VRML Browsers

VRML = Virtual Reality Modeling Language

This is a simple scripting language for programming 3D objects, scenes, and worlds. It was chosen as the platform for our Kepler models because of the availability of great browsers, its ease of use for the programmer, and its special suitability for the Kepler models. One of its disadvantages is: it is fundamentally static. It is possible but difficult to animate.

Browsers

The intelligence of the 3D viewing operations is contained in the VRML browser. Some of these function as plugins for Web Browsers. They are very easy to download and install. Using them takes some practice. Whichever one you get, try to locate asap the Viewpoint Menu. The VRML worlds of this Kepler site all have a list of reccomended viewpoints, which are essential to see and understand the Kepler solar system models.

Here are some VRML browser websites:

Web3D: Annotated list of 43 available browser plugins
Cortona: Most popular browser, for Windows 95, NT and Mac (plugin for Netscape or MSIE web browsers)
Contact: Another choice for Windows 95 or NT
Cosmoplayer: Another choice for Windows 95 or NT or Mac (Netscape or Internet Explorer) but no longer supported (but Ralph's favorite)

Rev'd 17 dec 2001 by ralph abraham