AstroGrav 3.2 Released for Windows and Mac

AstroGrav adds improvements to the import and evolution of asteroids and comets to its precision solar system simulator

25th November 2015 - AstroGrav 3.2 includes improvements to both the accuracy and features provided for evolving simulations. Combined with enhancements to the command for importing objects, this makes the latest version of AstroGrav much improved for the study of asteroids and comets. Several enhancements to the sample simulations are also included. Full details are available from:

Simulation Evolution

The accuracy of solar system evolution has been greatly improved when dealing with close encounters between objects, and this includes the evolution of moons and satellites that are effectively in a permanent state of close encounter with their parent planet. Evolving to a particular date and time can now be done either with or without animation, with non-animated evolution being much faster than anything available in earlier versions of AstroGrav.

The ability to include the effect of radiation pressure has been added, which is useful when studying the motion of small objects such as spacecraft, very small asteroids, and particles in comets' tails. The effect of radiation pressure can be nicely illustrated by opening one of the solar system simulations and increasing the Sun's luminosity by a factor of trillions. If a factor of 100 trillion is used, the repulsive effect of radiation pressure exceeds the attractive force of gravity, causing the planets to accelerate away from the Sun forever.

Importing Objects

The importing of asteroids and comets has been made faster and more accurate, and has also been much simplified to remove the confusion associated with using this feature in earlier versions of AstroGrav.

Sample Simulations

Often, the first thing that is done after opening a solar system simulation is to evolve it to the present time, and this has been made easier with the addition of an option to quickly evolve the simulation to the current time. Solar system simulations have had the data on Pluto and its moons updated to take into account the recent discoveries made by the New Horizons mission, and they have also been updated to the start of 2016. There have also been improvements made to the simulations of space missions.

Upgrade

The AstroGrav 3.2 update is free of charge to all AstroGrav 3 license holders. They may download and install the update immediately from:

About AstroGrav Astronomy Software

AstroGrav Astronomy Software produces astronomical and gravity simulation software for astronomers, researchers, educationalists, and students. For more information, visit the company's website:

Press Contact:
Russell Calvert
AstroGrav Astronomy Software
russcalvert@astrograv.co.uk

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