M59 - Blog Posts
Pictures of the Day 2 - December 30, 2018
Here we come across an Earth-like world with violet hued skies. This planet supports marine life and orbits a star within a globular cluster. There are 137 star systems just within 5 light years of this planet, and the planet’s sky is lit up with their light. Most of the stars are close enough to be visible during the day. Additionally, this planet is located within a quandary star system consisting of an K type orange dwarf orbited three smaller red dwarfs in a wide complex orbit.
While Earth-Like, there are notable differences from Earth. First, the planet has almost no obliquity meaning it has no axial tilt and therefore does not experience seasons. Massive ice caps cover both poles. The planet also spins very slowly with a solar day lasting almost 3.86 Earth days. Only 4 small asteroid moons orbit the planet. Additionally, life is limited to the oceans, and the atmosphere is almost entirely made up of carbon dioxide.
Space Engine System ID: RSC 5581-4-4-2706-51 A4 to visit the system in Space Engine.
Planet Stats Below:
Radius: 5,268.61 km (0.83 x Earth) Mass: 0.59 Earth Masses Orbital Distance: 0.43 AU Length of Year: 118.88 Days Length of Solar Day: 3.86 Days Gravity: 0.86 g Average Temperature: 277 K (39° F) Atmospheric Pressure: 0.52 Atmospheres Atmospheric Composition: 92.7% Carbon Dioxide, 4.23% Nitrogen, 3.02% Oxygen, 0.05% Sulfur Dioxide.
Picture of the Day - December 30, 2018
Globular cluster. Almost 10,000 stars packed into a sphere just 100 light years across.
Picture of the day - December 29, 2018
Binary Sunset over an ice giant.
Pictures of the day - December 28, 2018
From this point forward, all Space Engine posts on my pillowfort and my Tumblr page will be the same.
Here we come across a small green-colored ice giant with an active atmosphere. This planet orbits a binary pair of red dwarfs and has a small yet well structured ring system. Additionally, a system of 13 natural satellites orbit the planet, including two of which that are large enough to be rounded by their own gravity. Like Uranus, this planet also orbits on it's side.
Space Engine System ID: RS 5581-42-8-5915539-1541 2 if anyone wants to visit the planet.
Planet Stats Below:
Radius: 17,474.59 km (2.74 x Earth) Mass: 9.59 Earth Masses Orbital Distance: 0.57 AU Length of Year: 294.35 days Length of Day: 11 hours 47 minutes Gravity: 1.28 g Temperature: 85 K (-307 F) Atmosphere: 92.9% Hydrogen, 6.96% Helium, 0.14% Methane
High Resolution Pictures
Small green ice giant
Binary red suns
Through the rings
Small moon
Pictures of the day - December 27, 2018
Parting Shots of the Insight A and Insight B Systems, Alien Skies.
Now that all of the worlds of the Insight A and Insight B systems have been revealed, here are some parting shots before I begin my exploration of new star systems.
Space Engine System ID: RS 5581-42-6-76887-1116
High Resolution Pictures
Insight B-IV-M3 sky
Insight A-VII Sky
Insight A-V Sky
Insight A-IV-M8 Sky
Insight B-V Sky
Insight B-VI-M2 Sky
Insight B-I Sky
Picture of the day - December 26, 2018
Insight A System - Ninth Planet (Insight A-IX)
Insight A-IX is the Insight A systems second largest and second most massive planet. It is an ice giant 17.40 times more massive than Earth, and has a radius of 3.28 Earth Radii. The planet is surrounded by a narrow yet well structured ring system, and a system of 6 small ellipsoidal satellites.
