Orrery
Orrery is a free, open source software that displays an interactive model of the solar system, planets, moons and more. It provides an educational simulation showing the relative positions and motions of solar system objects.
astronomy
solar-system
planets
educational
Orrery: Interactive Solar System Models
A free and open source software displaying an interactive model of the solar system, planets, moons and more, providing an educational simulation of their relative positions and motions.
What is Orrery?
Orrery is a free, open-source software application that displays an interactive model of the solar system, planets, moons and other celestial objects. It provides an educational astronomy simulation showing the relative positions and motions of objects in the solar system.
Some key features of Orrery include:
- Interactive 3D display of planets, moons, asteroids, comets and more
- Options to add or remove different celestial bodies
- Adjustable timeline to see the motions of objects over time
- Orbital paths displayed for planets, moons, etc.
- Click on objects to view additional informational popups
- Different viewing modes like top-down map or 3D perspective
- Settings to customize visual details and simulation parameters
Orrery aims to provide an engaging way for students and astronomy enthusiasts to explore and understand the solar system. Its detailed simulation illustrates the positions, orbits, rotations and more for various celestial objects. With an intuitive user interface, it makes visualizing complex astronomical concepts straightforward.
Orrery Features
Features
- 3D interactive model of the solar system
- Realistic orbital paths and rotations
- Zoom in on planets and moons
- Change date/time to see positions in the past or future
- Change simulation speed
- Add custom objects like spacecraft
- Supports modding and plugins
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Free and open source
Cross-platform (Windows, Mac, Linux)
Educational and intuitive interface
Highly customizable and extensible
Active development community
Lightweight and fast performance
Cons
Limited built-in celestial objects (but can be expanded)
User interface is dated
Steep learning curve for advanced features
Lacks some visual polish
Documentation could be more thorough
Official Links
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