Time in OpenSpace
This section will cover the various aspects of manipulating time in OpenSpace.
- The Date/Time of the Simulation
- Changing the Rate of Time Change in the Simulation
- Interpolate vs Instant Time Change
- Default Keyboard Shortcuts for Time
- Video
The Date/Time of the Simulation
- Upon launch of the default profile, the simulation will be set to one day behind the current time — this is to provide full coverage of Earth. Often, temporal data will not yet be available for the current date.
- The date of the simulation can be changed to any date.
- Solar System positional information is only available between 1850 and 2150.
Changing the Rate of Time Change in the Simulation
- By default, the simulation will progress in real time.
- The rate at which the simulation progresses can be changed.
- You can progress forward or backward in time at any speed.
- Time can be paused.
- See Using the menus: Time for details on controlling the rate of time.
Interpolate vs Instant Time Change
- When changing the date, the rate of time change, or pausing time, the change will be interpolated so as not to ‘jump’ the camera.
- The number of seconds it will take to interpolate can be set under Settings -> Time Manager, where there are individual settings for the time change, rate of time change, and pausing.
- Various UI elements, lua scripts, and keyboard shortcuts will let you make these changes ‘instantly’ without the interpolation.
Default Keyboard Shortcuts for Time
- Space bar will pause time (slowing it down to a pause over 0.5 seconds)
- Shift + Space bar will pause time instantly
- The right arrow key will increase the rate of time (increasing over 0.5 seconds).
- The left arrow key will decrease the rate of time (decreasing over 0.5 seconds).
- Shift + the arrow keys will increase/decrease the rate of time immediately.
- The number keys will set increasing specific rates of time.
- ALT / option + number keys will set a decreasing negative rates of time.
Video
See the next tutorial Using the menus: Time for a video detailing using the time menu.
Navigation - Focus <– Previous | Next –> Using the menus: Time