POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.programming : Request for Comment: AstroPov : Request for Comment: AstroPov Server Time
28 Jul 2024 16:18:18 EDT (-0400)
  Request for Comment: AstroPov  
From: Chris Jeppesen
Date: 28 Apr 2000 17:28:37
Message: <390a0285@news.povray.org>
I like to do astronomical (space probes in the solar system) raytracing.
Unfortunaltely, the current version of Povray can't handle extremely large
differences in numbers which are generated by this scenario.

I wish there were a program that can simultaneously handle:

1) Large and small. A sphere as large as the sun (10^10m) and one 1mm across
2) Near and Far. Simultaneously showing an object 1mm away from the camera
and one 10^12m away.
3) Small angles. Ideally, can see a 1mm object from 10^12 meters away.

The biggest difference in magnitude I am asking for is 10^15. Since double
precision numbers have 16 digits of precision, there should be no problem,
but I have tried tweaking the various constants which affect this sort of
thing to no avail. Tweaking constants is the current limit of my skills in
Povray source.

Any one know why this can't be done?


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