Celestia Forums

The creator of the famous Noctis space-exploration series - Alessandro Ghignola - has today updated, translated and uploaded a simulator he created in 1997.
This simulator, known as StarWays, can simulate galactic collisions by using a realistic physics-engine.
Of course, the physics are only applied to the galactic cores and their effects on the stars as the galactic merger takes place (if each induvidial star was to have its own simulated gravity, it would have brought down even the best super-computer available to a slow crawl).

I say this simulator is best described as galactic art, and its a quite good piece of software.

If you want to know more more, visit the Official StarWays website.

I tought maybe it will one day be possible to implement an correspoding feature to Celestia? Would be fun to see the Milky Way and Andromeda merge in some 200 billion+ years from now


Stargazer.

Ok, but there's much better program (newer of course), Gravity3D, by Adrian Lark (respect!) - http://www.mars3d.com

This is the best galaxy colliding simulation yet, try it, it's really impressive.

It provides 3D navigation thru galaxies, and machine with 256 MB RAM can theoreticaly handle more than 5 milion stars (but 300 thousand it's usually recommended, for larger framerate). There are special effects like star blurring, fog and customizable colors of galaxies. You will notice the incredible physic realism.

On Lark's site, you will find other simulations, like MarsExplorer, probably the best planet surface simulation ever. Its precision is twice as good as NASA's.


If we could combine MarsExplorer and Gravity3D (both based on OpenGL) technology for surfaces and galaxies, and Celestia everything else, we would truly have the complete space simulation...

Thanks for the link!

Gravity3D is quite good and impressive, but actually, StarWays seems to have more features, such as the possibility to ancour to stars, and easier editing of galaxies and time, and collition scenarioes with different galaxy types and such.

Those other simulators on that Mars3D-site looks quite good also, can't wait to try them!

Once again: Thank you very much for that link.


Stargazer.

Cheers to Alex...Cant wait for NV

Gravity3D and Starways are both good in different ways - Gravity3D looks pretty, while I feel Starways is more accurate.

btw, Chris, anyway of using the rendering effects in Gravity3D for galaxies and nebulae?