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ENCYCLOPÆDIA BRITANNICA

TOUCH THE SKY,TOUCH THE UNIVERSE

~ User Guide ~

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WELCOME TO TOUCH THE SKY, TOUCH THE UNIVERSE ........................2FEATURES OF THE PROGRAM .......................................................................................3CONTENT....................................................................................................................3

USING THE PROGRAM'S FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES ...........................7GENERAL FUNCTIONS AND FEATURES..........................................................................7

The Menu Bar ........................................................................................................7The Toolbar .........................................................................................................13The Navigator ......................................................................................................13Manipulating the Program's Windows..................................................................14

THE GRAPHIC MENU SCREENS ..................................................................................14THE KNOWLEDGE BASE ENTRY SCREEN ....................................................................15

Accessing Information .........................................................................................15Viewing Movies....................................................................................................16

SEARCHING...............................................................................................................16Media Search.......................................................................................................16Keyword Search...................................................................................................16Combined Search.................................................................................................17

MY COPY: MAKING YOUR MARK ON THE PROGRAM ..................................................17USING PRODUCTIVITY TOOLS ....................................................................................18

Copying Text from the Knowledge Base ...............................................................18Copying Pictures from the Knowledge Base .........................................................18Printing ...............................................................................................................19

GOING ON-LINE........................................................................................................19GETTING ACQUAINTED WITH THE NAVIGATOR ...........................................................20ENTERING THE 3-D WORLDS .....................................................................................21GETTING READY TO EXPLORE ...................................................................................23

Modes of Exploration...........................................................................................23Focusing on a Particular Object ..........................................................................23Viewing the Planets' Orbits..................................................................................24

NAVIGATING.............................................................................................................24Exploring in the Free Mode and the Sun in Sight Mode........................................24Exploring in the Stationary and Planetary Views .................................................26Using the Map .....................................................................................................27

USING THE GAUGES ..................................................................................................28The Speed Control Panel .....................................................................................28The Timer ............................................................................................................28

ACCESSING INFORMATION.........................................................................................29EXITING THE 3-D WORLDS ........................................................................................30

CREDITS – TOUCH THE SKY ................................................................................31

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1 WELCOME TOTOUCH THE SKY, TOUCH THE

UNIVERSE

What lies out there in the distance? How did it all begin? Are we alone inthis vast universe? These questions have occupied human beings throughouthistory and have brought about the development of astronomy, one of themost ancient sciences. In recent decades, developments in space researchhave enabled scientists to investigate these complex questions and to answersome simpler ones, such as where falling stars come from; what causes asolar eclipse; and whether there is life on Mars.

Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe is a computer-based learningenvironment that introduces celestial bodies and various processes in thesolar system and the universe at large, including, for example, the origin ofthe universe, the development of galaxies, and the birth and death of stars. Inaddition, the learning environment chronicles the scientific research that hasexplained many of the phenomena that occur in our universe. Using the mostup-to-date technologies, the program carries you off to dynamic virtualsimulations of the Milky Way galaxy and the solar system. Navigatingthrough space with a cosmic remote control panel, you can explore the solarsystem and its planets, moons, asteroids, and comets, and you can investigaterotation and revolution as well as examine the planets' atmosphere andsurface. This simulated space flight offers a unique and engaging scientificexperience.

Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe invites you to “touch” the celestialobjects and learn of worlds that are different from, yet very much the sameas, our planet Earth. Take this opportunity to join an effort that is common tous all–the attempt to decipher the riddle of the universe.

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Features of the ProgramThe rich learning environment of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universefeatures the following major components:

• A multimedia knowledge base about the universe, the bodies in it,technological tools used in studying them, and highlights of astronomicalresearch past and present. The information is presented in the form oftext, narration, photographs, sounds, animation, and full-screen video.An electronic glossary provides definitions of terms, and hypermedialinks take you to related information.

• Virtual three-dimensional simulations of our solar system and the MilkyWay galaxy. In these real-time simulations, you can view and manipulateplanets, moons, asteroids, and comets as they orbit around the sun.

• Research projects, Internet-based activities, and writing assignments thatfocus on the information presented in the program. As you work on theseprojects, you can highlight important sections of the program's text, writememos, add bookmarks, and print out information. With direct access toproductivity tools—a word processor, a drawing program, presentationsoftware, and a spreadsheet—you can include material from theknowledge base in original pieces of work that you create based on yourown research.

• Links to many Internet sites, including the site of Touch the Sky, Touchthe Universe. There you can find additional information, recommendedreading, and links related to the topics covered in the knowledge base.The program also enables you to automatically update the provided links.

