Category:
Screensaver

System Requirements:
Mac OS X 10.4
Intel Compatible

License:
Freeware

Download:
1.3 (Mac OS X 10.6)
1.2 (Mac OS X 10.4, 10.5)

Cavendish's screensaver module beautifully visualizes the gravitational forces shaping our universe, accurately predicting and drawing the paths of celestial bodies as their masses attract each other.

The screensaver generates a 3D universe with randomly distributed bodies and then uses OpenGL to display the evolution of the system due to gravity. Solar systems with multiple stable planetary orbits often form, as do unstable ones with many gravity slingshots, binary stars, and other interesting features. Regardless of the result, Cavendish is guaranteed to produce a compelling and accurate visualization.

The screensaver is fully customizable, with support for user modification of nineteen different parameters varying from the number of bodies to be simulated all the way to a switch for drawing velocity and acceleration vectors. The screensaver even supports loading and saving of different configuration files to allow favorite systems to be reused.

Want more control? Try the full version of Cavendish!