Exoplanets data interface

An interface for the visualization of data using the NASA api

Author: Bernat Ferrer

Description

This project provides the user with an interface for a better interaction and visualization of scientific data . He or she can interact with the plots and change its settings accordingly . There is also a section for checking which is the astronomy picture of the day and an explanation from a professional astronomer.

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Folder structure

This project contains:

• index.html : Log in and register

• app.html: Data interface, accessed once the user is logged in.

• phpunit.xml: Configuration for the test classes stored in the tests folder

• composer.json/composer.lock: list of packages used in PHP

• package.json/package-lock.json: list of packages used in javascript

• assets folder :Project assets like logos, fonts or json objects for rendering graphics

• css folder: style sheets.

  • styles.css : Style sheet for the index document.
  • app.css: Style sheet for the app document.

• tests folder / unit folder: Folder containing the test documents .

  • csvTest: test class for the csv tools .

  • projectStructureTest: test class for testing that the whole project structure remains the same.

  • usersTest: Test class for validating and checking the data from the users.

• documentation folder: folder containing the documentation.

  • documentation.pdf: documentation regarding the developing of the project

  • proposal.pdf: presentation of the initial proposal

  • Postman folder : folder containing some of example api of the requests performed.

• server folder:

  • api_requests.php: handles queries related with fetching to the NASA api.

  • csvTools.php: Set of functions for a better handling of csv files.

  • sign.php: Handles the sign in , sign out and registering.

  • utils.php: Set of general functions used throughout the server.

  • viewmodel.php : Document recieving the queries from php that expect data in return.

  • data folder : Folder containing the user folders.

• src folder

  • sign.js: Document handling the signing in or registering of the user. included in index.html

  • app.js: Document handling the user interaction in app.html, once the user is logged in

  • data.js: Document containing functions that fetch the server

  • customCharts.js: Document containing a class that enables a better custom configuration of a given

    chart, created with the chartjs library.

  • validate.js: Set of functions used for validating inputs.

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Users.json

The users data is all saved in the same json file, located in the server side. Each user is given a random and unique token, present both as the primary index and as the property 'token' . Moreover, it has username and password. The first one must also be unique , and the password must contain a minimum of 6 characters, a number and a capital letter.

        `"6094a63695dfbf246396110988f496": {
            "username": "mongo",
            "password": "******",
            "token": "6094a63695dfbf246396110988f496"
        },
       
        "323663e8ca8fad928fcbdee6f1406d": {
            "username": "bernat",
            "password": "******",
            "token": "323663e8ca8fad928fcbdee6f1406d"
         }`

NASA API(S)

NASA offers a set of api's accessible with the same api key.

• Obtaining an api key. In order to get an api key you just have to give your first name, last name and a valid email . . Using this key, you will be able o use apis like Astronomy picture of the day , Earth, Exoplanet, Mars rover Photos, and many others.

• Limits: Hourly Limit: 1,000 requests per hour.

• check usage: Your can check your current rate limit and usage details by inspecting the X-RateLimit-Limit and X-RateLimit-RemainingHTTP headers that are returned on every API response.

Exoplanet Archive

The Exoplanet Archive API allows programatic access to NASA's Exoplanet Archive database. This API contains a ton of options so to get started please visit this page for introductory materials. To see what data is available in this API visit here and also be sure to check out best-practices and troubleshooting in case you get stuck.

Example queries

• confirmed planets that transit their host stars :

  https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/nstedAPI/nph-nstedAPI?&table=exoplanets&format=ipac&where=pl_tranflag=1

• All planetary candidates smaller than 2Re with equilibrium temperatures between 180-303K

  https://exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu/cgi-bin/nstedAPI/nph-nstedAPI?table=cumulative&where=koi_prad<2andkoi_teq>180 and koi_teq<303andkoi_dispositionlike'CANDIDATE')

Astronomy picture

With this api you can fetch the data of a picture from the website https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/astropix.html and its description given a day between 2020 and 1995.

Query parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
date	YYYY-MM-DD	today	The date of the APOD image to retrieve
hd	bool	False	Retrieve the URL for the high resolution image
api_key	string	DEMO_KEY	api.nasa.gov key for expanded usage

Example query

https://api.nasa.gov/planetary/apod?api_key=DEMO_KEY

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