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Any tools out there to simulate planetary orbits in a binary star system? (lemmy.world)

submitted 1 year ago by IonAddis@lemmy.world to c/astronomy@mander.xyz

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So, I was looking at this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitability_of_binary_star_systems

And I want to write a sci-fi story about Non-circumbinary planet in a binary system. (The "S type" shown on that wiki page.)

And although I'm not going hardcore for the "hard" sci-fi, I want to get at least a vaguely plausible idea of how day/night and year cycles might go for such a planet. If only so I can get an idea of how I need to set up my calendar, and brainstorm on how animal/plantlife might evolve differently if the day/night cycle and seasonal cycle is different enough from Earth.

Are there any tools out there where I can either find an existing binary star system out there and put a hypothetical planet around one of them and get a visual of how sunlight from the two stars might play out over the planet circling one of them, or where I can just straight-up plop stellar/planetary masses down and it'll let me play with orbits and such?

Back in the day there wasn't, but I feel like someone might have evolved some sort of toy that'll let me do this when I wasn't looking. I just don't know where to start.

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[–] kakes@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

I'm no expert, and I don't own the game (though it's on my list), but have you looked into Space Engine?

Here's a wiki page on how to set up a binary system using scripts: https://spaceengine.fandom.com/wiki/Binary_star_script_example

You can also just play around with it in-game. Just add a planet or two to the mix and voila!

[–] IonAddis@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (1 children)

Gah, that's exactly what I want, I just have no budget for it atm. Going on my wishlist for sure.

I wonder if there's less-polished tools (FOSS) out there that can do something similar?

Edit: Wow, I'm a dummy, I already own it, I've just never installed it. Ha! Thank you!

[–] kakes@sh.itjust.works 6 points 1 year ago

Lmao a happy ending! Glad I could help!

[–] Inductor@feddit.de 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I would use Universe Sandbox, it lets you do exactly what you described.

[–] IonAddis@lemmy.world 5 points 1 year ago

Thank you!

(I had to check I didn't secretly have that one already too--this time I don't, but it's going on my wishlist.)

[–] mitchell@lemmy.ca 4 points 1 year ago

Here is a PhET simulation by the University of Colorado Boulder. I remember playing with this one as a kid!