Visualizations
A selection of images, movies, and interactive tours made by me and my group, drawn from my talks and papers. Click an image or movie for the full-resolution version. Where I know who made a figure, the credit is given. Please ask if you would like to use something; the data behind many of these are public (ALMA-IMF, ACES, JWST).
Movies
Zooming in to the Central Molecular Zone (with ACES)
From the Milky Way (HI, CO, dust) down to the ACES view of the CMZ.
From the Milky Way (HI, CO, dust) down to the ACES view of the CMZ.
Slide builds and animated transitions
These are the animated builds and transitions in my talks (recorded from the live slides), plus the interactive pages behind them.
Zooming out from the Teapot to tonight's sky
The slide transition from the Sagittarius Teapot to the view from Chiefland at 7 pm, looking southwest.
The slide transition from the Sagittarius Teapot to the view from Chiefland at 7 pm, looking southwest.
Credit: Sky simulation: Gaia DR3 + Hipparcos (ESA), Bortle-3 sky rendered for Chiefland
talk: slide 2, build 4 → 5
talk: slide 2, build 4 → 5
The night sky, from the whole sky to the Teapot and back
All builds of the sky sequence: the Milky Way as the eye sees it, Gaia, constellations, Sagittarius, then tonight's view in visible, infrared (SPHEREx) and millimeter/radio (Planck + HI4PI) light.
All builds of the sky sequence: the Milky Way as the eye sees it, Gaia, constellations, Sagittarius, then tonight's view in visible, infrared (SPHEREx) and millimeter/radio (Planck + HI4PI) light.
Credit: Sky simulation: Gaia DR3 + Hipparcos (ESA), Bortle-3 sky rendered for Chiefland
talk: slide 2
talk: slide 2
Thirty years of stars around the black hole
Observed Keck, VLT and JWST images and GRAVITY images, with model frames in between, 1995-2026.
Observed Keck, VLT and JWST images and GRAVITY images, with model frames in between, 1995-2026.
Credit: Keck/NIRC2 (Keck Observatory Archive), VLT/NACO (ESO archive), JWST/NIRCam (MAST), GRAVITY images from the S301 discovery paper
talk: slide 33, build 3
talk: slide 33, build 3
S2 and S301 orbiting Sgr A*, 1995-2030
Positions from published orbits, with the observed span and the extrapolated span marked.
Positions from published orbits, with the observed span and the extrapolated span marked.
Credit: Orbits: Gillessen et al. 2017; GRAVITY Collaboration 2021; Abd El Dayem et al. 2026
talk: slide 33, build 4
talk: slide 33, build 4
What shape is the Galactic Center?
Ring, filled disk, spiral arms and nested orbits: the competing proposals for the 3D shape of the CMZ, built up one at a time.
Ring, filled disk, spiral arms and nested orbits: the competing proposals for the 3D shape of the CMZ, built up one at a time.
Mapping the gas in 3D with moving stars (cartoon)
Stars on the near and far sides of the center move in opposite directions across the sky; a cloud dims the stars behind it, which locates the cloud along the line of sight.
Stars on the near and far sides of the center move in opposite directions across the sky; a cloud dims the stars behind it, which locates the cloud along the line of sight.
Cloud tomography with proper-motion-based distances (full version)
The full interactive version of the cartoon: face-on view, position-velocity diagram, extinction and star counts along the cloud's sightline.
The full interactive version of the cartoon: face-on view, position-velocity diagram, extinction and star counts along the cloud's sightline.