Content The knowledge base of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe contains 36entries that are grouped into six major topics. The following list includes allthe topics and entries featured in the knowledge base:

! The Universe: Its origins, structure, and evolution, and methods ofinvestigating it

Entries: About the Universe, Detecting Radiation

! Galaxies: Kinds of galaxies, their structure and dimensions, galacticclusters, and the role of galaxies in astronomical research

Entries: About Galaxies, Andromeda, Galaxy M33, The MagellanicClouds, The Milky Way

! Nebulae: Kinds of nebulae and their composition; light and color; andthe Messier Catalog

Entries: About Nebulae, The Crab Nebula, The Horsehead Nebula,The Ring Nebula

! Stars: Stellar evolution; the life cycle of stars; neutron stars; and pulsars Entries: About Stars, Alpha Centauri, Polaris, Sirius

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! Constellations: Specific constellations, the zodiac, the use ofconstellations to determine the seasons and find directions

Entries: About Constellations, Cassiopeia, The Big Bear, Orion,Scorpion, The Summer Triangle

! The Solar System: The sun; data on the nine planets' size, structure,composition, atmosphere, moons, and more; research methods; andphenomena such as phases, tides, and eclipses

! Entries: About the Solar System, The Sun, Mercury, Venus, Earth, TheMoon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, Asteroids, Comets,Meteors

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2 INSTALLATIONINSTRUCTIONS

Minimum requirements:

=====================

CD-ROM version:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

- Pentium II 233Mhz

- Windows 95/98

- 32Mb RAM (64mb recommended)

- 3D accelerator, AGP Graphics card with 4MB memory (8MB recommended)

Color depth 16bits - Resolution 600x800

- CdRom drive, speed X8

- Sound card 16 Bits

- Mouse

Setup

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Insert the CD in the CDROM drive and wait about 10 seconds.

The setup will start automatically.

If the setup process does not start automatically follow the

instructions below:

1. Click once on 'Start'

2. Choose 'Run'.

In the command line type 'D:\Setup.exe'.

(where D is your Cd-Rom drive letter).

3. click 'OK'.

follow the instructions shown on the screen.

The setup program will create a CET group with 4 icons:

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A. The program icon.

B. Read Me from the CD.

C. DirectX6 - Setup program for DirectX6 drivers.

D. Uninstall - Program name.

4. The program uses DirectX version 6.

If DirectX version 6 is not installed in your computer

click on the "DirectX6" icon in the 'CET' folder.

5. Restart your Windows.

Directx6 setup

==============

Insert the program CDROM in the CDROM drive.

Click on Directx6 icon in the CET group.

For distributors only:

Insert the "Utility" CDROM in the CDROM drive.

Click on Directx6 icon in the CET group.

Running the program

===================

Double Click on the Program icon created on Windows desktop.

or

Choose "Start", "Program", "CET", Program name.

Removing the program

====================From the CET folder choose the "Uninstall" icon.

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3 USING THE PROGRAM'SFUNCTIONS AND FEATURES

The learning environment of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe consists, onthe one hand, of information presented in a variety of formats, and on theother, of a functional framework that includes, for example, a hierarchicaltopic "tree," many kinds of tools, and Internet connectivity. In this chapteryou will find out how to access the different types of information and how touse the program's various functions and features.

When you enter the program, after the introductory screen, you find yourselfin the sky, surrounded by a variety of celestial bodies. On this screen, as onmost of the others in the program, you can see a Menu Bar at the top, aToolbar on the left side, and a control panel, called the Navigator, on thelower right. The first part of this chapter describes how to use those threefeatures, and the second part explains how to work with the informationalscreens.

General Functions and FeaturesAs you work in Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, the Menu Bar, Toolbar,and Navigator are constantly available to provide functions that will help youin your exploration of the knowledge base and your preparation of projects.This section describes those functions as well as some basic techniques forhandling the program's windows.

The Menu BarThe Menu Bar lies across the top of your screen and consists of nine menusand four icons. The four icons are as follows:

Closes the program after displaying a message that asks whether youreally want to quit.

Minimizes, or collapses, the program screen. You can restore it tonormal size by clicking on the program name in theTaskbar on your Windows screen.

Displays or hides the Toolbar

Displays or hides the Navigator control panel

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The functions of each menu in the Menu Bar are described below.

Topics

Selecting Topics opens a window with a menu of the six topics of theknowledge base—The Universe, Galaxies, Nebulae, Stars, Constellations,and The Solar System. To access an informational screen, follow these steps:

1. Click on a topic (for example, The Solar System), and a list of entriesopens.

2. Each entry consists of a number of sections. Click on an entry (forexample, Venus) to display the names of its sections.

3. Click on the name of a section (for example, Climate) to display theinformation.

To close the list of sections, click on the entry. To close the menu of entries,click on the topic.

You can also access the entries from graphic screens. For more information,see the section The Graphic Menu Screens below.

3-D Worlds

The 3-D Worlds menu gives you access to models of the solar system and theMilky Way in the virtual simulation. From the menu you can choose specificcelestial bodies or one of the following options:

• Activate Current 3-D Menu

• Solar System: View from Above

• View of the Sun

• Milky Way

• Milky Way: View from Above

These options are described in detail in the chapter Exploring the 3-DWorlds.

Search

When you open the Search menu, you can choose the Glossary, the list ofMovies, or the Search Window.

• Glossary: Displays a list of terms that are in the knowledge base.Click on a term in the list to view the definition. When you see ahighlighted word in the text, you can click on the word to display itsdefinition .

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Movies: Displays a list of the video movies in the knowledge base. To viewone, click on its title.

• Search Window: Offers two search modes, Media and Keywords.For more information, see the section Searching below.

