Weird World Rendezvous

Ka Chun Yu

Dept. Space Science

  1. Introduction

    Welcome to Ka Chun's Weird World Rendezvous.  I am Curator of Space Science at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science.  My background is astrophysics (my PhD was on observational studies of outflows from young low-mass protostars), but have since ventured into the fields of computer graphics, astronomy visualizations and virtual simulations, virtual reality software, educational research, and all things fulldome (video planetarium) related.

     This website has just recently gone online in its early beta phase, so come back for more in the future!

  2. Intro to ALIVE

    The Astronomy Learning in Immersive Virtual Environments (ALIVE) project will discover learning modes and optimal teaching strategies using immersive virtual environments (VEs). VEs are computer-generated, three-dimensional environments that can be navigated to provide multiple perspectives. Immersive VEs provide the additional benefit of surrounding a viewer with the simulated reality. ALIVE will evaluate the incorporation of VEs and immersive VEs into formal college astronomy education. This study will use interactive, real-time software developed at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS). Astronomy class students at the Metropolitan State College of Denver (MSCD) will be surveyed to determine what astronomical misconceptions they already possess. From these frontend evaluations, learning modules using VE simulations will be developed to supplement the introductory astronomy curriculum. In the experiment, pre-course, post-course, and curriculum tests will be used to determine the efficacy of immersive visualizations presented in DMNS’ Gates Planetarium versus the same visual simulations in non-immersive settings (i.e., shown on a flat screen in a normal classroom), as well as a control case using traditional classroom multimedia.

  3. Classes

    • Hubble Space Telescope Discovery Workshop (April-June), a six week version of the original one day for Galaxy Guides and other volunteers.
    • Hubble Space Telescope Discovery Workshop (August 2007), a one-day seminar on some of HST's most important discoveries
    • Cosmological Origins: The Universe, Galaxies, and Stars (March 2007): talk for the Volunteer Enrichment Committee. Note that I am introduced incorrectly in the video below; I do not do research in cosmology!
    • Introduction to Cosmology (October 2005): single download (11 Mb)
    • Intro Astronomy (Fall 2004): get them here.
    • Hubble Space Telescope Discovery Workshop (April-June), a six week version of the original one day for Galaxy Guides and other volunteers.
    • Hubble Space Telescope Discovery Workshop (August 2007), a one-day seminar on some of HST's most important discoveries
    • Cosmological Origins: The Universe, Galaxies, and Stars (March 2007): talk for the Volunteer Enrichment Committee. Note that I am introduced incorrectly in the video below; I do not do research in cosmology!
    • Introduction to Cosmology (October 2005): single download (11 Mb)
    • Intro Astronomy (Fall 2004):

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