geekhack

geekhack Community => Off Topic => Topic started by: mr_a500 on Thu, 09 February 2012, 11:39:44

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: mr_a500 on Thu, 09 February 2012, 11:39:44

Has anybody here played around with this awesome (and free!) space program? I've had it on my computer for years (BeOS version, now Mac) - but I never really saw how amazing it is until I got a computer fast enough to have fun with all the features. With high-resolution replacement textures, it's mind-blowing. There are some fun add-ons too. Check out these screenshots I just took:

Jupiter and Europa
(http://img825.imageshack.us/img825/4445/ishot2t.png)

Saturn
(http://img15.imageshack.us/img15/6495/ishot8.png)

Here are some add-on models from 2001: Space Odyssey. (needs Blue Danube music)
(http://img546.imageshack.us/img546/5908/ishot5.png)

Discovery
(http://img585.imageshack.us/img585/1686/ishot4.png)

"Open the pod bay doors, HAL."
(http://img29.imageshack.us/img29/9043/ishot3.png)

"My God, it's full of stars." (sadly, it's not)
(http://img857.imageshack.us/img857/2360/ishot10.png)

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: bienc on Thu, 09 February 2012, 11:55:26

Zeus that looks amazing. I'm months away from a new computer but I will hopefully check this out when I get one (hopefully because I'll probably forget).

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: mr_a500 on Thu, 09 February 2012, 12:00:54

These screenshots were taken on a PowerMac G5 from 2004, by the way. (that's my "new" computer :wink: )

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: bienc on Thu, 09 February 2012, 18:15:25

Quote from: mr_a500;510270

These screenshots were taken on a PowerMac G5 from 2004, by the way. (that's my "new" computer :wink: )

Then perhaps I can run it on my computer! Haha. It's a Black Macbook from 2008, right before the unibodies. This gives me hope!

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: BucklingSpring on Thu, 09 February 2012, 20:57:37

I'm downloading the PC version now... Looking forward to try it.

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: mr_a500 on Wed, 15 February 2012, 01:04:46

Ooh, there's also the Eagle from Space 1999!

(http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/1070/ishot2m.png)
(super-high res Moon textures go nicely with it)

I just found out there's a (supposedly) better space emulator, called Cosmographia (http://www.cosmographia.info/). I can't try it though because I've got a PPC Mac and Cosmographia is Intel-only. Damn it.

Title: Having fun flying through space with Celestia
Post by: silat on Wed, 15 February 2012, 03:57:09

Another good one is Stellarium.