Investigation

When you click on Investigation, a window opens up and displays a menu offour types of activities:

• Research Assignments: Investigative activities in which data mustbe collected from different parts of the knowledge base andsynthesized so that conclusions can be drawn

• Internet Projects: Activities that focus your attention on aparticular research topic and involve searching for data on the Internet,organizing and analyzing the data, and then presenting your findings

• 3-D Explorations: Activities that direct you to observe the solarsystem via the 3-D models and answer questions related to yourobservations

• Creative Writing: Writing activities (of various genres) based onthemes from the knowledge base

Internet

When you select Internet, a menu of five options is displayed:

• Touch the Sky Site: Opens your Web browser and takes you to thesite of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, where you will find linksrelevant to the program

• MOST Web Site: Opens your Web browser and takes you to thehome page of the Minds-On Science and Technology series

• Internet Links: Displays all the Internet links in the program.Click on each link in the list to see a brief description and the site’saddress. Click on the address to access the site.

• New Links: Displays a list of the new Internet links that wereadded after the most recent updating (with the Update Links function)

• Update Links: Copies the updated links from the Center ofEducational Technology site

View

When you select View, a menu displays the following functions:

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• Next Window: Takes you to another open window. It is the nextwindow in the List of Open Windows (see below).

• List of Open Windows: Displays a list of all the windows that arecurrently open. Click on an item in the list to view that window.

• Minimize All Windows: Collapses the windows that are currentlydisplayed and places an icon for each in the Toolbar. (See the sectionThe Toolbar below.)

• Close All Windows: Closes all the windows that are currentlyopen, including the minimized windows

• Restore All Windows: Retrieves the minimized windows andrestores them to their original size

• Arrange Windows: Places all the currently displayed windows in acascading, or overlapping, arrangement. Click on the title bar of awindow to make it active.

• Show InfoTips: Displays short explanations when you roll yourmouse over a button. If you do not want InfoTips to be displayed atthis time, click here.

• Show My Copy: Displays the highlighting and memos that youcreated while working in the My Copy mode. If you do not want toview your Copy at this time, click here.

• Play Sound Automatically: Turns on the music and narrationwherever applicable. If you do not want to hear the music andnarration as a screen comes up, click here.

• Adjust Volume: Opens the Volume Control settings in Windows toenable you to change the volume

• Show Toolbar: Enables you to display or hide the Toolbar

My Copy

This menu lets you personalize your copy of the knowledge base byhighlighting important points in the text, writing memos, and insertingbookmarks. The options are as follows:

• Current Copy: Indicates the name of the Copy that is currently ondisplay.

• Open My Copy: Enables you to open previous work you did in theMy Copy mode

• Save Current Copy: Saves your work in the location that youindicated when you opened the My Copy file

• Clean Copy: Removes all the highlighting, memos, and bookmarksthat you created

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• Highlight: Enables you to highlight text. When Highlight is active,the cursor appears as a marker. Drag it over the text you wish tohighlight. To stop highlighting, click on Highlight again.

• Change Highlighting Color: Opens a menu of colors to use forhighlighting

• Add General Memo: Opens a typing box where you can write amemo. You can view it later by choosing List of Highlights andMemos in the My Copy menu.

• Clear This Screen's Memos and Highlighting: Removes all thememos and highlighting that you added to the currently displayedscreen.

• Delete Highlighting: Changes the cursor into an eraser, which youcan use to erase highlighting that you added to the text. When you'vefinished with the eraser, click here again.

• List of Highlights and Memos: Displays the names of the sectionsyou highlighted and the memos you wrote. To view one of them, clickon its name in the list.

Tools

The Tools menu provides a variety of editing functions and access to externalproductivity tools that allow you to work with the information in theknowledge base.

• Copy: Opens the following submenu:

Text: Places the text of the currently dispscreen in the computer'smemory so that you can paste it wherever you wish (in a GeneralMemo, for example, or in a word processor document). If you selecttext before opening the Copy menu, this option appears as SelectedText and copies only what you have selected.

From Screen: Changes your cursor into a selection device, which youcan use to select an area and copy it into the computer's memory sothat it will be available for use in an external application

• Print: Opens the following submenu:

Text: Prints the currently displayed text

Picture: Prints the currently displayed picture

• Copyright Notice: Displays copyright information regarding theuse of the material in the program

• Word Processor: Opens the word processor program that isinstalled in your computer, if that program produces documents withthe .doc extension, as does Microsoft WordPad, for example

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• Drawing Tool: Opens a drawing program (such as Microsoft Paint)

• Presentation Program: Opens software for creating presentations(such as Microsoft PowerPoint), if you have installed such software inyour computer

• Spreadsheet: Opens a spreadsheet program (such as MicrosoftExcel), if you have installed such software in your computer

Please note that the list of productivity tools in the Tools menu depends onthe software that is installed on your computer.

Navigation

The Navigation menu offers the following options:

• Back: Takes you back to the previous screen

• Forward: After you have used the Back option, takes you forwardagain to the screen where you selected Back

• North View from Earth: Takes you to the screen that displays thenorthern sky as viewed from Earth. This screen provides access to theentries for the celestial bodies that you see when you look north fromEarth.

• South View from Earth: Takes you to the screen that displays thesouthern sky as viewed from Earth. This is the first screen in theprogram and provides access to the entries for the celestial bodies thatyou see when you look south from Earth.

• Solar System Menu: Takes you to the simulated three-dimensionalmodel of the solar system

• Milky Way Menu: Takes you to the simulated three-dimensionalmodel of the Milky Way

• History: Displays a list of the entry screens and windows you haveviewed during this session. To see one of the items on the list, clickon it.

• Bookmarks: Displays a list of the bookmarks that you have created.To see one of the bookmarked items, click on its title.