The planet orbits it’s sun at an average distance of 7.34 AU, completing 1 orbit every 18.35 Years. A day on the planet lasts just 9 hours and 6 minutes. The planet has a thick hydrogen/ helium atmosphere, and has an average atmospheric temperature of -279 F.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-IX
Small moon
Narrow Rings
Ring Closeup
Crescent
Pictures of the Day - December 25, 2018 (Merry Christmas)
Insight A System - Either Planet (Insight A-VIII)
Insight A-VIII is the eighth planet orbiting Insight A. It is an ice-giant with a mass 15.46 times that of Earth, and a diameter of 3.19 Earths. The planet has unusually pronounced cloud bands, and a wide-spaced ring system. It orbits it’s sun at an average distance of 4.01 AU, completing 1 orbit every 7.41 Years.
This planet has an active atmosphere with an average temperature of -213 F, and a day on the planet last 11 hours and 6 minus. 5 moons orbit the planet that are large enough to be rounded by their own gravity, including 4 larger than 2,000 kilometers across.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-VIII
Transiting Moon
Closeup
Asteroid Moon
View from outer-most large moon
Pictures of the day - December 24, 2018
Insight A System - Seventh Planet (Insight A-VII)
Insight A-VII is a cold super-Earth and largest rocky planet orbiting Insight A. The planet has a mass of 3.10 Earths, and a diameter 53% larger than Earth. It orbit’s its sun at an average distance of 1.97 AU, completing an orbit once every 2.55 years. A day lasts only 13 hours and 20 minutes.
The surface is covered in a carbon dioxide atmosphere with a surface pressure of 1.73 atmospheres, and an average surface temperature of -105 F. The atmosphere is extremely cloudy with clouds of water-ice and dry ice. An extensive system of rings orbit’s the planet, and a large moon.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-VII
Closeup
Duality
The Atmosphere
The Surface
Picture of the day 2 - December 21, 2018
Dwarf planet it’s moon. Part of the Insight A System.
Pictures of the day - December 20, 2018
Insight A - Fifth Planet (Insight A-V)
Insight A-V is a hot earth-like planet with oceans. The planet does support marine life, but the surface is far too inhospitable for anything other than Extremophiles. The planet is much smaller and less massive than Earth at 0.14 Earth masses and a diameter roughly half that of Earth. The surface is very active with a hot atmosphere. The surface averages 161 F, with an atmosphere only 54% as thick of Earth’s that is dominated by carbon dioxide. The surface is so hot that there are no ice caps or even snow on mountain-tops.
The planet rotates backwards with an axial tilt of 148 degrees and a rotational rate of 24 hours and 21 minutes. No moons orbit the planet.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-V
Earth-Like World
Cyclone
The Surface
Polar orbit
Pictures of the day - December 19, 2018
Insight A System - Fourth Planet (Insight A-IV)
Insight A-IV is the fourth and largest planet orbiting Insight A. It is a large ice giant planet with a mass 41.38 times that of Earth and a diameter of 4.41 Earths. The planet has a hot atmosphere with a temperature of 297 F, which is dominated by hydrogen and helium. Additionally, a single large moon orbits the planet alongside 13 smaller asteroid-like satellites.
The planet orbits it’s sun at an average distance of 0.36 AU, completing an orbit once every 72.17 Earth Days. The planet is not tidally locked, but has a slow rotational rate of 288.70 Earth days, resulting in solar days that last 96.23 Earth days.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-IV
Stormy North Pole
Setting Sun
Crescents
View from the moon
Picture of the day - December 18, 2018
Polar vortex over the northern pole of Insight A-II
Pictures of the day - December 16, 2018
Insight A System - 3rd Planet (Insight A-III)
Insight A-III is the third planet orbiting Insight A. It is a hot Ice-giant orbiting it’s sun at an average distance of 0.12 AU. The planet’s atmosphere has a temperature of 960 F and it’s atmosphere lacks any type of define cloud decks. This is a helium ice giant, meaning that it has lost all of it’s hydrogen and the atmosphere is dominated by helium instead. As a result, the planet has a monochromatic color.
