Steve Costa
@stevec72.bsky.social
I make digital things, and sometimes actual things.
Explore our stellar neighborhood in 3D: https://starcarta.app
Explore our stellar neighborhood in 3D: https://starcarta.app
🛰️ Starcarta Update 1.4!
✨ New:
- Star focus
Stars in multiple systems can be far apart making it difficult to zoom in. Now by clicking on a Star’s name, you can zoom in on that star and its planets. Clicking the Star’s name again toggles you back to the the System.
#space #astronomy #indiedev
✨ New:
- Star focus
Stars in multiple systems can be far apart making it difficult to zoom in. Now by clicking on a Star’s name, you can zoom in on that star and its planets. Clicking the Star’s name again toggles you back to the the System.
#space #astronomy #indiedev
October 11, 2025 at 1:38 AM
🛰️ Starcarta Update 1.4!
✨ New:
- Star focus
Stars in multiple systems can be far apart making it difficult to zoom in. Now by clicking on a Star’s name, you can zoom in on that star and its planets. Clicking the Star’s name again toggles you back to the the System.
#space #astronomy #indiedev
✨ New:
- Star focus
Stars in multiple systems can be far apart making it difficult to zoom in. Now by clicking on a Star’s name, you can zoom in on that star and its planets. Clicking the Star’s name again toggles you back to the the System.
#space #astronomy #indiedev
Recently, JWT studied Trappist-1e’s atmosphere ruling out a Venus or Mars-like atmosphere but leaving water possible for future studies. science.nasa.gov/missions/web... Check it at starcarta.app/o/jkSG - you can also see how all of the 7 discovered planets are less than 1 au from Trappist-1
September 26, 2025 at 9:56 PM
Recently, JWT studied Trappist-1e’s atmosphere ruling out a Venus or Mars-like atmosphere but leaving water possible for future studies. science.nasa.gov/missions/web... Check it at starcarta.app/o/jkSG - you can also see how all of the 7 discovered planets are less than 1 au from Trappist-1
🛰️ Starcarta update 1.3 is here!
✨ New:
- Tags!
- Highlight Systems by Tag.
- Added 1 AU graph circle to all Systems with planets to show scale. (1/4)
#Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space starcarta.app
✨ New:
- Tags!
- Highlight Systems by Tag.
- Added 1 AU graph circle to all Systems with planets to show scale. (1/4)
#Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space starcarta.app
September 26, 2025 at 12:23 AM
🛰️ Starcarta update 1.3 is here!
✨ New:
- Tags!
- Highlight Systems by Tag.
- Added 1 AU graph circle to all Systems with planets to show scale. (1/4)
#Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space starcarta.app
✨ New:
- Tags!
- Highlight Systems by Tag.
- Added 1 AU graph circle to all Systems with planets to show scale. (1/4)
#Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space starcarta.app
This week’s star is Gliese 163, a red dwarf with at least 3 planets (up to 5). One, Gliese 163c, is a 7-Earth-mass world near the habitable zone. The light we see from it today began its trip 49 years ago, the same year & maybe even day I was born. I think that’s pretty cool!
starcarta.app/o/CXJPq
starcarta.app/o/CXJPq
August 25, 2025 at 7:41 PM
This week’s star is Gliese 163, a red dwarf with at least 3 planets (up to 5). One, Gliese 163c, is a 7-Earth-mass world near the habitable zone. The light we see from it today began its trip 49 years ago, the same year & maybe even day I was born. I think that’s pretty cool!
starcarta.app/o/CXJPq
starcarta.app/o/CXJPq
The Habitable Zone of our solar system, which is between 0.99au & 1.70au includes both Earth & Mars (even though Mars is too small to hold enough atmosphere) but excludes the runaway greenhouse Venus. Interestingly, you can see how the Earth is just balanced on the inner edge.
starcarta.app/o/B
starcarta.app/o/B
August 8, 2025 at 12:20 AM
The Habitable Zone of our solar system, which is between 0.99au & 1.70au includes both Earth & Mars (even though Mars is too small to hold enough atmosphere) but excludes the runaway greenhouse Venus. Interestingly, you can see how the Earth is just balanced on the inner edge.
