There's an aspect of things which I find amusing: the flow back and forth between science and science fiction, which has been an important part of my life. I started out reading science fiction and then became a scientist, and that set the slant on my scientific work. I like to make connections between life and cosmology and astronomy. Science fiction raises all these interesting possibilities and has had some influence on science in the last 25 years – not only in the area of SETI, but also in other ways.

1. Dyson, F. J. "Interstellar Transport," Physics Today, 21, 41 (1968).
2. Dyson, F. J. "Search for Artificial Stellar Sources of Infrared Radiation." Science 131 (June 3, 1960).
3. Swift, David. SETI Pioneers: Scientists Talk About Their Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence. Tucson: University of Arizona Press (1990).
4. Dyson, Freeman. Disturbing the Universe. New York: Harper & Row (1979).
5. Dyson, Freeman. Origins of Life, New York: Cambridge Univer

There is a Sourceforge Open source program, Celestia, which enables virtual travel through the universe. There are basic elements of the program, which give the general layout of the Solar System, and Star, and Galaxy positions. There are a wide range of 'addons' which can be loaded onto the program, and these include more detailed planet surfaces, Nebula 2D, and 3D images, Black Holes, and many fictional designs including a number of Dyson Spheres, and Ringworlds.
click to see screenshot Orion's Arm Ringworld
sbowers
Two small ringworlds surrounding white dwarf stars Special homepage for this Addon
click to see screenshot Impossible Dyson
sbowers
A Dyson Sphere for 18 Scorpii

I tried to paste some links in, they didn't seem to stick.
The addons are at The Celestia Motherlode. Orion's Arm

I clipped Celestia and the motherlode awhile ago.
Look in my space collection