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The image shows parts of three tactile images: the sun, radiation belts, and Earth's magnetosphere.

 Tactile images 

Tactile images help blind and visually impaired people to envision a scene, or a topic that is discussed.
The tactile images are made of different materials so the structure and shape of the objects on the images can be felt by touching.

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We prepared all our tactile images from materials that are easy to find in craft & hobby shops. Therefore, you can create them easily yourself! Check the images below.

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Each of them contains detailed instructions, a list of materials you will need to have, a video tutorial, and other downloadable materials, such as a pdf file with all necessary templates.

The image shows the tactile image of the Sun made out of chenille wire, solar flares made out of glitters, and solar wind and other particles flowing out of the sun made out of various beads.

The Sun

The tactile image of the Sun shows the dynamic structure of the Sun’s atmosphere, solar wind, solar flares, coronal mass ejections and solar energetic particles.

The image shows the tactile image of Earth's atmosphere. Ionosphere and ozone layer are shown by different various radiation is made out of glitters. Other atmospheric features are shown such as aurora, meteors and clouds.

Atmosphere

The tactile image shows several layers of the atmosphere, including the ozone layer and the ionosphere. It marks were meteors and auroras are formed.

Coming soon
The image shows the tactile image of Earth's magnetosphere. The magnetosphere is made out of wires and solar wind that goes around the magnetosphere is made out of beads.

Magnetosphere

The tactile image of the magnetosphere shows the Earth and its distorted magnetic field. It shows how the solar particles flow around Earth’s magnetosphere.

The image shows how aurora is created. Particles from the Sun, that are made out of beads, enter the magnetosphere, that is made out of wires. The bead are put on the wires so they can move towards the Earth and enter its atmosphere.

Aurora formation

This tactile image shows that the charged particles move along Earth’s magnetic field lines and can be directed towards the atmosphere in the polar regions.

The image shows the tactile image of aurora or northern, polar lights. The aurora is made of organza and shaped in waves to give the wavy impression of auroras.

Aurora

This tactile image shows a horizon with houses. Above the roofs, wavy, curtain-like aurora is visible. A piece of fabric hangs down from the back side, showing the movement of auroras.

Coming soon
The image shows the tactile image of how radio communication works. The signal, made out of a threat wire, is reflected by the ionosphere (rough fabric) to reach an airplane. It also shows, how the signal is absorbed in the ionosphere during a solar storm.

Radio communication

This tactile image shows how radio communication works. Radio signal is reflected by the ionosphere but it can absorbed during a solar storm and create a radio blackout.

Coming soon
The image shows the tactile image of how radio communication works. The signal, made out of a threat wire, is reflected by the ionosphere (rough fabric) to reach an airplane. It also shows, how the signal is absorbed in the ionosphere during a solar storm.

Induced currents

These tactile images show that during a geomagnetical storm, electrical currents form under the ground and can enter the power grid that can cause power outages and failures.

Coming soon
The image shows the tactile image of radiation belts. The inner belt is made out of rough sand paper, while the outer belt is made out of soft sand paper. Three different types of satellites are shown by bead.

Radiation belts

This tactile image shows two radiation belts where energetic particles are trapped. Satellites orbit on different altitudes: some are outside of the belts, some are inside.  

Coming soon
The image shows the tactile image of sources, phenomena, and effects of space weather. Radiation is envisioned by glitters and beads, coronal mass ejections from the Sun by chinelle wire, aurora by organza, and air and ground infrastructure parts by other materials.

Space weather

This tactile image summarizes space weather sources, phenomena, and effects. This tactile image is the main image we recommend to use with our audio booklets.

Coming soon
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