Monday, January 24, 2011

[rfulleud] Circular orbits screensaver

Display objects in circular motion around a point in 3D (traveling on great circles of concentric spheres).  The radii are different, but the orbital velocity need not be consistent with gravity.

Projected on a plane of the screen, the motion will be ellipses, a simple and elegant harmonic motion.  The objects' orbital periods are unrelated, so no state will ever repeat itself.  The z-axis can be depicted by exaggeratedly drawing the object bigger or smaller.

Inspired by the GNOME "Floating feet" screensaver, whose motion is jerky and unpleasant.

Orrery

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