Orbit Simulator
Interactive simulation — adjust parameters and watch the visualization update in real time.
How it works
A test mass in the central gravity field obeys a = −GM/r² toward the center. If the initial velocity is perpendicular to the radius with magnitude √(GM/r), the orbit is circular; lower speeds fall inward, higher speeds yield elliptical orbits or escape. Motion is integrated with velocity Verlet for better energy conservation than a basic Euler step.
Key equations
a = −GM/r² · r̂
v_circ = √(GM/r)