• Credits: Displays the names of the people who created thisprogram

• About…: Displays the version number of Touch the Sky, Touchthe Universe and legal and copyright information

• Start Over: Closes all the open windows, clears the History list,and takes you back to the first screen of the program, which displaysthe southern sky as viewed from Earth

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• Exit Program: Takes you out of the program after asking whetheryou really want to quit

The ToolbarOn the left side of the screen is a rectangular Toolbar. It consists of twomain sections. The upper section contains shortcut buttons for variousfunctions, and the lower section stores minimized windows in the form oficons.

Clicking on a shortcut button in the Toolbar activates a function. Thefunctions represented in the Toolbar are as follows:

Word Processor: Opens the word processor that isinstalled in your computer

Drawing Tool: Opens Microsoft Paint

Web Browser: Opens the Web browser that is installedin your computer and initiates an Internet connection

Back: Takes you back to the previous screen

Highlight: Enables you to highlight text. After youclick on Highlight, the cursor appears as a marker.Drag the marker over the text you wish to highlight.To turn off the highlighting feature, click on theHighlight button again.

Add General Memo: Enables you to write your ownnotes. When you click on this button, a typing boxopens up and you can type your memo right in. Youcan view your memo later by choosing List ofHighlights and Memos in the My Copy menu.

Turn Off Sound: Turns off the music and the narration

Copy Text: Places the active text in the computer'smemory so that you can paste it wherever you wish (ina General Memo, for example, or in a word processordocument)

The lower section of the Toolbar is divided into squares. Whenever youminimize an entry screen, topic list, glossary definition, or other resource, itsicon is stored in one of these squares in the Toolbar. To return a window toits original size, just click on its icon in the Toolbar.

The Navigator

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The Navigator is a tool that enables you to change the view on your screen inorder to explore different regions of the universe as well as to navigate withinthose regions and obtain information about them.

When you enter the program, the Navigator is situated on the lower right ofyour screen. You can change its location by dragging it anywhere on thescreen.

The buttons on the Navigator provide different functions depending on theview that is currently on display. When you are in the View from Earth, thefollowing buttons are active:

Hide: Hides the Navigator from view. To display itagain, click on the Navigator icon at the far right endof the Menu Bar.

Looking North: Displays the night sky over Earth’sNorthern Hemisphere

Looking South: Displays the night sky over Earth’sSouthern Hemisphere

Solar System: Takes you into the three-dimensional,virtual solar system environment

Milky Way Takes you into the three-dimensional,virtual simulation of our galaxy, the Milky Way

When you select the Solar System or Milky Way view, additional optionsbecome available. See the chapter Exploring the 3-D Worlds to find out howto use the Navigator's features in those views.

Manipulating the Program's WindowsMuch of the information in the program is displayed in window form. Thefollowing features enable you to perform various operations on thesewindows.

Minimize: Reduces the currently displayedwindow to the size of an icon and places that iconin the Toolbar. A click on the icon of theminimized item enlarges it to its original size.

Close: Closes the currently displayed window

The Graphic Menu Screens

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The information in the knowledge base is accessible not only through theTopics menu, as described above, but also through several graphic menus.When you enter Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, the first screen you seedisplays the southern skies over Earth. As you move your mouse around,note that celestial bodies come into view. You can obtain information on thecelestial bodies that display this icon:

Just click on the icon, and the entry will appear.

To display another graphic menu, that of the northern skies, click on theLooking North button on the Navigator. Then you can select celestialbodies to see the associated entries in the knowledge base.

Similar graphic menus can be found in the Milky Way view and the SolarSystem view, both accessed through the Navigator. For a description of theNavigator, see the section General Functions and Features above.

The Knowledge Base Entry Screen

Accessing InformationThe Entry Screen of the knowledge base contains text, graphics, and an iconfor each section of the entry. At the top of the text area you will find the titleof the entry and the name of the section. As you read the text, note the wordshighlighted in color. These are glossary words. To see the definition of aglossary word, click on it.

The information in each entry is divided into sections, each of which is oneor more screens long. The first section displayed is the Introduction. Youcan access the others by clicking on the icons that lie across the bottom of thescreen. To see the namof the sections, just move your mouse over each icon.When you click on a section icon, an informational screen is displayed. Onsome screens, an arrow at the bottom indicates that the information continuesonto another screen. Click on the arrow to move there. At any point you canreturn to the first screen of the entry by clicking on the icon next to the title.

The following icons are found on many of the entry screens:

See Introduction: Takes you to the first screen of theentry

Sound: Stops or starts the narration

Click and See: Displays a graphic image or animatedsequence

See Movie: Displays a short movie related to the entry

3-D Worlds: Takes you into the virtual simulation ofthe solar system, right to the object associated with thecurrently displayed information

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Options: Opens a menu with several editingoptions:

Copy Text: Places selected text or the text ofthe entire screen into thecomputer's memory so that youcan paste it wherever you wish

Print Text: Prints the currently displayedtext

Delete Highlighting: Erases the highlighting that youadded to the text

Viewing MoviesMany of the entries include a short, full-screen video movie. You can accessthe movie by clicking on the See Movie icon (a little "spaceling"), which issituated near the text. To stop the movie in the middle, click anywhere onthe screen.

SearchingTo locate information in the program, you can use several kinds of searchmechanisms. Click on Search in the Menu Bar at the top of the screen, andselect Search Window.

