Scientific Visualizations
Science Meets Animation: A Proud Member of the NASA MIE Alliance
Since 2024, the National Animation Museum has been a proud member of the NASA Museum and Informal Education (MIE) Alliance. The MIE Alliance brings current NASA and Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) science, technology, resources, materials, and expertise to a network of over 2,000 museums and informal education providers.
Through its continued work with NASA and JPL, the National Animation Museum is building a foundation to deliver Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education to underserved youth and communities.
How Animation is Used in Earth and Space Sciences
Animation helps NASA and JPL show how space works in ways that are easy for everyone to understand. Instead of only using numbers or reports, scientists use animation to explain and visualize big ideas, like how planets move or how spacecraft travel through space.
At JPL, animators work with scientists to turn real data into moving images. For example, they can show how a rover drives across Mars or how a satellite orbits Earth. By watching these animations, students and the public can see what is happening in space, even though we cannot go there ourselves.
The NASA’s Eyes program uses animation to let people explore space in museums or even on their own computers. With “Eyes on the Solar System” or “Eyes on the Earth” users can follow missions in real time and zoom in on animated planets, moons, and spacecraft. You can learn more about the NASA’s Eyes program and scientific visualizations by visiting their website: https://science.nasa.gov/eyes/
Scroll down to interact with animated visualizations of space.