SpaceEngine - is a free space simulation software that lets you explore the universe in three dimensions, starting from planet Earth to the most distant galaxies. Areas of the known universe are represented using actual astronomical data, while regions uncharted by human astronomy are generated procedurally. Millions of galaxies, trillions of stars, countless planets!
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Capabilities
All types of celestial objects are represented: planets, moons, asteroids, stars, star clusters, nebulae and galaxies.
The observer is free to move around the universe. Transition between any celestial body and any scale occurs continuously.
The observer can move around in space using the WASD keys, like in First Person Shooters. Movement with inertia is made possible in Spacecraft mode or Aircraft mode.
"Select and fly" autopilot: just click on any object with the mouse and hit the 'G' key to automatically go directly to the object.
Search for celestial objects by name. View planetary system maps. Save locations and an autopilot's journal.
The orbital motion of planets and stars is calculated in real time, with the ability to accelerate, decelerate, or reverse the flow of time.
The orbital paths of celestial objects can be shown, along with their labels and grids.
Automatic binding of the observer to the moving object and automatic selection of optimum flight speed.
Known celestial objects are represented using data from the catalogs: galaxies (NGC/IC), stars (HIPPARCOS), star clusters, nebulae, planets (our Solar system data and known extrasolar planets).
Uncharted regions of space feature procedurally generated objects: stars, star clusters, nebulae and planetary systems.
3D landscapes of planets and stars: for many solar system bodies actual data from space probes is used. For uncharted exo-planets the surface is generated procedurally.
Volumetric 3D sprite models of galaxies and nebulae including light-absorbing dust clouds, optimized render to a skybox and impostors.
Lighting effects: lens flares, solar eclipses, shadows of planetary rings. Celestial objects cast light and shadow on to each other.
The exact model of the Earth's atmosphere (code by Eric Bruneton), adapted for the other planets.
Ability to import users addons: models, catalogs, and textures.
Here's a good video that gives a small glimpse to the sense of scale in this app/toy:
Almost put this into gaming section, but seeing as how it's not very game-y in the traditional sense, App section is probably more accurate. Still nerdgasm material when you start thinking what kind of space sim could be made if they built around this.
As far as I know, it's only a single guy developing it. Some Ruskie. It's really amazing the work he's put in it. But it's still a rough diamond. It often crashes especially when you tend to tinker with the magnitude settings.
As far as I know, it's only a single guy developing it. Some Ruskie. It's really amazing the work he's put in it. But it's still a rough diamond. It often crashes especially when you tend to tinker with the magnitude settings.
All the more reason why this app is so good, when you think about that this is the work a some lone programmer with very limited resources, and you actually look at the app and realize it completely puts to shame million dollar applications like Celestia, it really lets you thinking about just how limited the scope and vision of the programmers working for big companies really is.
This program is fucking phenomenal to say the least. The sense of scale it gives is simply amazing! I've literally just been messing around in it for the past 3 hours straight.
Awesome app, kudos to the dev, and thanks for the link!
I can never be free, because the shackles I wear can't be touched or be seen.
i9-9900k, MSI MPG-Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon, 32GB DDR4 @ 3000, eVGA GTX 1080 DT, Samsung 970 EVO Plus nVME 1TB
Markers for planetary system bodies
Ability to rendering a sun surface with "real" brightness
Precise Lens Flare effect for sun
[Ctrl] + [Mouse Wheel] changes velocity like [Ctrl]+[+] and [Ctrl]+[-]
Turning video capture mode (F9) automatically sets the "Frame Time" timing mode for obtaining a smooth video
In the video capture mode screenshots are saved to "screenshots/capture" directory, the old files are rewritten
Screenshots saved without HUD
Added RAM usage checking in memory manager
OpenGL version checking at program startup
Added a new recently discovered satellite of Pluto
Loading of spaceships models (experimental)
Supporting of parabolic and hyperbolic orbits
A dense atmosphere smooths the climate on the planet (reduces difference between the equator and pole)
Tidal-locked planet (always facing the same side toward the sun)
A giant cyclone at the subsolar point on the tidal-locked planets
Ocean planets (planets entirely covered by the ocean)
Ice caps are not flat terrain
Hills on the flat areas of planets
Improving the shape of the mountains
Faster generation of the landscape
Detail photo-textures on the landscape
Ability to disable (hide) water on procedural planets
3D water as separate transparent layer (no wave/reflection/refraction yet)
Brown dwarfs
Updated exoplanets catalog
Minor interface changes
Adjustment of movement keys acceleration/deceleration time in user.cfg
Adjustment of velocity presets in user.cfg
Export of planetary systems in a script-file
Collision detection with planetary surface
Automatic switching of follow mode for planets (Follow / Sync Rot)
New galaxies models
Bug fixes
Fixed a bug with black screen at startup
Fixed a bug with missing interface textures and other stuff (incorrect memory manager working with old drivers)
Fixed incorrect rotation of Pluto
Fixed a bug with neutron stars in all planetary nebulae
Fixed too little mass of white dwarfs
Fixed a bug with empty irregular (Irr) galaxies
Fixed a "cubic star clusters" bug
Fixed a shifting of selection pointer and labels beside the planet
Fixed a shifting of the background in the black hole's gravity lens effect
Fixed incorrect calculation of the rings and moons orbital orbital period
Fixed wrong position of the binary star's barycenter
Fixed the shining of asteroid particles through nearby planets
Fixed a bug with landscape patch BBoxes: it is possible to use LOD 0 now
Fixed incorrect rendering order of transparent clouds layers
Fixed a crash while first running if the Milky Way galaxy model is not cached
Fixed excessive RAM consumption
Fixed disappearing of bright stars while moving at great velocity
Sin317-"im 31 years old and still surprised at how much shit comes out of my ass actually ..."
SteamDRM-"Call of Duty is the symbol of the true perfection in every aspect. Call of Duty games are like Mozart's/Beethoven's symphonies"
deadpoetic-"are you new to the cyberspace?"
Srsly. This is the THING that makes You see how insanely huge everything is.
It's like a sandbox within every grain of sand within every grain of sand and so on. Maybe to infinity. its crazy ...
3080, ps5, lg oled
Sin317-"im 31 years old and still surprised at how much shit comes out of my ass actually ..."
SteamDRM-"Call of Duty is the symbol of the true perfection in every aspect. Call of Duty games are like Mozart's/Beethoven's symphonies"
deadpoetic-"are you new to the cyberspace?"
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