3-D scatterplot

Use a 3-D scatterplot to show how groups of points separate along three numeric fields.

Gentoo penguins stand apart in bill depth and flipper length

Three measurements of 36 penguins, illustrative figures

AdelieChinstrapGentoo

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```chart
type: scatter3d
title: Gentoo penguins stand apart in bill depth and flipper length
subtitle: Three measurements of 36 penguins, illustrative figures
data:
  inline:
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 38.3, bill_depth: 18.8, flipper: 189}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 36.9, bill_depth: 18.1, flipper: 196}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 40.9, bill_depth: 18.5, flipper: 192}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 35.5, bill_depth: 19.1, flipper: 193}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 35.4, bill_depth: 16.7, flipper: 186}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 39.4, bill_depth: 18.3, flipper: 193}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 39.4, bill_depth: 18.7, flipper: 187}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 39.9, bill_depth: 19.4, flipper: 187}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 38.1, bill_depth: 18.2, flipper: 193}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 37.9, bill_depth: 17.4, flipper: 187}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 37.2, bill_depth: 18.5, flipper: 192}
    - {species: Adelie, bill_length: 38.9, bill_depth: 19.5, flipper: 180}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 48.6, bill_depth: 17.7, flipper: 198}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 45.9, bill_depth: 19.1, flipper: 199}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 51.7, bill_depth: 18.7, flipper: 197}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 50.0, bill_depth: 17.8, flipper: 194}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 46.9, bill_depth: 17.9, flipper: 202}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 45.9, bill_depth: 18.6, flipper: 203}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 45.0, bill_depth: 16.1, flipper: 198}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 46.6, bill_depth: 19.3, flipper: 202}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 49.3, bill_depth: 18.8, flipper: 204}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 49.8, bill_depth: 18.9, flipper: 188}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 50.7, bill_depth: 18.9, flipper: 186}
    - {species: Chinstrap, bill_length: 50.5, bill_depth: 16.8, flipper: 195}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 44.9, bill_depth: 16.4, flipper: 220}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 48.1, bill_depth: 15.6, flipper: 218}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 46.2, bill_depth: 14.6, flipper: 222}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 45.7, bill_depth: 15.9, flipper: 224}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 44.7, bill_depth: 14.9, flipper: 216}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 50.3, bill_depth: 14.1, flipper: 223}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 45.9, bill_depth: 15.6, flipper: 223}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 48.2, bill_depth: 15.1, flipper: 218}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 47.1, bill_depth: 15.2, flipper: 220}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 49.0, bill_depth: 15.5, flipper: 227}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 46.6, bill_depth: 14.7, flipper: 217}
    - {species: Gentoo, bill_length: 46.8, bill_depth: 15.3, flipper: 226}
encoding: {x: bill_length, y: bill_depth, z: flipper, color: species}
axes:
  x: {label: Bill length (mm)}
  y: {label: Bill depth (mm)}
  color: {label: Flipper (mm)}
```

Fields that matter

type: scatter3d with numeric encoding.x, encoding.y and encoding.z, an optional encoding.color that splits the points into groups, an optional encoding.size and an optional encoding.label for the readout heading
Dots are drawn far to near; without encoding.size a nearer dot is larger and more opaque, with it the radius shows the size by area and only the opacity follows depth
Up to 80 points stand on a faint line to the floor so their position reads
A chart takes at most 5,000 points; above that it is not drawn and check raises chart.limit-exceeded naming the limit and the count
style.azimuth (default 35) turns the view round the vertical axis and style.elevation (default 28) tilts it, both in degrees
axes.x, axes.y and axes.color name and format the three axes
A row without a coordinate or a group, or with a negative size, is left out and reported

Interactions

Hover or focus a dot to read its three coordinates, its group and its size.
Click a legend entry to remove a group and back.
Open the Table view, Download PNG or CSV, or Expand the chart.