Solar System Simulator

Interactive 3D solar system visualization with OpenGL, featuring planetary orbits, textures, and real-time animation.

Preview

Why This Project

I built this solar system simulator to explore computer graphics concepts and create an educational visualization of our solar system.
Goal: demonstrate OpenGL programming techniques including 3D transformations, texture mapping, and animation.

Context:

• Computer graphics education often lacks interactive, visually engaging examples
• Solar systems provide perfect subject matter for demonstrating orbital mechanics and 3D rendering
• OpenGL remains fundamental for understanding modern graphics programming

Standout Features

• Real-time planetary orbital animation with accurate relative speeds
• Texture-mapped planets using BMP images for realistic appearance
• Interactive camera controls (rotation, scaling) with mouse input
• Dynamic lighting system with configurable light sources
• Wireframe orbital paths for visualizing planetary trajectories
• Support for multiple view modes (outside/inside perspective)
• Animated helicopter blades demonstrating rotation transformations

Tech Stack

• C++ with OpenGL/GLUT
• FreeGLUT for window management and input handling
• GLEW for OpenGL extension management
• Custom texture loading for BMP images
• 3D model loading from OBJ files
• GLSL shader support (included but not actively used)

Architecture (Essential)

src/
├── sample.cpp                        # main application and display logic
├── drawHouse()                       # house rendering function (currently disabled)
├── Display()                         # main rendering loop
├── Animate()                         # animation update logic
└── supporting files/
    ├── bmptotexture.cpp              # BMP texture loading
    ├── loadobjfile.cpp               # OBJ 3D model loading
    ├── osusphere.cpp                 # sphere generation utilities
    └── heli.550                      # helicopter 3D model data

Quick Run

make
./sample

Controls

• Left Mouse Button: Rotate the view
• Middle Mouse Button: Scale the view
• Right Mouse Button: Access context menu for options
• ESC: Exit the application

Menu Options

• Toggle axes display
• Change axis colors
• Switch between orthographic/perspective projection
• Enable/disable depth cueing and fog effects
• Debug mode toggle
• Reset view and quit options

Contact

For questions or collaboration opportunities, please visit: https://www.freyazou.com/contact/