IDL Fractal Browser

This set is the classic fractal. The Mandelbrot set is the set of all complex c such that iterating z -> z^2+c does not go to infinity (starting with z=0). For each pixel c, start with z=0. Repeat z=z^2+c up to N times, exiting if the magnitude of z gets large. If you finish the loop, the point is probably inside the Mandelbrot set. If you exit, the point is outside and can be colored according to how many iterations were completed. You can exit if |z|>2, since if z gets this big it will go to infinity. The maximum number of iterations, N, can be selected as desired, for instance 100. Larger N will give sharper detail but take longer. The programs allow to zoom in, rotate color tables, as well as create a 3D surface out of it.