Dev tools · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to Data-viz project for ray-tracing the Moon model
Data visualisation and ray tracing in Python based on OptiX 9.1 framework. - plotoptix/examples/3_projects/moon at master · rnd-team-dev/plotoptix
This is a data visualization project that uses ray-tracing techniques to model and render the Moon. Launched in 2019 and available on GitHub, it is designed for researchers, developers, and enthusiasts interested in… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Prices are shown for the 1 we have checked on their own sites, 1 of them free or with a free tier. Data-viz project for ray-tracing the Moon model launched in 2019; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
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AstraPixelsfree tier, from $5/mo▲267A pixel-art solar system at its real current positions.
Aug 2026 · astrapixels.com · its alternatives →
- 2AR
2018 · tylermw.com · its alternatives →
- 3

I was wondering how I can arrange objects along a spherical helix path, and read some articles on it. I ended up learning about parametric equations again, and make this visualization to document what I learned: https://visualrambling.space/moving-objects-in-3d/ feel free to visit and let me know what you think!
2025 · visualrambling.space · its alternatives →
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We ported pbrt-v4 to Julia and built it into a Makie backend. Any Makie plot can now be rendered with physically-based path tracing. Julia compiles user-defined physics directly into GPU kernels, so anyone can extend the ray tracer with new materials and media - a black hole with gravitational lensing is ~200 lines of Julia. Runs on AMD, NVIDIA, and CPU via KernelAbstractions.jl, with Metal coming soon. Demo scenes: github.com/SimonDanisch/RayDemo
Feb 2026 · makie.org · its alternatives →
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CGI Moon Kit▲73A 3D map of the moon for CG artists and creators
2019 · svs.gsfc.nasa.gov · its alternatives →
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This is a GPU "software" raytracer (i.e. using manual ray-scene intersections and not RTX) written using the WebGPU API that renders glTF scenes. It supports many materials, textures, material & normal mapping, and heavily relies on multiple importance sampling to speed up convergence.
2024 · github.com · its alternatives →
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Did this a few years ago. Seems apropos. Sources and more here: https://github.com/EngineersNeedArt/Mooncraft2000
Apr 2026 · mooncraft2000.com · its alternatives →
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Globe wireframe visualizations in Golang. Contribute to mmcloughlin/globe development by creating an account on GitHub.
2017 · github.com · its alternatives →
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It's been closed source for a long time while I worked on it on and off as a hobby research project, but yesterday the repo was made public for the first time under the MPL 2.0 license. A feature reel showing its capabilities can be found here: https://ktstephano.github.io/rendering/stratusgfx/feature_re... A technical breakdown of a single frame can be found here: https://ktstephano.github.io/rendering/stratusgfx/frame_anal... It's still in a very beta state (bugs and instability expected), but I felt like it was a good time to make it…
2023 · github.com · its alternatives →
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I've been iterating on a small galaxy visualization project that originally started as a university course assignment, using only provided sample data (no real astronomical distances). Recently, I updated it to include redshift-based distance data, which makes the 3D structure more meaningful and closer to real large-scale galaxy distributions. Repo: https://github.com/Avicted/galaxy_visualization_raylib Demo video (3D navigation + galaxy structures): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fC83RDWuPvw Current state: - Written in C (C99 standard) using Raylib -…
2024 · github.com · its alternatives →
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Data visualizations are the bridge between user and data. But building AI agents that can generate visualizations reliably can be very tricky: - simple chart specs can be reliable, but generated charts are often of low quality due to reliance on system defaults; - complex chart specs with explicit details can produce good-looking charts, but they are verbose and agents can struggle with reliability We figured out it is a limitation on the language issue (not just AI capability thing) -- current visualization languages are a bit too low-level for AI agents, requiring them to explicitly make…
Jul 2026 · microsoft.github.io · its alternatives →
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Monte Carlo ray tracer developed using Rust. Contribute to Dalamar42/rayt development by creating an account on GitHub.
2020 · github.com · its alternatives →
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A path tracer written in Go. Contribute to fogleman/pt development by creating an account on GitHub.
2015 · github.com · its alternatives →
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An interactive data visualisation about Exoplanets by TK Vishal
2019 · exoplanetexplore.now.sh · its alternatives →
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Features include: - Several preset periodic orbits: the classic Figure-8, plus newly discovered 3D solutions from Li and Liao's recent database of 10,000+ orbits (https://arxiv.org/html/2508.08568v1) - Full 3D camera controls (rotate/pan/zoom) with body-following mode - Force and velocity vector visualization - Timeline scrubbing to explore the full orbital period The 3D presets are particularly interesting. Try "O₂(1.2)" or "Piano O₆(0.6)" from the Load Presets menu to see configurations where bodies weave in and out of the orbital plane. Most browser…
Nov 2025 · trisolarchaos.com · its alternatives →
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A collection of impls to get the current moon phase - iriswebb/moonphase
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
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GPU Raytracer from scratch in C++/CUDA. Contribute to jan-van-bergen/GPU-Raytracer development by creating an account on GitHub.
2021 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 18

Creating high-quality scientific figures can be time-consuming and challenging, even though sketching ideas on paper is relatively easy. Furthermore, recreating existing figures that are not stored in formats preserving semantic information is equally complex. To tackle this problem, we introduce DeTikZify, a novel multimodal language model that automatically synthesizes scientific figures as semantics-preserving TikZ graphics programs based on sketches and existing figures. We also introduce a Monte Carlo Tree Search-based inference algorithm that enables DeTikZify to iteratively refine its…
2024 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 19

Live NASA solar imagery in 12 wavelengths, the moon phase tonight for 200+ cities, and real space weather. Free on iOS and Android. No ads, no signup.
Apr 2026 · lumara-space.app · its alternatives →
- 20AS
Create custom star maps, with the stars, planets, Sun and Moon as seen from the locations, dates and times of your choice, and your own design. Download them as transparent PNG to add to your own products, or create unique art with them.
2019 · thestarmaps.com · its alternatives →
- 21

This is a little hobby project that I hope you enjoy. You can see where the International Space Station is now, with live HD video from NASA, on a realistic 3D globe. The positions of the sun and moon are also accurate, though distances aren't to scale. The clouds are also near-realtime; I span that out into a separate project at https://clouds.matteason.co.uk, where the cloud images I create from EUMETSAT data are freely available. I've got more features almost ready to go, like the ability to turn off all UI, toggleable clouds and turning off the day/night cycle I'd love for…
2024 · iss.matteason.co.uk · its alternatives →
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I'm working on a GPS track visualizer for quite some time. It shines in hilly and mountaineous terrain (where a 3D view makes more sense), but it also offers quite a lot of Strava-like features (statistics etc.). You can upload your GPX and FIT files manually, or sync directly with Garmin, Coros and Polar. See https://cubetrek.com for the live app and check out some examples there. It's free and opens source. Also, anyone who likes to work with 3D visualizations (especially Babylon.js), let me know if you like to help polish this thing further.
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
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The purely functional user interface library that
2018 · kbrsh.github.io · its alternatives →
- 24SB
2017 · martin.varela.fi · its alternatives →
Also compare
- AstraPixels alternatives
- A raytracer to shade topographic maps in R alternatives
- I was curious about spherical helix, ended up making this visualization alternatives
- A physically-based GPU ray tracer written in Julia alternatives
- CGI Moon Kit alternatives
- I've made a Monte-Carlo raytracer for glTF scenes in WebGPU alternatives
Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →