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Lunar observation

2,600 Spaceflower  4.3 years ago


The moon. Everyone's favorite space rock. But it's not just a simple skybox texture, it's much more. Here are screenshots from my lunar observations in SP.


After a day, you will notice there is a mild shadow appearing on the moon. After a few days, it will reach and pass 3rd quarter.


The moon also moves across the sky and eventually follows with the sun.

Even a solar eclipse is possible!

My readings at snowstone indicate that the moon behaves as a overlay of the skybox, and it seems to have many many textures for each phase fraction.



KSP and SR2 both have physical astronomical bodies, and thus can simulate their Luna and Mun phases relatively simple. But SP is the only game so far to simulate realistic sun-moon phases without the actual objects being simulated. (I mean I guess there's Minecraft) So jundroo, I applaud you. Quite impressive indeed.

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    37.2k V

    @jamesPLANESii thanks

    4.3 years ago
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    16.4k Aarons123

    Unless my eyes are deceiving me, it also seems to be simulating this which neither KSP nor SR2 do, though they would need to simulate atmospheric lensing where as SP just needs to rotate each image of the moon a bit, but still cool

    note, I don’t properly remember what causes it I haven’t watched the vid in like 20 years

    +3 4.3 years ago
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    16.4k Aarons123

    @jamesPLANESii I never knew it moved, I just kinda assumed it was static

    +1 4.3 years ago
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    Set the day to 1 minute and wait 14 minutes. @FLOWRIDER0

    +1 4.3 years ago
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    I never knew the moon had a lunar cycle in SP!

    +3 4.3 years ago
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    Another thing, the stars are accurate too.

    +3 4.3 years ago
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    16.4k Aarons123

    Wait there’s a moon? What is this heresy!

    +1 4.3 years ago
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    37.2k V

    How did you get a solar eclipse to happen?

    4.3 years ago
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    8,494 Username2

    I forgot night even existed

    +1 4.3 years ago
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    That's actually pretty neat, I've never noticed because I set the in-game day length to maximum.

    +4 4.3 years ago
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    5,042 Gluck

    Very cool, never noticed!

    4.3 years ago
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    @Brendorkus because its too dark XD

    4.3 years ago
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    21.7k Brendorkus

    I had no idea there even was a moon. Whenever it’s night, I just fast forward it to day.

    +3 4.3 years ago