Credit: Orbits: Nieuwmunster+ 2024; method: Vasini+ 2026
open the interactive page
open the interactive page
Interactive tours
- The Brick: WorldWide Telescope tour (talk · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick)
- ACES: WorldWide Telescope tour (ACES website · ESO press release)
- MUBLO: WorldWide Telescope tour (talk)
- W51: Aladin tour (Yoo et al., JWST NIRCam/MIRI view of W51A · UF press release)
- ACES: Aladin tour (ACES website · ESO press release)
- Interactive ACES visualizations (a talk; large download) (ACES website · ESO press release)
- ALMA-IMF multi-zoom (a talk) (ALMA-IMF I (Motte et al. 2022) · ALMA-IMF II (Ginsburg et al. 2022))
ALMA-IMF protoclusters (N2H+ and continuum)
W51-IRS2 ALMA N2H+ RGB
Three-color ALMA Band 3 image of W51-IRS2 in N2H+ from ALMA-IMF, shown on a slide of ALMA-IMF data highlights.
Three-color ALMA Band 3 image of W51-IRS2 in N2H+ from ALMA-IMF, shown on a slide of ALMA-IMF data highlights.
W51 N2H+ ALMA-IMF RGB
RGB of N2H+ (ALMA Band 3) from ALMA-IMF, shown on 'just enjoy the photos' slide.
RGB of N2H+ (ALMA Band 3) from ALMA-IMF, shown on 'just enjoy the photos' slide.
Credit: ALMA-IMF team (Adam Ginsburg, group)
talk: ISM_2021_Beirut_ALMAIMF, slide 3/0 · ALMA-IMF I (Motte et al. 2022) · ALMA-IMF II (Ginsburg et al. 2022)
talk: ISM_2021_Beirut_ALMAIMF, slide 3/0 · ALMA-IMF I (Motte et al. 2022) · ALMA-IMF II (Ginsburg et al. 2022)
G012.80 N2H+ ALMA-IMF RGB
RGB of N2H+ (ALMA Band 3) from ALMA-IMF for G012.80.
RGB of N2H+ (ALMA Band 3) from ALMA-IMF for G012.80.
Credit: ALMA-IMF team (Adam Ginsburg, group)
talk: ISM_2021_Beirut_ALMAIMF, slide 3/0 · ALMA-IMF I (Motte et al. 2022) · ALMA-IMF II (Ginsburg et al. 2022)
talk: ISM_2021_Beirut_ALMAIMF, slide 3/0 · ALMA-IMF I (Motte et al. 2022) · ALMA-IMF II (Ginsburg et al. 2022)
W51
W51 NIRCam RGB mosaic
Very large JWST NIRCam RGB mosaic of the W51 region (filters 480, 405, 187).
Very large JWST NIRCam RGB mosaic of the W51 region (filters 480, 405, 187).
W51e NIRCam+MIRI
JWST NIRCam and MIRI composite of W51e, shown as one of the 'details in our Galaxy' examples.
JWST NIRCam and MIRI composite of W51e, shown as one of the 'details in our Galaxy' examples.
W51 IRS2 NIRCam
JWST NIRCam image of W51 IRS2.
JWST NIRCam image of W51 IRS2.
W51-IRS2 JWST RGB with diffraction spikes
JWST RGB (560/480/410 filters) of W51-IRS2 where IRS2E is saturated, showing prominent diffraction spikes.
JWST RGB (560/480/410 filters) of W51-IRS2 where IRS2E is saturated, showing prominent diffraction spikes.
Credit: Taehwa Yoo
talk: sfde2025, slide 47 · Yoo et al., JWST NIRCam/MIRI view of W51A · UF press release
talk: sfde2025, slide 47 · Yoo et al., JWST NIRCam/MIRI view of W51A · UF press release
W51 RGB mosaic (F182M/F162M/F140M)
JWST RGB mosaic of W51 using bands 182, 162, 140 with log stretch.
JWST RGB mosaic of W51 using bands 182, 162, 140 with log stretch.
W51 RGB mosaic (alt. color)
Alternate-color RGB mosaic of W51 (360, 335, 210).
Alternate-color RGB mosaic of W51 (360, 335, 210).
W51e2e SiO outflow three-color zoom
Three-color ALMA zoom of the W51e2e region showing SiO outflow (1000 AU scale bar).
