Devlog 1 – The Beginning of Cosmic Object Explorer

A few weeks ago, I was searching for detailed information about Hoag’s Object. While basic information was easy to find, locating scientific data, images, and observational details required digging through NASA archives and astronomical databases.

After spending hours searching, I thought:

Why isn’t there a simple way to explore celestial objects?

That idea became “Cosmic Object Explorer”.

Cosmic Object Explorer is a web application that allows users to search for celestial objects and access scientific information through a simple interface.

Progress So Far

• Built the frontend user interface
• Developed a C++ backend search engine
• Implemented partial search functionality
• Integrated astronomical data sources
• Began deployment setup with Vercel

Planned Features

• Search stars, planets, nebulae, galaxies, asteroids, and comets
• Display object type, distance, and scientific information
• Show images and observations from astronomical databases
• Improve search accuracy and database coverage

Tech Stack

Frontend: HTML, CSS, JavaScript
Backend: C++
Deployment: Vercel

Next Steps

• Expand the object database
• Add image support
• Create detailed object pages
• Deploy a public version

Cosmic Object Explorer started from a simple frustration while researching space, and I hope it grows into a platform that makes exploring the universe easier for everyone.