Are there any software tools available to map the solar system hundreds of years from now?
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I am writing a scifi novel based roughly four hundred years from now, and it occurred to me that the planets and other objects might not be quite where I need them to be for certain travel details to make sense.
Primarily, Eris and Pluto have irregular orbits that take a very long time (558 and 248 year respectively), which sometimes puts Eris closer than Pluto. This is a problem if I write that Eris is the last stop before exiting the solar system if Eris is at ~38 AU (perihelion) and Pluto is at ~49 AU (aphelion).
Are there any software tools available to accurately map the solar system hundreds of years from now?
planets space orbital-mechanics time solar-system
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up vote
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I am writing a scifi novel based roughly four hundred years from now, and it occurred to me that the planets and other objects might not be quite where I need them to be for certain travel details to make sense.
Primarily, Eris and Pluto have irregular orbits that take a very long time (558 and 248 year respectively), which sometimes puts Eris closer than Pluto. This is a problem if I write that Eris is the last stop before exiting the solar system if Eris is at ~38 AU (perihelion) and Pluto is at ~49 AU (aphelion).
Are there any software tools available to accurately map the solar system hundreds of years from now?
planets space orbital-mechanics time solar-system
I like to use celestron starry night for skywatching, and it is pretty accurate. Also, it can also go forward a time to, if I remeber correctly, to 3000 AD.
– Aaron
2 hours ago
add a comment |
up vote
3
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favorite
up vote
3
down vote
favorite
I am writing a scifi novel based roughly four hundred years from now, and it occurred to me that the planets and other objects might not be quite where I need them to be for certain travel details to make sense.
Primarily, Eris and Pluto have irregular orbits that take a very long time (558 and 248 year respectively), which sometimes puts Eris closer than Pluto. This is a problem if I write that Eris is the last stop before exiting the solar system if Eris is at ~38 AU (perihelion) and Pluto is at ~49 AU (aphelion).
Are there any software tools available to accurately map the solar system hundreds of years from now?
planets space orbital-mechanics time solar-system
I am writing a scifi novel based roughly four hundred years from now, and it occurred to me that the planets and other objects might not be quite where I need them to be for certain travel details to make sense.
Primarily, Eris and Pluto have irregular orbits that take a very long time (558 and 248 year respectively), which sometimes puts Eris closer than Pluto. This is a problem if I write that Eris is the last stop before exiting the solar system if Eris is at ~38 AU (perihelion) and Pluto is at ~49 AU (aphelion).
Are there any software tools available to accurately map the solar system hundreds of years from now?
planets space orbital-mechanics time solar-system
planets space orbital-mechanics time solar-system
asked 2 hours ago
TitaniumTurtle
1,502526
1,502526
I like to use celestron starry night for skywatching, and it is pretty accurate. Also, it can also go forward a time to, if I remeber correctly, to 3000 AD.
– Aaron
2 hours ago
add a comment |
I like to use celestron starry night for skywatching, and it is pretty accurate. Also, it can also go forward a time to, if I remeber correctly, to 3000 AD.
– Aaron
2 hours ago
I like to use celestron starry night for skywatching, and it is pretty accurate. Also, it can also go forward a time to, if I remeber correctly, to 3000 AD.
– Aaron
2 hours ago
I like to use celestron starry night for skywatching, and it is pretty accurate. Also, it can also go forward a time to, if I remeber correctly, to 3000 AD.
– Aaron
2 hours ago
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
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oldest
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up vote
3
down vote
JPL's HORIZONS system will give you ephemerides, charts of a planet's location in the sky (via right ascension and declination) and position in space via quantities like the true anomaly. You can find ephemerides for all eight planets, as well as about 800,000 asteroids, comets and moons (yes, including Pluto and Eris).
HORIZONS is quite accurate, and allows you to make calculations in a variety of timesteps (and shows you intermediate positions along the way!), ranging from days to years. The shorter the timestep, the better the accuracy, but the longer it takes. Usually, it can calculate ephemerides for up to 500 years in the future.
There are a number of interfaces, with the simplest being the web one. Pick the option that suits you best.
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
Starry Night is pretty reliable.
New contributor
5
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
2
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
The Universe Sandbox has the ability to simulate planetary physics. I doubt that it is 100% accurate, but as a tool for projecting a future it may fill your need.
Alternately, the math for working out roughly where a planet is in its orbit is not overly complicated. Find when their next perihelion/aphelion will occur, and simply add the time required to complete 1 orbit. Another nice thing about perihelion/aphelion is that the planet takes about half the orbit time to go from one to the other.
add a comment |
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
3 Answers
3
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
JPL's HORIZONS system will give you ephemerides, charts of a planet's location in the sky (via right ascension and declination) and position in space via quantities like the true anomaly. You can find ephemerides for all eight planets, as well as about 800,000 asteroids, comets and moons (yes, including Pluto and Eris).
HORIZONS is quite accurate, and allows you to make calculations in a variety of timesteps (and shows you intermediate positions along the way!), ranging from days to years. The shorter the timestep, the better the accuracy, but the longer it takes. Usually, it can calculate ephemerides for up to 500 years in the future.
