An interactive simulation of the solar system! Calculates approximate positions of solar system over time, with adjustable speed, zoom, and coordinate axes. Use the run/pause button (or space key) to start or stop the animated simulation. Adjust the speed slider (double arrows) to speed up or slow down the simulation (1 = real time; pressing the "y=s" button yields 1 second for a single Earth revolution). Drag the time slider (clock) to directly set the current time (slider corresponds to 2000 AD...3000 AD). Press the "NOW" button to set the current date/time to the actual date/time. Use the zoom slider (magnifying glass) to zoom in on the entire displayed area. The scale in AU per division (where each division equals the length of the displayed axes) will be displayed. Click the name of an axis to toggle between X/Y for horizontal and Y/Z for vertical (only one axis may be Y at a time). Choose one of the three option buttons for displaying object sizes: - Actual (default): true scale with minimum of 2 pixels - Normalized: scales the smallest and largest objects to fixed sizes relative to the screen size (regardless of zoom) and linearly scales intermediate objects in turn - Equal: all objects are the same size (regardless of zoom) Choose one of the two option buttons for displaying orbit sizes: - Actual (default): true scale - Equidistant: each orbit's semimajor axis will scaled such that they are equidistant; the largest orbit will be to true scale
v0.05 (Mar 11, 2023) ========================================= - Added body size modes and orbit size modes along with buttons to activate them. - Added display of active object name in preparation for future feature to click on an object to zoom in on it and show its data. v0.04 (Mar 9, 2023) ========================================= - Custom sliders have been implemented from scratch for time, playback speed, and zoom. Zoom and speed sliders use a quadratic scale to allow finer adjustment at the low end. - Added "y=s" button to set speed to 1 Earth year = 1 second. - Added capability to toggle view axes. - Pluto's orbital elements have been updated to be valid through 3000 AD as with the other planets. - Body images have been replaced with true color versions. v0.03 (Mar 3, 2023) ========================================= - True Keplerian elliptical orbits are now used; orbital elements for all planets except Pluto are valid through about 3000 AD; Pluto's is valid only for the J2000 epoch. - Simulation formatted time/date are now displayed above slider. - Added Now button to set simulation time equal to actual time. v0.02 (Mar 2, 2023) ========================================= - Added Run/Pause button to start/stop the simulation. - Added Simulation time slider (corresponds to the years 2000 AD...3000 AD). - Simulation speed correctly speeds up and slows down the passage of time. - Added View Zoom slider to zoom in on entire display. - Added Pluto. v0.01 (Feb 28, 2023) ========================================= Initial shared version. Future plans: - Better handle overlapping objects when scaled up - Calculate true elliptical orbits with real-time position relative to epoch - Add dwarf planets and comets - Allow each body to be clicked on to display data - Allow bodies with satellites to be clicked on to display local orbital system with moons - Calculate and display body rotation - Display orbit paths
