"Bill DeWitt" <bde### [at] cflrrcom> wrote in message
news:3b1927b4$1@news.povray.org...
>
>     I wonder if you can use trace or something to get the angle of slope
of
> my isosurface and use that to calculate the speed necessary to maintain
> orbit?

Interesting idea, perhaps so in a reverse way.  You're unlikely to start
with the angle of slope and get to the correct orbital velocities, simply
because that isosurface would be probably be difficult to conform to the
real gravity well(s).  This is all inexact science when dealt with in
POV-Ray I'd say.

Answering Greg, no, I bet it wouldn't remain stable.  The program is based
on going into chaos in the first place, not meant for long duration orbits.
Besides, it's the same case in a way.  You specify mass, velocity and
direction vector.  To me that means hit or miss.  :-)
I think a lot to do with that is why planetary simulators use things like
double precision math and constantly fine-tined equations.

Bob H.

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