Just rebuilt my PC and Orbiter distro! What a difference...

[Siliconaut]

So my old PC and Orbiter distro were just hit. Out of date, clogged with broken dependencies, both needed to be redone. So, I built an i5 based PC, slapped in a gtx 960 and rebuilt my orbiter distro from the ground up. Before a thought to my other games off steam came, that orbiter distro had to be done first! Finally I was able to put in all the latest versions of my favorite add ons on a clean copy of orbiter, of which I have several now that I have the disk space, and the direct3d client, and fired it up. It

It was amazing. As my MPCV SLS stack lifted into orbit, it was early in the morning. As soon as the stack hit orbit, the sun started to rise over the limb of the Earth.. My breath caught and I powered off the MFD's, turned off the HUD and watched transfixed as that big giant modded sun rose over the earth. Bringing light and life to my simulated earth. It's all soo smooth and all the graininess and low res I was trapped in for years was gone.

I have to say it is a Huge improvement and I am so excited to take the voyager grand tour in an DG this weekend.

 

[TMac3000]

A close-up view of Saturn moved me near to tears the first time I went there.

And that's just in Orbiter Could you imagine seeing that in real life?
IMO the views available in space are worth every bit of the danger.

 

[Siliconaut]

A close-up view of Saturn moved me near to tears the first time I went there.

And that's just in Orbiter Could you imagine seeing that in real life?
IMO the views available in space are worth every bit of the danger.

Honestly, I get the impression that NASA keeps you so busy you barely have time to appreciate the views offered lol but yeah. Watching ISS videos I often wish I could see that for myself. Cassini style polar orbits over Saturn are definitely on the list!

 

[Keatah]

Anyone try anything like this in Orbiter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjibg3jWx_4
http://www.universetoday.com/119551...solar-eclipse-from-the-stratosphere/#comments

 

[Siliconaut]

Anyone try anything like this in Orbiter?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yjibg3jWx_4
http://www.universetoday.com/119551...solar-eclipse-from-the-stratosphere/#comments

Sure.. I didn't even realize there was an eclipse on the day that I had chosen for an interplanetary launch, it was just a coincidence. As I completed my escape burn and the ship headed away from Earth the sun-moon came out from behind the limb of the earth just as the eclipse was starting. My mouth dropped as I watched the moon cross in front of the sun, but it was over in seconds as my speed carried me out of the shadow in a blink.

I checked the ephemeris and was like, yup, there is an eclipse that day.

Check ephemerides and you will find all kinds of viewing opportunities not only for moon earth eclipses but all kinds of stuff. Sit on IO or Europa with Videnie running, watch Diemos and phobos from where opportunity or curiousity is. (although I think Curiosity is too far north to see both moons) there are all kinds of alien skies to both watch and fly around in. That is why I love orbiter.