Basic operation

Solar System Simulator has two 'view modes'.

  • Examine view (bird's-view) mode
    in this mode, you look down the solar system following the movement of specified heavenly body.

  • Observe view mode
    in this mode, you look up the sky from the specified observation place on the heavenly body.
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    The default view mode is Examine view mode.

    When you start the simulator, the following heavenly body (we call it 'current heavenly body') is in the center of the window. By dragging the mouse with left button pressed, you can spin the solar system freely. By dragging the mouse up and down with right button pressed, you can adjust the distance from the current heavenly body.

    By [Insert], [Delete] key, you can select previous/next heavenly body as the current heavenly body.

    To control the time in the simulator, press [C] Key to put it forward, [X] key to stop it, [Z] Key to out it back. If you selected the earth as the current heavenly body, you can look the solar system by following the movement of the earth.

    By [Home], [Delete] key, you can select the observation place on the current heavenly body. Select some place and press [PageUp] key to land on it. Now the view mode is Observation view mode.

    In Observation mode, by dragging the mouse with left button pressed you can look around the sky. By dragging the mouse up and down with right button pressed, you can adjust the field of view. To return the space, press [PageDown] key.

    Try other various features listed here.

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    Mouse key bind list

    Examine view mode

    Left (+ middle) drag Spins centering on the current heavenly body
    Right (+ middle) drug Adjusts the distance from the current heavenly body
    [Insert]/[Delete], right/left cursor key Selects previous/next heavenly body as the current heavenly body
    [Home]/[End], upper/lower cursor key Selects previous/next observation place on the current heavenly body
    PageUp/Space key Lands on the selected observation place, and changes to Observation view mode

    Observation view mode

    Left drag Looks around the sky
    Right drag Adjusts the field of view
    [Home]/[End], right/left cursor key Selects previous/next observation place on the current heavenly body
    PageDown/Space key Takes off and changes to Examine view mode

    [Shift]/[Ctrl] + upper and lower cursor key Adjusts the latitude of current observation place
    [Shift]/[Ctrl] + right and left cursor key Adjusts the longitude of current observation place

    [ScrollLock]/[Pause] Selects the simulation mode (sets of displaying heavenly bodies)

    H Turns on/off a headlight which lights up the heavenly bodies
    N Toggles show/hide name labels of the heavenly bodies
    A Toggles show/hide spin axes of the heavenly bodies
    O Toggles show/hide orbital lines of the heavenly bodies
    L Toggles show/hide constellation lines and labels (with [SHIFT], toggles figures)
    G Toggles show/hide galaxies, nebulas and star clusters
    F Toggles show/hide fixed stars
    W Toggles show/hide the Milky Way
    E Toggles show/hide the equatorial coordinates
    U Toggles show/hide the umbra in Eclipse mode
    P Toggles show/hide the penumbra in Eclipse mode
    D Toggles show/hide the dust of comets and shooting stars
    B Toggles show/hide the Asteroid Belt
    S Toggles scaling factor of the planets
    I Toggles show/hide the information

    C Puts the time forward (with [SHIFT]/[CTRL], more effective)
    X Stops the proceeding of the time
    Z Puts the time back (with [SHIFT]/[CTRL], more effective)
    R Adjusts the time to the current time

    0 Loads the initial states
    1 Loads 'Solar system - 0' animation sequence
    2 Loads 'Solar system - 1' animation sequence
    3 Loads 'Solar system - 2' animation sequence
    4 Loads 'Solar Eclipse' animation sequence
    5 Loads 'The Leonids' animation sequence
    6 Loads 'Solar systemfly through' animation sequence

    W Changes the drawing style of the planets
    Q Changes the mesh resolution of the planets
    Shift+Q Changes the the resolution of the orbital lines
    T Changes the policy of applying the texture images
    Shift+T Changes the resolution of texture images
    F7 Loads the graphics settings for low-end environment
    F8 Loads the graphics settings for middle-range environment
    F9 Loads the graphics settings for high-end environment
    F10 Saves the current settings
    F11 Toggles mouse/trackball operation mode
    F12 Toggles GUI/Fullscreen mode

    Esc Quit Solar System Simulator

    There are much more features in the Solar system simulators...

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