starcarta.app/o/B
starcarta.app/o/B
GL581 is a low-activity, stable M-class star. It has 2 candidate planets well positioned in their HZ, GL581 b & GL581 c. GL581 b is a 6 Me super-earth, zipping around every 5 days, while GL581 c is a more reasonable 2 Me planet, taking 13 days to complete an orbit. starcarta.app/o/JdJCb #astronomy
August 6, 2025 at 3:21 PM
GL581 is a low-activity, stable M-class star. It has 2 candidate planets well positioned in their HZ, GL581 b & GL581 c. GL581 b is a 6 Me super-earth, zipping around every 5 days, while GL581 c is a more reasonable 2 Me planet, taking 13 days to complete an orbit. starcarta.app/o/JdJCb #astronomy
For a pretty good HZ match, we can check out HD 40307 g, a massive 7 Me super-earth in the habitable zone of its 1 billion year old K-Class star. It’s a great candidate to explore in the future, and not too far away at 42 light years away. starcarta.app/o/CXSGM #space #astronomy
August 5, 2025 at 11:23 PM
For a pretty good HZ match, we can check out HD 40307 g, a massive 7 Me super-earth in the habitable zone of its 1 billion year old K-Class star. It’s a great candidate to explore in the future, and not too far away at 42 light years away. starcarta.app/o/CXSGM #space #astronomy
Gliese 667 Cc is also a 4 Me super-earth w/ an orbit right in the middle of its Red Dwarf’s HZ. Gliese 667 Cf, Gliese 667 Ce are not confirmed, but could also be in Gliese 667 C’s HZ. So Gliese 667 C might have multiple habitable worlds, at just 24 light years from Sol. #space
starcarta.app/o/CJCWm
starcarta.app/o/CJCWm
August 4, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Gliese 667 Cc is also a 4 Me super-earth w/ an orbit right in the middle of its Red Dwarf’s HZ. Gliese 667 Cf, Gliese 667 Ce are not confirmed, but could also be in Gliese 667 C’s HZ. So Gliese 667 C might have multiple habitable worlds, at just 24 light years from Sol. #space
starcarta.app/o/CJCWm
starcarta.app/o/CJCWm
Tau Ceti has come up before, checking its HZ shows Tau Ceti e is slightly too close & Tau Ceti f (4 earth mass) is on the outer fringes. However, Tau Ceti f’s orbit dips it in & out of the zone during its 636-day orbit / half-year-long winter if it’s able to hold an atmosphere.
starcarta.app/o/hkBp
starcarta.app/o/hkBp
August 3, 2025 at 5:14 PM
Tau Ceti has come up before, checking its HZ shows Tau Ceti e is slightly too close & Tau Ceti f (4 earth mass) is on the outer fringes. However, Tau Ceti f’s orbit dips it in & out of the zone during its 636-day orbit / half-year-long winter if it’s able to hold an atmosphere.
starcarta.app/o/hkBp
starcarta.app/o/hkBp
RK Kopparapu + team’s articles build on & refine the work of Kasting in 1993 to determine where this zone around a star could be. HZs are then determined from the star’s output (ex luminosity), adjusting for its temp as well as (optionally) the mass of the planet. Check them out in starcarta.app
Starcarta
Explore the stars and planets of our local 200ly space in 3D. Discover star systems, planets, and their unique features. Search for celestial objects and learn about their properties in Starcarta.
starcarta.app
August 3, 2025 at 2:37 AM
RK Kopparapu + team’s articles build on & refine the work of Kasting in 1993 to determine where this zone around a star could be. HZs are then determined from the star’s output (ex luminosity), adjusting for its temp as well as (optionally) the mass of the planet. Check them out in starcarta.app
Starcarta release 1.12!
Now w/Habitable Zones! So what is a star’s HZ? It’s the space around a star where a rocky planet can have surface water, assuming atmosphere & sufficient gravity. Avoiding either runaway greenhouses or where CO₂ can't keep the planet sufficiently warm. #space #starcarta (1/2)
Now w/Habitable Zones! So what is a star’s HZ? It’s the space around a star where a rocky planet can have surface water, assuming atmosphere & sufficient gravity. Avoiding either runaway greenhouses or where CO₂ can't keep the planet sufficiently warm. #space #starcarta (1/2)
August 3, 2025 at 2:33 AM
Starcarta release 1.12!
Now w/Habitable Zones! So what is a star’s HZ? It’s the space around a star where a rocky planet can have surface water, assuming atmosphere & sufficient gravity. Avoiding either runaway greenhouses or where CO₂ can't keep the planet sufficiently warm. #space #starcarta (1/2)
Now w/Habitable Zones! So what is a star’s HZ? It’s the space around a star where a rocky planet can have surface water, assuming atmosphere & sufficient gravity. Avoiding either runaway greenhouses or where CO₂ can't keep the planet sufficiently warm. #space #starcarta (1/2)
HD 20781 has 4 known planets (2 Gas Giants and 2 Super-earths) and 9000au away is HD 20782, with at least 1 planet having the single highest eccentricity of all known exoplanets. Have a look at them in 3D on starcarta.app/o/QgvX. (2/2) #astronomy #space #starcarta
Starcarta
Explore the stars and planets of our local 200ly space in 3D. Discover star systems, planets, and their unique features. Search for celestial objects and learn about their properties in Starcarta.
