3.6 Simulation Controller Functions
1) Basic Panel
Clicking on the Basic tab of Simulation Controller shows the Basic panel for performing basic operations of Solar System Simulator.
Viewpoint
In the Viewpoint area, perform basic navigation settings such as how to view the solar system.
Simulation Mode
Solar System Simulator can show the sun and nine planets of the solar system, as well as the nine planet systems consisting of the planets and their satellites. Use the “Simulation Mode” for presetting whether to show/hide these celestial bodies. To switch the celestial bodies shown by Solar System Simulator, select the simulation mode from the Simulation Mode: pull down menu at the top of the Simulation Controller.
Landing/Launching
To land on a celestial body, select the desired "Selected Celestial Body" at Celestial body Name:, select an observation location at Location Name:, and click on the Landing/Launching button. Selecting the with Effect checkbox shows special effects when landing/launching on/from certain celestial bodies such as Earth. To launch into space, click on the Landing/Launching buttonagain. The basic operations of Solar System Simulator consist of switching between this Space View Mode and Ground Observation Mode and mouse operations.
Clicking on the Free flight button switches to the Free Flight Mode for traveling freely in the solar system using a joystick. To exit this Free Flight Mode, click on the Landing/Launching buttonagain.
Selecting/Editing the Observation Location
You can select the viewing location from the location list or clicking on the desired location on the map of the selected celestial body displayed on the Simulation Controller, or entering the latitude and longitude directly. To add a viewing location to the location list or change the listed order, click on the Edit locations... button to open the Location Settings dialog. See 3.7 for details.
Setting Date and Time
In the Date/Time area, you can set the date, time, and time speed in Solar System Simulator.
Select date or time by left clicking and change the value with the up/down buttons on the right, or directly entering the value.
You can set the time speed in Solar System Simulator by combining the two values "Step" and "Speed". Speed is the value indicating how much speed has changed when the speed value is increased or decreased by 1. In Solar System Simulator, you can speed up time in seconds or minutes per one actual second. For example, if you set “year/s ”, by setting speed to 3, the time in Solar System Simulator will advance by three years every second. To stop time from advancing, click on the Stop button. Clicking on the Actual time: button sets the current time. (Time will advance one second for every one second to maintain the current time)
Setting Display
Using the toggle buttons in the Display area, you can show/hide various elements.
Planet etc. labels: Shows the names of celestial bodies in the solar system such as sun, planets,
satellites, comets, etc.
Orbits: Shows the orbit of celestial bodies in the solar system.
Protractors: Shows the angle between a planet and ecliptic.
Radius scaling: Magnifies the celestial body radius for a better view.
Spin axes: Shows the spin axis of planets.
Clouds, Atmosphere: Shows the clouds and atmosphere of certain celestial bodies such as Earth.
Lighting: Shows dark surfaces of celestial bodies not lit by the sun brightly.
Landscapes: Shows landscapes in the Ground Observation Mode.
Weather effects: Shows special weather effects at certain viewing locations such as north pole on Earth.
Information console: Shows information on the current simulation time, selected celestial body, viewing location, etc. at the bottom right of the screen.
Nebula, Star clusters: Shows names of nebulas and star clusters.
Fixed star labels: Shows names of stars of the first magnitude and representative fixed stars.
Constellation lines: Shows constellation lines along with constellation names.
Constellation figures: Shows constellation figures along with constellation names.
Equatorial coordinate: Shows the grid of the equatorial coordinate.
Fixed stars: Shows all fixed stars in the background.
Milky way: Shows the Milky Way in the background.
Asteriod belt: Shows the asteroid belt near the Jupiter orbit.
Umbra: Shows the umbra of the moon and specific celestial bodies.
Penumbra: Shows the penumbra of the moon and specific celestial bodies.
Dust, Shooting stars: Shows dusts floating around comets and shooting stars in the Ground Observation Mode.
Fade in/out: Fades in/out the Simulation Window.
[Detail Settings...] Opens the Detail Setting dialog See 3.7 for details.
2) Centering Panel
Clicking the Centering tab of the Simulation Controller displays the Centering Panel for finding celestial bodies in space or from the viewing location.
At the top of the Centering panel are buttons for selecting the type of celestial body you want to find. Select the desired celestial body type, then click on the name of the celestial body from the list below. The selected celestial body appears at the center of the screen. Selecting the Keep centering checkbox will maintain the celestial body at the center of the screen even if it moves with time. This function is very useful when observing solar eclipses from ground. You can quit centering any time by left-clicking anywhere on the Simulation Window.
3) Object Display Panel
Clicking the Object Display tab of the Simulation Controller displays the Object Display Panel for showing/hiding celestial bodies.
At the top of the Object Display panel are buttons for selecting the type of celestial body you want to display. Select the desired celestial body type. A list showing all celestial bodies of this type appears below.
Clicking the checkbox of a celestial body name in the list shows the celestial body in the simulation window. Clicking the checkbox again highlights the orbit of the celestial body. To hide this celestial body, click and unselect the checkbox.
For constellations, use the right buttons in the list to show/hide the name, constellation lines, constellation figures, boundary lines, etc. of the selected constellation as well as enhance display.
By selecting Comets, Asteroids, Space crafts, or Artificial satellites, you can add or delete data using the right button in the list.
* Settings for Sun, Planets and Satellites are temporary and are reset when the Simulation Mode is changed.
* Settings for Constellations are also temporary and are reset when display settings are executed for all constellations using the Constellation Lines or Constellation Figures button on the basic panel or using shortcuts.
* For Artificial satellites, by indicating the URL of the latest artificial satellite orbit data file available on the Internet in the Sssim/data/asatellites.lst file, you can read data from this URL just by clicking the Update button to update the artificial satellite orbit definition data.
4) Scenario Edit Panel
Clicking the Scenario Edit tab of the Simulation Controller shows the Scenario Edit Panel for editing scenarios and properties and executing methods. Details of scenarios are provided in the [Advanced] section.
At the Scenario Edit panel, you can edit scenario files in the Scenario
Edit area at the center. This area shows scenario contents read from links
and files on the contents page so that they can be edited. The toolbar at
the top shows icons of basic edit functions such as clearing this
edit area,
loading and saving
scenario files, copying,
cutting, pasting, undoing,
and redoing. Click on the Record
current state button （
）
to write the current state of Solar System Simulator in the edit area in
the scenario format. You can also write information on the current viewpoint
position in the edit area in the scenario format using the Record
current statebutton （
）.
In addition, turning on the Record
operationsbutton （
）writes
all Simulator operations hereafter other than viewpoint operations in the
edit area. This will continue until you click on the button again to turn
the function off.
Click on the Play
scenario button（
）
to execute the current contents in the edit area.
In the Property/Method settings area below the Scenario Edit panel, you can set properties, execute methods, and acquire properties for Solar System Simulator. Details of properties and methods are provided in the [Advanced] section.