The Local Solar Neighborhood
                        
     Ever wonder what it would be like to see the Sun from nearly twenty
light years away?  The animation "STARS3D.FLC" in this zip file will allow
you to do just that.  You're 6 parsecs (or 19.56 light-years) out from 
the Solar System, and you're looking back at the sun as you trace a very
enormous circle about it. (A circumference of 37.7 parsecs or 122.9 light
years!)  
     There are roughly 86 known stars within this volume of space.  Most 
are main sequence stars and offer a good (and typical for this part of 
the galaxy) cross section of spectral classes from hot bright, white
"A" stars to lowly dim red "M" stars.  There's also one "F" (Yellow-white),
many "G" (Our sun is a G2, Yellow) and many more "K" (Orange) stars.  But
the predominent spectral classes are the "M" classes.  There are also a 
few dying embers, the white dwarfs. (A class of non-main sequence stars; 
the term "white" does not necessarily describe the color...)
     The data for this animation comes from a book called "This Quarter
of the Universe is Ours" by J. Richard Filisky (c) 1976, Theta 
Enterprises.  This handbook took its stellar data from the Gliese Star
Catalog and taught you how to construct a 3D star map using fluorescent
beads (for stars) and a black light (UV) to illuminate them.  I always
wanted to build this model, but I was in highschool and funding was 
always a problem.  I never did build the model.
     Fast forward to the nineties... and viola!  Computers with 3D 
graphics applications!  Suddenly what would have been a daunting
and messy project (Including glue, paints, a three foot box, and -gasp-
black felt) is a snap!  Computers love x,y,z coordinates- so the star
mapping was a breeze.  (Theres also no strings attached to hold the stars
in place, and we can view from any angle.)  I did have to make certain 
stars bigger (or brighter) so that they could be seen at all; this 
includes the white dwarfs, all of the "M" class and some of the "K" class 
stars.  Even our Sun, while bright to us, would not be so spectacular
(Although easily visible) from 6 parsecs out.  You'll also notice 
I've used an extremely wide field of view, to create the incredible 
depth of this area.  Therefore stars swinging close look incredibly
big and bright (Note Altair) and much dimmer when at their farthest.
     For those wanting to know the names of the stars, I've chosen 16
of the best known and pointed them out on the GIF file included herein.
Since the overwhelming majority of these stars are invisible to the 
naked eye, they usually don't have names.  Some of the names will be
familiar to Trek fans, as well as other popular Sci-fi media; authors of
such love to use the names of these real stars to give another level 
of reality to their stories.
     I hope you enjoy the animation.  If so, let me know.  My Internet
address is pvmcull@ibm.net.

Paul V. McCullough
June 12, 1995