starcarta.app
July 20, 2025 at 9:07 PM
HD 20781 has 4 known planets (2 Gas Giants and 2 Super-earths) and 9000au away is HD 20782, with at least 1 planet having the single highest eccentricity of all known exoplanets. Have a look at them in 3D on starcarta.app/o/QgvX. (2/2) #astronomy #space #starcarta
Today’s system is HD 20782/HD 20781 which form a twice notable wide-binary system w/2 sunlike stars. Their system is the first found binary where each star has planets, which is unusual as one of the stars tends to disrupt the initial planet-forming disks of their companions. (1/2) #astronomy #space
July 20, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Today’s system is HD 20782/HD 20781 which form a twice notable wide-binary system w/2 sunlike stars. Their system is the first found binary where each star has planets, which is unusual as one of the stars tends to disrupt the initial planet-forming disks of their companions. (1/2) #astronomy #space
Starcarta version 1.06 released! 🌟
- URL now shows the system you're with a short code in for easy sharing.
System of day: Epsilon Tauri!
starcarta.app/?o=RvdN
With a great view of the star packed Hyades cluster, is the huge & super bright G-star Ain and planet Amateru. #starcarta #astronomy
- URL now shows the system you're with a short code in for easy sharing.
System of day: Epsilon Tauri!
starcarta.app/?o=RvdN
With a great view of the star packed Hyades cluster, is the huge & super bright G-star Ain and planet Amateru. #starcarta #astronomy
July 14, 2025 at 8:36 PM
Starcarta version 1.06 released! 🌟
- URL now shows the system you're with a short code in for easy sharing.
System of day: Epsilon Tauri!
starcarta.app/?o=RvdN
With a great view of the star packed Hyades cluster, is the huge & super bright G-star Ain and planet Amateru. #starcarta #astronomy
- URL now shows the system you're with a short code in for easy sharing.
System of day: Epsilon Tauri!
starcarta.app/?o=RvdN
With a great view of the star packed Hyades cluster, is the huge & super bright G-star Ain and planet Amateru. #starcarta #astronomy
So why do stars have multiple names like HD 122303, Gliese 536, HIP 68469, Luyten 979-36, or telephone book entries like Gaia DR1 3657653144944789504? Let's dig into it... starcarta.app?q=HD%20122303
(1/6) #space #starcarta #asronomy
(1/6) #space #starcarta #asronomy
July 13, 2025 at 1:06 AM
So why do stars have multiple names like HD 122303, Gliese 536, HIP 68469, Luyten 979-36, or telephone book entries like Gaia DR1 3657653144944789504? Let's dig into it... starcarta.app?q=HD%20122303
(1/6) #space #starcarta #asronomy
(1/6) #space #starcarta #asronomy
Today’s system is HR 8799. It’s a young, 42 Million y/o F star ~130 ly away. Orbiting it are 4 Jupiter-sized planets which were imaged by Christian Marois and team of the Canadian NRC's 🇨🇦 Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics. Check it out in Starcarta starcarta.app/?q=HD%20218396. #space #astronomy
July 5, 2025 at 2:52 PM
Today’s system is HR 8799. It’s a young, 42 Million y/o F star ~130 ly away. Orbiting it are 4 Jupiter-sized planets which were imaged by Christian Marois and team of the Canadian NRC's 🇨🇦 Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics. Check it out in Starcarta starcarta.app/?q=HD%20218396. #space #astronomy
🇨🇦 Celebrating some Canadian science with the star TOI-1452. In 2022, a team at the Université de Montréal discovered a possible “water-world” super-Earth arxiv.org+15cfht.hawaii.edu+15montreal.ctvnews.ca+15 you can check it out on Starcarta: starcarta.app/?q=TOI-1452 #astronomy #exoplanets
July 3, 2025 at 2:01 AM
🇨🇦 Celebrating some Canadian science with the star TOI-1452. In 2022, a team at the Université de Montréal discovered a possible “water-world” super-Earth arxiv.org+15cfht.hawaii.edu+15montreal.ctvnews.ca+15 you can check it out on Starcarta: starcarta.app/?q=TOI-1452 #astronomy #exoplanets
Watch OverviewEffekt’s videos, then explore those same stars interactively in Starcarta. (3/3)
🌌 starcarta.app
#Starcarta #webgl #space #threejs #indiedev
🌌 starcarta.app
#Starcarta #webgl #space #threejs #indiedev
July 2, 2025 at 1:10 AM
Watch OverviewEffekt’s videos, then explore those same stars interactively in Starcarta. (3/3)
🌌 starcarta.app
#Starcarta #webgl #space #threejs #indiedev
🌌 starcarta.app
#Starcarta #webgl #space #threejs #indiedev
@OverviewEffekt has been creating beautifully animated videos about real stars, like www.youtube.com/watch?v=elPK... with the added context of the sci-fi stories (like Dune) set in those systems. (2/3)
🌐 overvieweffekt.com
#overvieweffect #datavisualization #astronomy
🌐 overvieweffekt.com