Three-color ALMA zoom of the W51e2e region showing SiO outflow (1000 AU scale bar).
W51e2e ALMA kinematic RGB
Blue/green/red velocity-colored ALMA image of W51 e2e with 1000 AU scale bar and an arrow across the flow.
Blue/green/red velocity-colored ALMA image of W51 e2e with 1000 AU scale bar and an arrow across the flow.
W51 North ALMA kinematic RGB
Blue/green/red velocity-colored ALMA image of W51 North with 1000 AU scale bar.
Blue/green/red velocity-colored ALMA image of W51 North with 1000 AU scale bar.
Sagittarius B2
Sgr B2 in MIRI
JWST/MIRI color image of Sgr B2 (draft rendering).
JWST/MIRI color image of Sgr B2 (draft rendering).
Credit: Nazar Budaiev
talk: colloquium_nov2025_vienna, slide 52/0 · Budaiev et al., Sgr B2 with JWST · NASA/STScI press release
talk: colloquium_nov2025_vienna, slide 52/0 · Budaiev et al., Sgr B2 with JWST · NASA/STScI press release
Sgr B2 JWST RGB (filters 405-360-300)
Wide JWST three-color mosaic of the Sgr B2 region using filters F405/F360/F300 (from filenames).
Wide JWST three-color mosaic of the Sgr B2 region using filters F405/F360/F300 (from filenames).
Credit: Nazar Budaiev
talk: colloquium_Nov2024_UNF, slide 61/7 · Budaiev et al., Sgr B2 with JWST · NASA/STScI press release
talk: colloquium_Nov2024_UNF, slide 61/7 · Budaiev et al., Sgr B2 with JWST · NASA/STScI press release
The Brick (G0.253+0.016)
The Brick in JWST (F212N/F200W/F182M)
Tall JWST NIRCam three-color mosaic of the Brick using F212N, F200W, F182M.
Tall JWST NIRCam three-color mosaic of the Brick using F212N, F200W, F182M.
Credit: Adam Ginsburg (group)
talk: EPOS_2024, slide 12 · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick · The Colors of Ices
talk: EPOS_2024, slide 12 · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick · The Colors of Ices
The Brick in JWST (F466N/F444W/F410M)
Tall JWST NIRCam mosaic of the Brick using F466N, F444W, F410M.
Tall JWST NIRCam mosaic of the Brick using F466N, F444W, F410M.
Credit: Adam Ginsburg (group)
talk: EPOS_2024, slide 12 · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick · The Colors of Ices
talk: EPOS_2024, slide 12 · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick · The Colors of Ices
The Brick: ALMA + JWST long-wave RGB
Wide color composite of the Brick combining ALMA and JWST long-wavelength data.
Wide color composite of the Brick combining ALMA and JWST long-wavelength data.
Credit: Dropbox link
talk: colloquium_Jan2024_UW, slide 68/6 · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick · The Colors of Ices
talk: colloquium_Jan2024_UW, slide 68/6 · Ginsburg et al., CO ice and gas in the Brick · The Colors of Ices
The Brick in Spitzer RGB
Spitzer RGB image of the Brick as a dark cloud against bright emission.
Spitzer RGB image of the Brick as a dark cloud against bright emission.
Orion
Orion Trapezium GEMS mosaic
Multi-band mosaic of the Orion Trapezium / Orion region, red-blue-orange color treatment (GEMS).
Multi-band mosaic of the Orion Trapezium / Orion region, red-blue-orange color treatment (GEMS).
Credit: Adam Ginsburg (group)
talk: colloquium_Oct2024_UGA, slide 78/7
talk: colloquium_Oct2024_UGA, slide 78/7
Galactic Center ices
Cloud C tricolor JWST mosaic
Wide JWST three-color mosaic of Cloud C.
Wide JWST three-color mosaic of Cloud C.
See also the full set of talks.