Solar System App Is Space-Geek Heaven

The visual display is as good as the incredibly detailed information.

If you're reading DVICE, chances are you're into space-related news. If you get sweaty over detailed solar system simulator apps, then Christopher Albeluhn's "The Solar System: Explore Your Backyard" is going to make your bladder explode.

Available on PC, "Explore Your Backyard" was created because Albeluhn was unemployed, having been laid off from work as a video game designer.

To spruce up his portfolio, Albeluhn started to toy with modeling Earth for a simple shader test. One thing led to another and the next thing Albeluhn knew, he had an entire solar system built with the Unreal engine:

Before i knew it, i had all 8 planets (I am SO sorry Pluto), the sun and the Asteroid belt. They all had correct rotations, orbits, locations and speeds; their moons, information regarding the planets and their facts. All of these were fine, but i wanted something more, so i added in the constellations, all 88 of them.

Albeluhn plans to add dwarf planets, satellites, NASA satellite path, and more detailed planetary models as well as make the app available on iOS and Android, but he needs a little help funding his project.

To show your support, toss Albeluhn a donation via his IndieGoGo (it's like Kickstarter). He's hoping to raise $8,000 and has $2,800 as of this writing.

Somebody get this guy a job. He's definitely got talent and passion for modeling space sims. "Explore Your Backyard"

Explore Your Backyard, via VentureBeat and Huffington Post

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