This repository contains a tool for simulating and visualizing the orbital mechanics of p-type binary star systems. Additionally, orbiting planets and satellites can be simulated as well as circumbinary habitable zones. All parameters are freely configurable in conformity with the laws of physics.
Follow these instructions to get a copy of the project running in a virtual environment on your local machine.
The simulator is written in Python. It is highly recommended using a virtual environment (e.g. virtualenv) to install additional packages while keeping them separated from your other Python projects.
To get started, clone this repository, set up a virtual environment (at
least Python 3.8) and install the dependencies by running pip install -r requirements.txt from the root directory of this project.
The root directory contains several scripts that simulate different aspects
of p-type binary star systems. At the beginning of each script you will find
a small section where various simulation parameters can be set. Here you can
also choose from a set of pre-parameterized star systems by specifying the
corresponding name. The available systems are listed in star_catalog.yml.
Define your own parameterization by adding new star systems to the catalog.
Note that certain combinations of parameters lead to physical unstable
solutions and therefore cannot be simulated.
The table below lists all configurable parameters including their units. If you omit a parameter, the default value is used instead.
| Group | Parameter | Unit | Default |
|---|---|---|---|
| all | eccentricity | 0.0 | |
| longitude of ascending node | degree | 0.0 | |
| inclination | degree | 90.0 | |
| argument of periapsis | degree | 0.0 | |
| binary star | mass | solar mass | 1.0 |
| radius | solar radius | 1.0 | |
| luminosity | solar luminosity | 1.0 | |
| temperature | Kelvin | 5780 | |
| semi-major axis | astronomical unit (AU) | 0.2 | |
| planet | mass | Jupiter mass | 1.0 |
| radius | Jupiter radius | 1.0 | |
| semi-major axis | astronomical unit (AU) | 1.0 | |
| satellite | mass | earth mass | 0.1 |
| radius | earth radius | 0.5 | |
| semi-major axis | astronomical unit (AU) | 0.01 |
This project is published under the MIT license.