Simulating Elliptical Motion

[davegee]

The mechanics of this excercise have been around for many years - nothing new.

I thought that it might help to bring it up to date in a Style/Tutorial for newer users.

Although some might not consider it to be a "true ellipse" in the strictest sense it is close enough for most AV purposes. It has been configured to fit within the confines of a 16:9 Project AR.

Simulating Elliptical Motion.ptestyle

Import and Apply to a single blank slide.

DG

 

[Lin Evans]

Nice job Dave - Yes, it was JPD who first suggested this many years ago. One of my old tutorials (number 33) covers it also but the addition of the style will make it much easier for new users to understand and serve as a blueprint to build their own versions by substituting their own PNG objects for the Earth and Sun..  It works well for creating simulations of atomic motion (orbiting electrons) too.

Below is a quick sample using essentially the same process with the additional use of a rotating Earth inside a circular mask,  keyframed  brightness control for the orbiting moon and more dramatic size change. The new features of PTE give the user lots of additional tools for making dynamic animations.

I'm fully aware that the Earth is rotating in the opposite direction than reality - it's a "fantasy" so even though it's incredibly simple to reverse the video direction of rotation, I chose not to intentionally. The purpose of the demo is to show the elliptical orbit and the use of keyframed brightness control of the orbiting moon to closely approximate what it might really look like. Also ignore the the Earth's rotational speed and the imaginary galaxy - not realistic but fantasy...

Best regards,

Lin

http://www.lin-evans.org/pte/moonorbit.zip  (PC - about 25 meg)

http://www.lin-evans.org/pte/moonorbitmac.zip  (Mac exe about same size)

[davegee]

This Style accompanies the above Style/Tute (no 5:4):

Elliptical Motion.ptestyle

Change the Object for one of your choice.

DG

[JudyKay]

Thanks.  Still wish PTE allowed moving an object along a Bezier curve.  The curve would be on a layer and could be resized, copied and pasted and included in a style.