Astronomy & Space

Orbital mechanics, rocket equations, and planetary physics. Explore the solar system and beyond.

Orbital Mechanics & Astrodynamics

  • Escape Velocity Comparator — Compare escape velocities across planets, stars, and extreme objects. The neutron star entry (~0.64c) puts everything else in perspective.
  • Hill Sphere Calculator — Estimate a body's gravitational sphere of influence and practical moon-stability range.
  • Hohmann Transfer Calculator — Calculate the two Δv burns needed to transfer between circular orbits and visualise the transfer ellipse.
  • Kepler Orbit Visualiser — Visualise elliptical orbits and explore Kepler's three laws of planetary motion
  • Orbital Period Calculator — Calculate orbital periods using Kepler's Third Law. Input semi-major axis and central body to find how long an orbit takes, from ISS to planetary orbits.
  • Radial Velocity Semi-Amplitude — Compute stellar wobble amplitude K or infer minimum planet mass from RV measurements.
  • Sphere of Influence Calculator — Estimate Laplace sphere-of-influence radius and compare against Hill radius.
  • Synodic Period Calculator — Compute conjunction/opposition repeat cycles from two orbital periods.
  • Tisserand Parameter Calculator — Compute Tisserand parameter relative to a perturbing planet and classify orbit families.
  • Vis-Viva Equation — Calculate orbital velocity at any point in an orbit using the vis-viva equation

Stellar Physics & Evolution

Gravity & Dynamics

Astrobiology & Planetary Science

  • Drake Equation Explorer — Estimate communicating civilizations with interactive Drake factors and challenge mode.
  • Earth-like Planet Probability — Estimate expected Earth-like exoplanet counts from survey assumptions and detection efficiency.
  • Exoplanet Transit Simulator — Simulate a planet transiting its star and see the resulting light curve dip
  • Habitable Zone + Climate Toy — Explore how luminosity, albedo, greenhouse offset, and orbit set equilibrium temperature and habitable-zone placement.
  • Moon Phase Calculator — Compute lunar phase, illumination, moon age, next full/new moon, and angular diameter for any date — with a high-res live moon diagram and synodic cycle strip.
  • Planetary Density Calculator — Compare mass, radius, and bulk density across planets to infer interior composition — from icy moons to iron worlds.

Cosmology & Observation

Other Tools

  • Orbital Resonance Checker — Find nearest low-order period resonance and detuning from measured orbital periods.
  • Tsiolkovsky Rocket Equation — Explore how delta-v, specific impulse, and mass ratio connect. See the logarithmic curve that governs all rocketry - and why rockets are mostly fuel.
Related categories: Physics, Mathematics