Insight A-III has a mass of 13.22 Earths, and a diameter of 4.03 times that of Earth. The planet is tidally locked to it’s sun and orbits the sun once every 14.76 Earth days.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-III
Lunar View
Asteroid Moon
Blinding Sun and Inner Planets
Pictures of the Day - December 15, 2018
Insight A System - Second Planet (Insight A-II)
Insight A-II is the second planet orbiting Insight A. It is a Venus-like planet shrouded in a thick carbon dioxide and water vapor atmosphere 716 times thicker than Earth’s. The surface temperature averages 1,980 F, and most of the surface is covered in molten rock.
The planet orbits just 0.07 AU from the sun, completing an orbit once every 6.72 Earth days. Insight A-II is a super-earth with a mass 2.66 times that of Earth and a radius of 1.15 Earths.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-II
Comet-like planet
The Atmosphere
The Surface
Pictures of the Day - December 14, 2018
Insight A System - Inner-Most Planet (Insight A-I)
The Inner-most planet is a baked world orbiting perilously close to its sun at a distance of just 0.04 AU. The planet has a mass of roughly 0.56 Earth Masses and a diameter 93% that of Earth. It is rocky desert world. A thick carbon dioxide and sulfur dioxide atmosphere covers the surface with an atmospheric pressure 10 times that of Earth.
Surface temperatures are extreme, reaching 1,800 F during the day. At these temperatures some surface rocks melt into lakes of magma and the surface glows a dull red at night. The atmosphere also contains clouds composed of liquid glass droplets. Despite it’s close orbital proximity to the sun, it is not tidally locked. The planet has a moderately elliptical orbit with an eccentricity of 0.10. This results in a 3 to 2 orbit to spin resonance. In other words the planet completes three rotations for every 2 orbits, just like the planet Mercury.
BTW Everyone, it looks like Space Engine version 0.999 is probably going to be released sometime soon, probably before the end of the year. Can’t wait to start taking pics in it.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight A-I
From a Glowing Asteroid Moon
Atmospheric Glow
Sunrise
Picture of the day - December 13, 2018
Two large moons cross the face of an ice giant.
Insight A System (Outer 4 Planets)
Here are the outer 4 planets orbiting Insight A. Each planet has a large ring systems.
Insight A-VI (0.65 Earth masses, Water World with life, 1.10 AU)
Insight A-VII (3.10 Earth masses, Cold Desert World, 1.97 AU)
Insight A-VIII (15.46 Earth Masses, Ice Giant, 4.01 AU)
Insight A-IX (17.40 Earth Masses, Ice Giant, 7.34 AU)
Space Engine System ID: RS-5581-42-6-76887-1116 A
Picture of the day - December 12, 2018
Moon rise over Insight B-V. The second sun is also visible in this pic.
Insight A System (Inner 5 Planets)
First post of the Insight A system. Insight A is the larger or primary of Insight’s 2 stars. The Insight System is a wide-spaced binary system consisting of a type G1V and type K5V star that orbit one another at an average distance of 192.3 AU once every 2,432 years. Insight A is 1.6 times the luminosity of our sun, and Insight B just 1/6th that of our sun.
Below are the first five worlds orbiting Insight A.
Insight A-I (0.56 Earth Masses - Rocky, 0.04 AU)
Insight A-II (2.66 Earth Masses, Rocky Super Earth, 0.07 AU)
Insight A-III (13.22 Earth Mass, Ice-Giant, 0.12 AU)
Insight A-IV (41.38 Earth Masses, Ice Giant, 0.36 AU)
Insight A-V (0.14 Earth Masses, Rocky with Liquid Water, 0.69 AU)
Picture of the day - December 11, 2018
Preview picture of the Insight A system. Rocky moon transits across the face of an ice giant.
Picture of the day - December 10, 2018
The cracked surface of Insight B-VI’s fourth moon.
New pics of the Insight A system coming soon.
Pictures of the day 2 - December 9, 2018
Insight B System - Moons of the sixth planet
Here we have a few views of the system’s sixth planet viewed from the surfaces of the three inner-most moons.
