I've pointed Algol (Beta Persei) expecting to see 2 stars orbiting each other and found only one star: it's possible to create systems of double stars in Celestia? (I'm thinking of binary systems)
It would make our galaxy quite more "dynamic".... And what about variable stars?
If I make time run fast (very fast), can I see the proper motion of some stars (like Barnad's)?
Thanks
Anarion9
New features request
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Topic authoranarion9
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New features request
"Don't expect to see at your first look [...] Observing is, from some points of view, an art to learn." Wilheilm Herschel
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Mikeydude750
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Actually, Chris said he didn't put star movements in Celestia, because no one truely knows how distant stars move.
Also, I think you should put more detail into objects, such as making a model more detailed as you zoom in, to save frame rates. For example, you should make several texture maps that are placed when you get to a certain distance away from an object. Like, Earth could have 5 texture maps, one for 0 to 1000 KM, one from 1001-2500 KM, one from 2501-5000KM, one from 5001-10000KM, and one from 10001KM-1 LY. The closer you get, the more detailed the texture could be. Of course, the most detailed one would be more than 100 MB, but no one said it would be small.
Also, I think you should put more detail into objects, such as making a model more detailed as you zoom in, to save frame rates. For example, you should make several texture maps that are placed when you get to a certain distance away from an object. Like, Earth could have 5 texture maps, one for 0 to 1000 KM, one from 1001-2500 KM, one from 2501-5000KM, one from 5001-10000KM, and one from 10001KM-1 LY. The closer you get, the more detailed the texture could be. Of course, the most detailed one would be more than 100 MB, but no one said it would be small.
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chris
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When I said that I didn't put star movements in Celestia because we don't have enough information about how they move, I was referring just to proper motion, which is the apparent motion of a star from its orbit around the galaxy. We have fairly good orbital parameters for a number of multiple star systems, and at some point I would like to include these in Celestia. It would be fascinating to watch the motions of a binary star system from a planet orbiting the center of mass of the system.
--Chris
--Chris
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iotarhorho
i like the whole 'online celestia' idea proposed elsewhere -- this would make an incredible engine for an online wing commander type trading game, but that's another thing all together.
i'm wondering how much celestia can be expanded? are there basically an endless amount of star coordinates or is this sort of information limited?
also since openuniverse is now behind the celestia movement, there are a few cool effects that might be recruited, like the neat lens flare effect when looking at stars.
also thought it might be cool to throw in the voyager or pioneer satellites for that "pale blue dot" picture.
i'm wondering how much celestia can be expanded? are there basically an endless amount of star coordinates or is this sort of information limited?
also since openuniverse is now behind the celestia movement, there are a few cool effects that might be recruited, like the neat lens flare effect when looking at stars.
also thought it might be cool to throw in the voyager or pioneer satellites for that "pale blue dot" picture.
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iotarhorho
i like the whole 'online celestia' idea proposed elsewhere -- this would make an incredible engine for an online wing commander type trading game, but that's another thing all together.
i'm wondering how much celestia can be expanded? are there basically an endless amount of star coordinates or is this sort of information limited?
also since openuniverse is now behind the celestia movement, there are a few cool effects that might be recruited, like the neat lens flare effect when looking at stars.
also thought it might be cool to throw in the voyager or pioneer satellites for that "pale blue dot" picture.
i'm wondering how much celestia can be expanded? are there basically an endless amount of star coordinates or is this sort of information limited?
also since openuniverse is now behind the celestia movement, there are a few cool effects that might be recruited, like the neat lens flare effect when looking at stars.
also thought it might be cool to throw in the voyager or pioneer satellites for that "pale blue dot" picture.
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Matt McIrvin
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Binary stars
About binaries: I noticed that Acrux (Alpha Crucis) is also portrayed as one star, and, oddly, it's identified as both ALF1 Cru and ALF2 Cru. It is a binary according to most listings.
Maybe it's a question of whether or not the two stars got separate listings in the Hipparcos catalog.
Maybe it's a question of whether or not the two stars got separate listings in the Hipparcos catalog.
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Guest
crazy ideas
First, let me say that like everyone else, I'm amazed by this program. I'm using the Mac OS X port, which is a little rough, but it's remarkable anyway.
Some relatively sane feature ideas:
-IAU constellation boundaries (and labels for all constellations). I'd like some immediate visual indication of minor constellations like Coma Berenices. Since they'd be meaningless far from the solar system, maybe they could be painted on a sphere a parsec wide around Sol, or some such thing. The inhabitants of Alpha Cen could look at it and grumble about the smug self-centeredness of the Terran Empire.
- Visible moon orbits. (Maybe I haven't figured out how to display these.)
- In general, more control over on-screen labeling. (Maybe this already exists in the Windows version.) It would be nice to be able to switch on labeled indications of the positions of faint objects; this would make such things as an asteroid, comet, or deep-sky object database more useful. I'd also like to be able to show the catalog numbers of faint stars, not just the names of the bright ones.
Crazier ideas:
- An option for relativistically accurate space travel. Speeds would be limited to <c, with bizarre aberration and Doppler shift effects; but the set time scale would refer to the traveler's proper time and would be subject to time dilation. The user could travel to another star and back at near c in a short proper time, to find that many years had passed at home. Earth would have a local time indicator.
- Gravitational lensing. This might not lend itself to OpenGL, I admit, but it could make black holes and deep-sky data look pretty cool. Imagine flying past a large galaxy cluster and seeing the background of faint galaxies distort and split into multiple images.
Some relatively sane feature ideas:
-IAU constellation boundaries (and labels for all constellations). I'd like some immediate visual indication of minor constellations like Coma Berenices. Since they'd be meaningless far from the solar system, maybe they could be painted on a sphere a parsec wide around Sol, or some such thing. The inhabitants of Alpha Cen could look at it and grumble about the smug self-centeredness of the Terran Empire.
- Visible moon orbits. (Maybe I haven't figured out how to display these.)
- In general, more control over on-screen labeling. (Maybe this already exists in the Windows version.) It would be nice to be able to switch on labeled indications of the positions of faint objects; this would make such things as an asteroid, comet, or deep-sky object database more useful. I'd also like to be able to show the catalog numbers of faint stars, not just the names of the bright ones.
Crazier ideas:
- An option for relativistically accurate space travel. Speeds would be limited to <c, with bizarre aberration and Doppler shift effects; but the set time scale would refer to the traveler's proper time and would be subject to time dilation. The user could travel to another star and back at near c in a short proper time, to find that many years had passed at home. Earth would have a local time indicator.
- Gravitational lensing. This might not lend itself to OpenGL, I admit, but it could make black holes and deep-sky data look pretty cool. Imagine flying past a large galaxy cluster and seeing the background of faint galaxies distort and split into multiple images.