#overvieweffect #datavisualization #astronomy
The Real Stars of DUNE
www.youtube.com
July 2, 2025 at 1:08 AM
@OverviewEffekt has been creating beautifully animated videos about real stars, like www.youtube.com/watch?v=elPK... with the added context of the sci-fi stories (like Dune) set in those systems. (2/3)
🌐 overvieweffekt.com
#overvieweffect #datavisualization #astronomy
🌐 overvieweffekt.com
#overvieweffect #datavisualization #astronomy
A big inspiration to me when I was building Starcarta was all the sci-fi stories I loved as a child, and imagining a future where we’d need stellar cartography to visit them. (1/3)
#Starcarta #scifi #space #indiedev
#Starcarta #scifi #space #indiedev
July 2, 2025 at 1:07 AM
A big inspiration to me when I was building Starcarta was all the sci-fi stories I loved as a child, and imagining a future where we’d need stellar cartography to visit them. (1/3)
#Starcarta #scifi #space #indiedev
#Starcarta #scifi #space #indiedev
The new trailer for Project Hail Mary youtu.be/3GPyA7VniTY... looks awesome! And if want to learn more about the actual Tau Ceti, check out starcarta.app?q=tau+ceti #astronomy #projecthailmary
Project Hail Mary | Official Trailer | Filmed For IMAX®
youtu.be
June 30, 2025 at 9:27 PM
The new trailer for Project Hail Mary youtu.be/3GPyA7VniTY... looks awesome! And if want to learn more about the actual Tau Ceti, check out starcarta.app?q=tau+ceti #astronomy #projecthailmary
Star Seeker, is now Starcarta.
🛰️ Starcarta Update 1.05 is here!
✨ New:
-New Name!
-Home toggle: find the Sun’s position from anywhere.
-Hover-to-focus: float your mouse over a star name to center on it.
With the new name we also have a new home: starcarta.app! #Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space
🛰️ Starcarta Update 1.05 is here!
✨ New:
-New Name!
-Home toggle: find the Sun’s position from anywhere.
-Hover-to-focus: float your mouse over a star name to center on it.
With the new name we also have a new home: starcarta.app! #Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space
June 30, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Star Seeker, is now Starcarta.
🛰️ Starcarta Update 1.05 is here!
✨ New:
-New Name!
-Home toggle: find the Sun’s position from anywhere.
-Hover-to-focus: float your mouse over a star name to center on it.
With the new name we also have a new home: starcarta.app! #Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space
🛰️ Starcarta Update 1.05 is here!
✨ New:
-New Name!
-Home toggle: find the Sun’s position from anywhere.
-Hover-to-focus: float your mouse over a star name to center on it.
With the new name we also have a new home: starcarta.app! #Starcarta #indiedev #astronomy #space
Hmm, apparently Star seeker is also the name of a space themed game coming out in 2026. So should I change my app's name? I'm obviously the little fish here.
June 25, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Hmm, apparently Star seeker is also the name of a space themed game coming out in 2026. So should I change my app's name? I'm obviously the little fish here.
Today's system is Iota Ursae Majoris, known as Talitha (shared w/Kappa Ursae Majoris.) It has 4 stars, is about 46 Ly away, and a primary 1.7 times the size of the sun. No planets found, but that's for the best as the two pairs of binaries slowly spiral closer. starseeker.spark72.com/?q=Iota%20Ur...
June 19, 2025 at 9:08 PM
Today's system is Iota Ursae Majoris, known as Talitha (shared w/Kappa Ursae Majoris.) It has 4 stars, is about 46 Ly away, and a primary 1.7 times the size of the sun. No planets found, but that's for the best as the two pairs of binaries slowly spiral closer. starseeker.spark72.com/?q=Iota%20Ur...
🚀StarSeeker 1.03 now live
🔗 starseeker.spark72.com
Improved planet rings and textures, and orbital mechanics - and if it weren't for @evanthorizon.bsky.social's video, I would still have planets orbiting the sun clockwise >_< . astromony #indiedev #space
🔗 starseeker.spark72.com
Improved planet rings and textures, and orbital mechanics - and if it weren't for @evanthorizon.bsky.social's video, I would still have planets orbiting the sun clockwise >_< . astromony #indiedev #space
June 19, 2025 at 8:56 PM
🚀StarSeeker 1.03 now live
🔗 starseeker.spark72.com
Improved planet rings and textures, and orbital mechanics - and if it weren't for @evanthorizon.bsky.social's video, I would still have planets orbiting the sun clockwise >_< . astromony #indiedev #space
🔗 starseeker.spark72.com
Improved planet rings and textures, and orbital mechanics - and if it weren't for @evanthorizon.bsky.social's video, I would still have planets orbiting the sun clockwise >_< . astromony #indiedev #space