Media SearchWhen the Search Window opens, Media is automatically selected. Chooseone or more types of media and click on Go! On the right side of the windowyou will see the names of all the items that match your request and, next toeach name, an icon that indicates the type of media, as follows:

Entry

Glossary word

Click on the name of an item to display it. If you want to start a new search,select Clear.

Keyword SearchTo perform a keyword search, click on the Keywords button in the SearchWindow. Mark one or more keywords.

Two options are available:

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At Least One Keyword: When this option is checked, any item that containsat least one of the words you marked will bedisplayed.

All Keywords When this option is checked, only items thatcontain all of the words you marked will bedisplayed.

Mark one of the options and click on Go! On the right side of the windowyou will see the names of all the items that match your request, and, next toeach item, an icon indicating the type of media (for an explanation of theicons, see above, Media Search). Click on the name of an item to display it.If you want to start a new search, select Clear.

Combined SearchYou can use both search mechanisms at the same time. In the KeywordSearch window, mark one or more Keywords. In the Media Search window,mark one or more types of media. Then click on Go! The items that matchyour request will be displayed on the right side of the window.

My Copy: Making Your Mark on the ProgramTouch the Sky, Touch the Universe provides a facility for creating your own"copy" of the program and personalizing it by inserting bookmarks,highlighting important passages, and making notes on specific entries. Thework that you do in the My Copy mode does not affect other users who areworking at the same computer with the same copy of the software.

Any user of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe can create a personalizedCopy in which the user’s own notes, highlighting, and bookmarks are saved.To start your own Copy, select My Copy in the Menu Bar. Then click onOpen My Copy. Type your name (one word only) and indicate the locationwhere you want your Copy to be saved.

As you are working, select Save Current Copy to save your work. YourCopy is automatically saved in the location that you indicated when youopened the My Copy file.

One of the features of My Copy enables you to add your own memos to theprogram and bookmark them. You can post a memo on highlighted text andalso write General Memos that are not linked to any particular entry. To adda memo to text that you have highlighted, click on the highlighted area, andthe Edit Memo window appears. Type your memo, name it, and click on OKto save it. It is now associated with that particular highlighted text. Tobookmark the memo, click in the Bookmark box at the bottom of the EditMemo window.

For information on General Memos and the other My Copy features, see thesections The Menu Bar and The Toolbar.

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Using Productivity ToolsTo take best advantage of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe, you can openthird-party tools directly from the program and use these tools to edit text andgraphics, to create presentations, and to produce spreadsheets. Note: Thecopying of material from the program is permitted only for personal use.

Depending on which applications are installed in your computer, you canaccess various kinds of tools from the Tools menu. These might include aword processor, a drawing tool, a presentation program, and a spreadsheet,for example. The word processor and drawing tool are also accessible fromthe Toolbar.

Copying Text from the Knowledge BaseTo copy text from the knowledge base and bring it into a word processor file,mark the text by dragging your mouse and then copy the text by using any ofthese methods:

• Open the Tools menu in the Menu Bar, and select Copy SelectedText. OR

• Go to the Toolbar, and select Copy Text. OR

• Click on the Options button, and select Copy. OR

• Press <Ctrl> + <C> on your keyboard.

Then open the Tools menu in the Menu Bar, and select Word Processor.Insert the text into your word processor file by either of these methods:

• Select the Paste function in the word processor. OR

• Press <Ctrl> + <V> on your keyboard.

Copying Pictures from the Knowledge BaseTo copy a picture from the knowledge base and bring it into a word processoror Paint, copy the picture by either of these methods:

• Open the Tools menu in the Menu Bar, and select Copy.Then click on From Screen in the submenu, and drag yourcursor to select the area you wish to copy. OR

• Click on the Options icon next to the picture. Then selectCopy Picture.

Then open the Word Processor or Drawing Tool from the Tools menu inthe Menu Bar. Insert the picture into your document by either of thesemethods:

• In the word processor or Paint, select the Paste function. OR

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• Press <Ctrl> + <V> on your keyboard.

PrintingBefore attempting to print, be sure that your computer is connected to aprinter. If you plan to print graphic items, your computer and printer mustsupport graphic printing.

To print material from the program, follow these steps:

•••• In the Menu Bar, open Tools. Then select either Print Text or PrintPicture. OR

• Click on the Options button and select Print Text or Print Picture.

The printing begins immediately.

Going On-LineFor you to go on-line directly from the program, your computer system musthave a Web browser (such as Netscape or Microsoft Internet Explorer) and anactive Internet connection (by modem, for example) while you are using theprogram.

Internet sites with additional information on the subjects covered in Touchthe Sky, Touch the Universe are listed throughout the knowledge base, in thesections entitled Links. To access a site, just click on its address. Your Webbrowser will open and take you directly to the site. You can reach the samesites by selecting Internet in the Menu Bar and then the Internet Links list.

If you select Touch the Sky Site in the Internet menu (or click on WebBrowser in the Toolbar), you are taken right to the site of Touch the Sky,Touch the Universe. There you will find content-related information, linksto other sites, and more. If you select MOST Web Site, you will reach thehome page of the Minds-On Science and Technology series, which containsinstructional materials and Internet-based projects.

SINCE THE INTERNET IS DYNAMIC, YOU SHOULD UPDATE OFTEN WITH THEUPDATE BUTTON.

