Posted on Jun 19, 2022
APOD: 2022 June 19 - Game: Super Planet Crash
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Good afternoon, Rallypoint, and welcome to the June 19th Father's Day edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): "Super Planet Crash." Today's APOD takes what we know about gravity, orbital mechanics, and known planetary systems and allows us to take a crack at building our own intra-stellar region. The key (near as I can tell) is to add an additional orbiting body that doesn't destabilize the existing system too much. The 'starter' setting involves a single Earth-sized planet in a 'habitable zone' orbit about a single star (there are five other orientations you can start from, based on discovered planetary systems). You now get to add one of five different celestial bodies, each with a different mass. And you'll see that the larger masses even cause the "Sun" to wobble. My single planet and added Brown dwarf star has lasted 182 years so far. How long did "your" solar system last?
APOD: 2022 June 19 - Game: Super Planet Crash
Posted from apod.nasa.gov
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Posted 2 y ago
Responses: 1
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Thank you, Maj William W. 'Bill' Price. That interesting and fun.
Made it to 51.1 years with a Brown Dwarf, an Ice Giant and another earthlike planet. Knew it wouldn't last long, given too much gravitational mass within the allocated area.
Second time did a "cheat the system" move by adding only one earthlike planet in an orbit closer than Mercury is. Figured it was too close to the sun to last, but apparently not. 1028.3 years.
Speeded up the system as fast as possible both times. I'm guessing anything other than other earthlike planets, in the original configuration choice, will not get near 1000 years of stability. because it would be too much mass in the area allocated.
The real and hypothetical configurations at the end are interesting. Didn't try any of the other other configurations. Seems the only way to have the choices is when they come up at the end of the game. Might try again to get to one of the other choices.
The actual configuration of a tightly packed group of planets that look earthlike is intriguing . . .
Made it to 51.1 years with a Brown Dwarf, an Ice Giant and another earthlike planet. Knew it wouldn't last long, given too much gravitational mass within the allocated area.
Second time did a "cheat the system" move by adding only one earthlike planet in an orbit closer than Mercury is. Figured it was too close to the sun to last, but apparently not. 1028.3 years.
Speeded up the system as fast as possible both times. I'm guessing anything other than other earthlike planets, in the original configuration choice, will not get near 1000 years of stability. because it would be too much mass in the area allocated.
The real and hypothetical configurations at the end are interesting. Didn't try any of the other other configurations. Seems the only way to have the choices is when they come up at the end of the game. Might try again to get to one of the other choices.
The actual configuration of a tightly packed group of planets that look earthlike is intriguing . . .
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