate systems, mount types, filter theory, and imaging concepts — without leaving the observatory.
PIN-based auth links your headset to your Sky Log account. Images you capture in the real sky appear as pins in the VR observatory.
Curated paths that take users from their very first session to more advanced observing — structured, context-rich, and linked to the real sky.
A beginner track for users who have never used a telescope. Step-by-step introduction to the observatory, the telescope, and the night sky.
Key constellations and objects visible at different times of year. Spring, summer, autumn, and winter editions — each tied to what's actually up that night.
Focused sessions on the Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, and the brighter planets — with context about what you're seeing and why it looks the way it does.
Introductory Messier marathons and deep sky object tours. Designed for users ready to move past the solar system and into the real universe.
Each track won't just show what to look at — it'll show where it sits in the sky from the ground, where it lives in the Milky Way or beyond, and how it relates to the instruments and techniques being used.
One of the most powerful parts of the real DAO experience is its social aspect — being guided by someone who knows the sky and can answer questions in real time. This brings that to VR.
Lightweight avatars and voice chat for conversation and Q&A. Simple gestures or tools for the host to point and annotate in real time.
For schools, planetariums, and observatories, NightSim should be a reusable tool — not just a one-off experience. This phase adds the structure educators need to build it into their programs.
Choose a theme — "Intro to Galaxies," "The Moon Tonight," "Seasonal Highlights." Set duration, difficulty, and key learning outcomes before the session starts.
Basic metrics: which targets were visited, how long users spent on each segment, which modules were completed. Simple enough for a classroom, useful enough to act on.
Materials and templates that help educators tie VR sessions to their existing curriculum or public outreach talks.
Design and documentation built for real educators and outreach staff — tested with actual schools and science centres, not just assumed to work.
NightSim is an independent project. If any of this resonates — the vision, the work so far, or where it's headed — a coffee goes a long way toward keeping the dome open.