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4 Exploring the3-D Worlds

Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe features a unique portrayal of our solarsystem and our galaxy in a three-dimensional virtual simulation. Thissimulation enables you to view and manipulate celestial objects—planets,moons, asteroids, and comets—as they orbit around the sun in real-timesimulations. Modern imaging techniques, including actual images fromspacecraft and telescopes, display each object's color, surface structure,rotation, revolution, relative size, and relative distance from the sun. With itsdynamic space flight and three-dimensional navigation, this virtualenvironment makes for an engaging scientific adventure.

Using the Navigator control panel and your mouse buttons, go ahead andchange the parameters of the system and observe the effects on differentastronomical phenomena. Investigate planetary motion, compare andcontrast the different planets and moons, fly through space and view theobjects you encounter from a variety of angles. From each object you canalso call up the associated knowledge base entry to obtain information.

A number of perspectives are provided to help you understand the spatialrelationships between the bodies in our solar system. For example, you canaccess a view of Earth from the sun, views of the planets from their ownmoons, and a view of the entire solar system from outside the system.

This chapter explains how to use the many features of the virtualenvironment of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe. You will find out howto explore in this environment and make the most of your investigation of theMilky Way and the solar system.

Getting Acquainted with the NavigatorThroughout this chapter, references are made to buttons on the Navigator.Using the Navigator, you can explore different regions of the solar systemand the Milky Way, manipulate parameters during your exploration, andobtain information about the celestial bodies that you encounter. When youenter the program, the Navigator is situated on the lower right of your screen.You can change its location by dragging it to a different spot. In the virtualsolar system, the following Navigator buttons are usually active (theirfunctions will be described in greater detail in later sections of this chapter):

View from Earth: Takes you back to the view of thenight sky over Earth

Go to Entry: Opens a knowledge base entry thatprovides information about the celestial body that iscurrently selected

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Map: Opens an interactive diagram that shows thesolar system as viewed from above. Located on theupper right side of your screen, the Map serves as atype of graphic menu; you can click on any planet tobring it into focus and lock onto it. To hide the solarsystem Map, click on the Map button again.

Orbits: Displays lines that indicate the orbits of theplanets. To hide the orbit lines, click on the Orbitsbutton again.

Stationary View: Locks you into a fixed position rightabove the selected planet. As the planet moves inorbit, you move with it and always view the same partof the planet.

Planetary View: Displays the selected planet as itrotates on its axis. As the planet moves in orbit, youmove along with it.

Sun in Sight: Brings the sun into view so that you cansee the spatial relationship between the selected planetand the sun

Free Mode: Enables you to explore the solar systemwithout being locked onto any particular celestialbody.

The panel of arrows enables you to move in different directions andview the solar system in various perspectives.

Speed Up, Slow Down: Enables you to change thespeed of the planets' rotations and revolutions. Justdrag the pointer up or down.

Earth Time: Shows the amount of time that haselapsed during the simulated orbit of the currentlydisplayed celestial body since you last selected Reset.For more information, see the description of the timerin the section Using the Gauges below.

Reset: Puts the Earth Time timer back to zero. Forexample, you could reset the timer to compare theamount of time that two planets take to orbit the sun.

When you select the Milky Way view, many of the above buttons are alsoactive.

Entering the 3-D Worlds

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As you explore the knowledge base of Touch the Sky, Touch the Universe,enrich your understanding of the solar system and the Milky Way by takingan exciting virtual journey through the program’s three-dimensionalsimulations. You can access these virtual environments from different areasof the program; note that the area from which you access a simulation affectscertain variables, such as the mode of exploration, the rotation speed of thecelestial body you are viewing, and the region in space that is in focus.

In this chapter, the functions are described primarily in reference to thevirtual solar system; however, the Milky Way simulation shares the samefunctionality.

! Accessing the 3-D Worlds from the Menu Bar:1. Select 3-D Worlds in the Menu Bar. A number of options are available:

• Activate Current 3-D Menu: Takes you into the virtual solar systemor Milky Way, where you explore in Free Mode—that is, withoutbeing locked onto any particular celestial body.

Note: When you explore in the simulated solar system or Milky Wayand then open a knowledge base entry, the virtual environmenttemporarily freezes, or stops in place. By selecting Activate Current3-D Menu, you can return to the environment and continue exploringwhere you left off.

• Solar System: View from Above: Takes you into the virtual solarsystem environment and positions you above the solar system. Thisperspective enables you to look down at the entire system. When youenter the environment in this way, you explore in Free Mode, withoutbeing locked onto any particular celestial body.

• View of the Sun: Takes you into the virtual solar system environmentand portrays a perspective that emphasizes the position of the sun.When you enter the environment in this way, you explore in FreeMode, without being locked onto any particular celestial body.

• Celestial objects (asteroids, comets, and individual planets andmoons): When you select a particular celestial body, you are lockedonto that object and stick with it until you choose another option.

• Milky Way: Takes you into the virtual simulation of the Milky Way

• Milky Way: View from Above: Takes you into the virtual MilkyWay environment and positions you above the galaxy. Thisperspective enables you to look down at the entire galaxy. When youenter the environment in this way, you explore in Free Mode, withoutbeing locked onto any particular celestial body.

1. Select an option from the menu. The simulated solar system is activated.

! Accessing the 3-D Worlds from the Navigator:

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2. Click on the Solar System button. The virtual solar system environmentis activated. When you enter the environment in this way, you explore inFree Mode, without being locked onto any particular celestial body.