There are a number of interfaces, with the simplest being the web one. Pick the option that suits you best.
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
JPL's HORIZONS system will give you ephemerides, charts of a planet's location in the sky (via right ascension and declination) and position in space via quantities like the true anomaly. You can find ephemerides for all eight planets, as well as about 800,000 asteroids, comets and moons (yes, including Pluto and Eris).
HORIZONS is quite accurate, and allows you to make calculations in a variety of timesteps (and shows you intermediate positions along the way!), ranging from days to years. The shorter the timestep, the better the accuracy, but the longer it takes. Usually, it can calculate ephemerides for up to 500 years in the future.
There are a number of interfaces, with the simplest being the web one. Pick the option that suits you best.
add a comment |
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
JPL's HORIZONS system will give you ephemerides, charts of a planet's location in the sky (via right ascension and declination) and position in space via quantities like the true anomaly. You can find ephemerides for all eight planets, as well as about 800,000 asteroids, comets and moons (yes, including Pluto and Eris).
HORIZONS is quite accurate, and allows you to make calculations in a variety of timesteps (and shows you intermediate positions along the way!), ranging from days to years. The shorter the timestep, the better the accuracy, but the longer it takes. Usually, it can calculate ephemerides for up to 500 years in the future.
There are a number of interfaces, with the simplest being the web one. Pick the option that suits you best.
JPL's HORIZONS system will give you ephemerides, charts of a planet's location in the sky (via right ascension and declination) and position in space via quantities like the true anomaly. You can find ephemerides for all eight planets, as well as about 800,000 asteroids, comets and moons (yes, including Pluto and Eris).
HORIZONS is quite accurate, and allows you to make calculations in a variety of timesteps (and shows you intermediate positions along the way!), ranging from days to years. The shorter the timestep, the better the accuracy, but the longer it takes. Usually, it can calculate ephemerides for up to 500 years in the future.
There are a number of interfaces, with the simplest being the web one. Pick the option that suits you best.
edited 1 hour ago
answered 2 hours ago
HDE 226868♦
62.9k12216408
62.9k12216408
add a comment |
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
Starry Night is pretty reliable.
New contributor
5
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
2
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
Starry Night is pretty reliable.
New contributor
5
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
2
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
add a comment |
up vote
2
down vote
up vote
2
down vote
Starry Night is pretty reliable.
New contributor
Starry Night is pretty reliable.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 2 hours ago
user58275
211
211
New contributor
New contributor
5
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
2
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
add a comment |
5
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
2
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
5
5
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
This does not provide an answer to the question. Once you have sufficient reputation you will be able to comment on any post; instead, provide answers that don't require clarification from the asker. - From Review
– JohnWDailey
1 hour ago
2
2
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
Hi user58275! This is what is called a "one liner" -- a very low quality response that is very likely to be deleted. Please edit to include a link and describe for those of us what it does and how it can be of use to the OP's query.
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
While this link may answer the question, it is better to include the essential parts of the answer here and provide the link for reference. Link-only answers can become invalid if the linked page changes. - From Review
– elemtilas
26 mins ago
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
The Universe Sandbox has the ability to simulate planetary physics. I doubt that it is 100% accurate, but as a tool for projecting a future it may fill your need.
Alternately, the math for working out roughly where a planet is in its orbit is not overly complicated. Find when their next perihelion/aphelion will occur, and simply add the time required to complete 1 orbit. Another nice thing about perihelion/aphelion is that the planet takes about half the orbit time to go from one to the other.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
The Universe Sandbox has the ability to simulate planetary physics. I doubt that it is 100% accurate, but as a tool for projecting a future it may fill your need.
Alternately, the math for working out roughly where a planet is in its orbit is not overly complicated. Find when their next perihelion/aphelion will occur, and simply add the time required to complete 1 orbit. Another nice thing about perihelion/aphelion is that the planet takes about half the orbit time to go from one to the other.
add a comment |
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
The Universe Sandbox has the ability to simulate planetary physics. I doubt that it is 100% accurate, but as a tool for projecting a future it may fill your need.
Alternately, the math for working out roughly where a planet is in its orbit is not overly complicated. Find when their next perihelion/aphelion will occur, and simply add the time required to complete 1 orbit. Another nice thing about perihelion/aphelion is that the planet takes about half the orbit time to go from one to the other.
The Universe Sandbox has the ability to simulate planetary physics. I doubt that it is 100% accurate, but as a tool for projecting a future it may fill your need.
Alternately, the math for working out roughly where a planet is in its orbit is not overly complicated. Find when their next perihelion/aphelion will occur, and simply add the time required to complete 1 orbit. Another nice thing about perihelion/aphelion is that the planet takes about half the orbit time to go from one to the other.
answered 2 hours ago
Kain0_0
8224
8224
add a comment |
add a comment |
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I like to use celestron starry night for skywatching, and it is pretty accurate. Also, it can also go forward a time to, if I remeber correctly, to 3000 AD.
– Aaron
2 hours ago