High Resolution Pictures
View from the inner-most moon
View from the second moon
View from the third moon
Picture of the day - December 9, 2018
One of Insight B-VI’s smaller outer moons crossing the face of a large cyclone.
Picture of the day 2 - December 8, 2018.
The sun begins to set over a large lunar crater. Image from the surface of one of Insight B-VI’s smaller outer moons.
Pictures of the day - December 8, 2018
Insight B System - Sixth Planet’s (Insight B-VI) Major Moons
Three large terrestrial-sized moons orbit Insight B-VI, all of them being roughly halfway between the size of Mars and Venus. Lunar Stats Below.
Insight B-VI-M2 (Second Moon) Radius = 4,567.71 km (0.72 x Earth) Mass = 0.24 Earth Masses Atmosphere = 0.13 Atmospheres/ Ammonia, Sulfur Dioxide, Methane, and Carbon Dioxide
Insight B-VI-M3 (Third Moon) Radius = 5,672.06 km (0.89 x Earth) Mass = 0.31 Earth Masses Atmosphere = 0.23 Atmospheres/ Carbon Dioxide, Methane and Acetylene
Insight B-VI-M4 (Fourth moon) Radius = 5,786.11 km (0.91 x Earth) Mass = 0.40 Earth Masses Atmosphere = 0.01 Atmospheres/ Methane, Carbon Dioxide and Nitrogen
High Resolution Pictures
All Three Major Moons
Insight B-VI-M2 (Second Moon)
insight B-VI-M3 (Third Moon)
Insight B-VI-M4 (Fourth Moon)
Picture of the day - December 7, 2018
Insight B-VI viewed from the surface of its 4th moon.
Pictures of the day 2 - December 4, 2018
Insight B System - Sixth Planet (Insight B-VI)
Insight B-VI is the outer-most planet orbiting Insight B. The planet is a Jupiter-Sized gas giant with a mass of 1.42 Jupiter Masses, and a radius of 74,962 kilometers. A thick carbon-rich ring system surround the planet.
Insight B-VI orbits its sun at an average distance of 1.74 AU, completing an orbit once every 2.79 Earth Years. A day on the planet lasts only 8 hours and 7 minutes. It is a frigid giant, the atmosphere of which averages -258 F. Monstrous storms rage in the planet’s atmosphere, powered by internally released heat.
The planet is the only world in the system to by surrounded by a major lunar system. Three massive moons larger than Mars orbit the planet, along with 3 smaller rounded satellites, and 74 asteroid-like moons.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight B-VI
South Pole
Giant Storm
Inner-most Major Moon.
Approaching Eclipse
Picture of the day - December 6, 2018
Another picture of the fifth planet of the Insight B system.
Pictures of the day - December 5, 2018
I apologize for my lack pictures yesterday.
Insight B System - Fourth Planet - Insight B-V
The fifth planet orbiting Insight B is a terrestrial-like planet roughly one quarter the mass of earth (0.27 Earth Masses) and 80% of Earth’s radius (5,093.84 km). It is predominately rocky world with a significant water content in its mantle, surrounded by a thin Carbon Dioxide atmosphere.
The surface is cold with an average temperature of -159 F, and an atmospheric pressure of 0.11 atmospheres. A single small spherical satellite orbits the planet. One day lasts approximately 23 hours 38 mins. Insight B-V orbits its sun at an average distance of 0.97 AU, completing an orbit once every 1.163 Earth Years. The planet is notable for having a retrograde rotation, orbiting almost on its side with an axial tilt of 104°. Considering the planet orbits between two gas giants, the extreme tilt is to be expected.
High Resolution Pictures
Insight B-V
Small Moon
Closeup
Day-time sky
Sunset
Picture of the day - December 3, 2018
Large moon with a hazy atmosphere passes between a gas giant and its rings.