3D Map of 6 Nearest Stars to Earth Using Python and Claude.ai

3D Map of 6 Nearest Stars to Earth Using Python and Claude.ai. Created basic codebase with Claude, then modified the colors and fonts to make it more readable.

import numpy as np

import matplotlib.pyplot as plt

from mpl_toolkits.mplot3d import Axes3D

# Data - selecting only the 6 closest stars (highest parallax)

names = ['Proxima Centauri', 'Barnard\'s Star', 'Lalande 21185',

'van Maanen\'s Star', 'Ross 248', 'Wolf 359']

ra = np.array([217.39232147200883, 269.44850252543836, 164.10319030755974,

165.83095967577933, 101.28662552099249, 24.771554293454546])

dec = np.array([-62.67607511676666, 4.739420051112412, 7.002726940984864,

35.948653032660104, -16.720932526023173, -17.948299887129313])

parallax = np.array([768.0665391873573, 546.975939730948, 415.17941567802137,

392.75294543876464, 374.48958852876103, 367.71189618147696])

# Convert to 3D coordinates

distances_parsecs = 1000/parallax # Convert parallax to parsecs

distances = distances_parsecs * 3.26156 # Convert parsecs to light years

ra_rad = np.radians(ra)

dec_rad = np.radians(dec)

x = distances * np.cos(dec_rad) * np.cos(ra_rad)

y = distances * np.cos(dec_rad) * np.sin(ra_rad)

z = distances * np.sin(dec_rad)

# Create 3D plot

fig = plt.figure(figsize=(12, 12))

ax = fig.add_subplot(111, projection='3d')

# Plot stars

scatter = ax.scatter(x, y, z, c='gold', s=100)

# Add Sun at origin

ax.scatter(0, 0, 0, color='gold', s=400, label='Sun')

# Add "Sun" text right next to the point (you can adjust the 0.2 offset values to position the text)

ax.text(0.2, 0.2, 0.2, 'Sun', fontsize=10, color='black', weight='bold')

# Add labels for each star with offset

x_offset = 0.1 # Adjust these values to control the label position

y_offset = 0.1

z_offset = 0.1

for i, name in enumerate(names):

ax.text(x[i] + x_offset, y[i] + y_offset, z[i] + z_offset, name, fontsize=12)

# Customize the plot

ax.set_xlabel('X (light years)')

ax.set_ylabel('Y (light years)')

ax.set_zlabel('Z (light years)')

plt.title('Six Closest Stars to Earth', pad=20)

# Add grid

ax.grid(True)

# Add legend

plt.legend()

# Make the plot more interactive by setting equal aspect ratio

ax.set_box_aspect([1,1,1])

plt.show()