! Accessing the 3-D Worlds from an entry:3. If you see the 3-D Worlds icon (a little "spaceling") near the text, click on

the icon. You move directly to the part of the solar system that isassociated with the entry that you were just viewing. For example, if aninformation screen about Jupiter's rotation is currently displayed and youselect the 3-D Worlds icon, the virtual environment is activated withJupiter in focus. You are locked onto Jupiter and move with this planetuntil you choose another option. Similarly, the 3-D Worlds icon ininformation screens about each planet's orbit will provide direct access tothat planet in the simulated solar system.

Getting Ready to Explore

Modes of ExplorationFour modes of exploration are available in the program's virtual simulation ofthe solar system:

• In the Free Mode, you move independently of any celestial body. This isthe default mode of the virtual environment. Whenever you enter theenvironment by selecting the Solar System button on the Navigator, youtravel in Free Mode.

• In the Stationary View mode, you are locked onto a celestial object, in afixed position. While you are traveling along with the object, you alwayssee the same geographic region on that object.

• In the Planetary View mode, one celestial body is in focus, in the centerof the screen, and you move with it as it travels in its orbit. You canobserve its rotations as well.

• The Sun in Sight mode displays the sun and the orbiting body that iscurrently in focus.

Focusing on a Particular Object As you move about the solar system, note that your cursor often changes intoa hand, like this:

This indicates that you are over a clickable celestial object. If you click on it,it will move to the center of the screen and become the object in focus. Youcan open an information entry by double-clicking on the object in focus.

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Viewing the Planets' Orbits As you explore, you may find it helpful to see the orbits of the celestialobjects in our solar system. You can display lines representing the orbitalpaths by selecting the Orbits button on the Navigator. Note that the orbitlines are shown in different colors, one for each group of celestial objects. Ifyou wish to remove the orbit lines from the screen, click on the Orbits buttonagain.

Navigating Once you have entered the virtual solar system, you can wander among thecelestial bodies, fly alongside them, view them from above and below, andperform countless maneuvers. In this section you will learn how to navigateon your journey in space.

In each of the exploration modes described above, you can navigate in thesame way: by means of the Navigator, the mouse buttons, or the keyboard.Try out the different methods, and choose the one that is easiest for you.

Exploring in the Free Mode and the Sun in Sight Mode To become acquainted with the various navigational techniques and theviewing perspectives that they provide, start your exploration in the FreeMode, by clicking on the Free Mode icon on the Navigator. Then try out thefollowing techniques (for the arrow number references, see the picture of theNavigator):

[GRAPHICS: Picture of the arrows on the Navigator, with each arrownumbered to correspond with the description below.]

! To move forward:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 1.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the upper part of the screen, and press the leftmouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the up arrow.

! To move backwards:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 3.

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OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the lower part of the screen, and press the leftmouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the down arrow.

! To look around you, as if you were turning in place:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 2 or the arrow labeled 4.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the right or the left part of the screen, and press theleft mouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the right or left arrow.

! To obtain a tilted view of the solar system:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 5 or the arrow labeled 6.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the left or the right part of the screen, and press theleft and right mouse buttons at the same time.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the Ctrl key and the left or right arrow.

! To move below the plane of the solar system (the ecliptic plane):⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 7.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the lower part of the screen, and press the rightmouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the Shift key and the down arrow.

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! To move above the plane of the solar system (the ecliptic plane):⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 8.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the upper part of the screen, and press the rightmouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the Shift key and the up arrow.

The functions in the Sun in Sight mode are the same as in the Free Mode,except for the tilted perspective. In the Sun in Sight mode, you cannot obtaina tilted view of the solar system. To return to the Free Mode from the Sun inSight mode, press the Esc key on your keyboard.

Exploring in the Stationary and Planetary Views Once you have become adept at navigating in the Free Mode, try exploring inthe Stationary View. Begin by clicking on a planet and then on theStationary View icon on the Navigator. You are now in the Stationary Viewmode. At any time, you can return to the Free Mode by pressing the Esc keyon your keyboard.

! To move toward the planet:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 1.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the upper part of the screen, and press the leftmouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the up arrow.

! To move away from the planet:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 3.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the lower part of the screen, and press the leftmouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the down arrow.

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! To circle the planet from east to west or west to east:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 2 or the arrow labeled 4.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the right or the left part of the screen, and press theleft mouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the right or the left arrow.

! To circle the planet from north to south or south to north:⇒⇒⇒⇒ On the Navigator, click on the arrow labeled 5 or the arrow labeled 6.

OR

⇒ Move your mouse to the upper or lower part of the screen, and press theright mouse button.

OR

⇒ On the keyboard, press the Shift key and the up or down arrow.

The functions in the Planetary View are the same as in the Stationary View.Whenever you want to return to the Free Mode, press the Esc key on yourkeyboard.

Using the Map The Map is an interactive, two-dimensional view of the solar system fromabove. It serves as both an orientation aid and a menu for selecting an objectto visit. In addition, when you open up the Map, the Quick Facts function isautomatically activated (see Accessing Information, below).

! To pinpoint your position in the solar system:1. On the Navigator, click on the Map button. The Map is displayed in the

upper right-hand corner of your screen.

2. Find the camera on the Map. This camera shows where you are located.Note the camera's two yellow arms at the top. They always point in thesame direction in which you, the viewer, are looking. If a celestial bodyis in focus, the yellow arms point toward it.

! To go to a celestial body:3. If the Map is not already open, open it by clicking on the Map button on

the Navigator.

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4. Click on the celestial body that you would like to visit. It will appear onyour screen and become the object in focus.

Using the GaugesTo enrich your investigation of the solar system, you can change certainsettings and check their effects on the various bodies.

The Speed Control PanelWhen you activate the simulated solar system directly from an entry, you cansee the rotation and revolution of the celestial bodies displayed at realisticrelative speeds. However, since the bodies in the simulation do not move atthe same speed as in the actual solar system, a speed control panel tells youthe ratio between the velocity of the real solar system and that of thesimulated system. In addition, the panel enables you to change the speed ofthe system.

! To display the ratio between the velocity of the real solar system andthat of the simulated system:

1. Locate the speed control panel, which is on the extreme right side of theNavigator.

2. Move your mouse onto the pointer of the speed control panel. An InfoTipappears showing the Velocity Ratio—the ratio between the simulatedsystem's velocity and the real solar system's velocity. For example, if thespeed control panel displays a Velocity Ratio of 1:550, the objects in thesimulated system are moving 550 times faster than in the real solarsystem. Note: The Velocity Ratio InfoTip is active only when you comeinto the simulation from an entry.

! To adjust the velocity of the bodies in the simulated solar system:3. Move your mouse to the pointer in the speed control panel.

4. Drag the pointer up to make the system go faster. Drag it down to makethe system go more slowly.

The TimerWhen you activate the simulated solar system directly from an entry, notethat the Earth Time panel at the bottom of the Navigator is active. Thispanel is a timer that shows how much time has elapsed on Earth since youactivated the simulated solar system or since you last reset the timer. Thetimer's units of measurement are Earth years and days, as in the followingexample:

10:30 means 10 Earth years and 30 Earth days

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You might find the timer useful for comparing the rotation times or theperiods of revolution of different objects in the solar system, for example.

! To reset the timer:1. Click on the Reset button. You can find this button to the right of the

Earth Time panel at the bottom of the Navigator.

Accessing InformationSeveral forms of textual information about the celestial bodies are availablein the simulated solar system:

• The names of the celestial bodies

• Quick Facts

• Knowledge base entries

! To display the name of a celestial body:1. Make sure the Orbits button is selected.

2. Roll your mouse over the celestial body, and hold it there for a fewseconds. An InfoTip with the name of the body appears.

! To display Quick Facts about a particular celestial body:3. Make sure the Map is displayed.

4. Roll your mouse over a celestial body anywhere on the screen, and hold itthere for a few seconds.

5. Look in the upper left-hand corner of the screen. The Quick Facts appearthere and remain as long as your mouse stays over the celestial body.

! To access a knowledge base entry about a particular celestial body:In any exploration mode:

1. Double-click on the celestial body. The entry is displayed, and thesimulation freezes temporarily.

On the Map and in the Stationary View, Planetary View, and Sun in Sightmodes:

1. Click once on the celestial body.

2. On the Navigator, click on the Go to Entry button (note that it ishighlighted whenever you click on a celestial body). The entry isdisplayed, and the simulation freezes temporarily.

! To reactivate the simulation when an entry is on the screen:

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3. In the Menu Bar, select 3-D Worlds.

4. Click on Activate Current 3-D Menu. The entry is cleared from thescreen, and the simulated environment becomes active again. Now youcan continue exploring where you left off.

Exiting the 3-D WorldsFrom the virtual simulation of the solar system you have ready access to mostareas of the program. When you leave the simulated solar system to go toanother area of the program, you will return to the same place in the solarsystem later, unless you return via a specific entry or an option on the 3-DWorlds menu. Your place in the solar system is saved throughout yoursession at the computer.

! To select an option on the Menu Bar:1. Move your mouse to the very top of the screen. The Menu Bar appears.

2. In the Menu Bar, click on the menu of your choice.

! To return to the view from Earth:3. Move your mouse to the very top of the screen. The Menu Bar appears.

4. In the Menu Bar, click on Navigation.

5. Select either North View from Earth or South View from Earth.

OR

1. On the Navigator, click on the View from Earth button. A view of thesouthern skies over Earth is displayed.

To switch to a view of the northern skies over Earth, click on the LookingNorth button on the Navigator.

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CREDITS – TOUCH THE SKY

This program was developed by the Multimedia Division of the Center of

Educational Technology (CET).

All rights reserved.

Original Music

Outside the gravity / Tom West, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Troop movement / Marc Harrison, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Cryonic / Eric Stone, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Beam / Ryszard Szeremeta, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Blue planet / Peer Bohm, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Space curvatures / Silvia Sommers, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Close to the gods / Walter Heinisch, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Space pioneers / Walter Heinisch, Cosmos/ Media Men Group

Starship / Ch. Poulet, Koka Media/ Zinko

Cosmos / Ch. Poulet, Koka Media/ Zinko

Wonderland / Ch. Poulet, Koka Media/ Zinko

New industrial zone / George Breed & John Rossman, Sonoton/ Zinko

Stay on the way / George Breed & John Rossman, Sonoton/ Zinko

© ACUM Ltd. All rights reserved to the producers and licensors ofcopyrights. Copying, Leasing, renting or any public performance, broadcastor other public performance is prohibited without permission of the producer.

Video Resources

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Photos: ASAP/SPL

Visual Photo and Film Library

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)