Elliptical orbit in vpython

Question

I have the following code. This code is simulation of orbiting objects around other objects, E.g. Solar system. As you run it, the objects orbit in circular trajectory.

import math
from vpython import *
lamp = local_light(pos=vector(0,0,0), color=color.yellow)
# Data in units according to the International System of Units
G = 6.67 * math.pow(10,-11)

# Mass of the Earth
ME = 5.973 * math.pow(10,24)
# Mass of the Moon
MM = 7.347 * math.pow(10,22)
# Mass of the Mars
MMa = 6.39 * math.pow(10,23)
# Mass of the Sun
MS = 1.989 * math.pow(10,30)
# Radius Earth-Moon
REM = 384400000
# Radius Sun-Earth
RSE = 149600000000
RMS = 227900000000
# Force Earth-Moon
FEM = G*(ME*MM)/math.pow(REM,2)
# Force Earth-Sun
FES = G*(MS*ME)/math.pow(RSE,2)
# Force Mars-Sun
FEMa = G*(MMa*MS)/math.pow(RMS,2)

# Angular velocity of the Moon with respect to the Earth (rad/s)
wM = math.sqrt(FEM/(MM * REM))
# Velocity v of the Moon (m/s)
vM = wM * REM
print("Angular velocity of the Moon with respect to the Earth: ",wM," rad/s")
print("Velocity v of the Moon: ",vM/1000," km/s")

# Angular velocity of the Earth with respect to the Sun(rad/s)
wE = math.sqrt(FES/(ME * RSE))
# Angular velocity of the Mars with respect to the Sun(rad/s)
wMa = math.sqrt(FEMa/(MMa * RMS))

# Velocity v of the Earth (m/s)
vE = wE * RSE
# Velocity v of the Earth (m/s)
vMa = wMa * RMS
print("Angular velocity of the Earth with respect to the Sun: ",wE," rad/s")
print("Velocity v of the Earth: ",vE/1000," km/s")


# Initial angular position
theta0 = 0

# Position at each time
def positionMoon(t):                                     
    theta = theta0 + wM * t
    return theta

def positionMars(t):                                     
    theta = theta0 + wMa * t
    return theta

def positionEarth(t):
    theta = theta0 + wE * t
    return theta


def fromDaysToS(d):
    s = d*24*60*60
    return s

def fromStoDays(s):
    d = s/60/60/24
    return d

def fromDaysToh(d):
    h = d * 24
    return h

# Graphical parameters
print("\nSimulation Earth-Moon-Sun motion\n")
days = 365
seconds = fromDaysToS(days)
print("Days: ",days)
print("Seconds: ",seconds)

v = vector(384,0,0)
E = sphere(pos = vector(1500,0,0), color = color.blue, radius = 60, make_trail=True)
Ma = sphere(pos = vector(2300,0,0), color = color.orange, radius = 30, make_trail=True)
M = sphere(pos = E.pos + v, color = color.white,radius = 10, make_trail=True)
S = sphere(pos = vector(0,0,0), color = color.yellow, radius=700)

t = 0
thetaTerra1 = 0
dt = 5000
dthetaE = positionEarth(t+dt)- positionEarth(t)
dthetaM = positionMoon(t+dt) - positionMoon(t)
dthetaMa = positionMars(t+dt) - positionMars(t)
print("delta t:",dt,"seconds. Days:",fromStoDays(dt),"hours:",fromDaysToh(fromStoDays(dt)),sep=" ")
print("Variation angular position of the Earth:",dthetaE,"rad/s that's to say",degrees(dthetaE),"degrees",sep=" ")
print("Variation angular position of the Moon:",dthetaM,"rad/s that's to say",degrees(dthetaM),"degrees",sep=" ")

while t < seconds:
    rate(500)
    thetaEarth = positionEarth(t+dt)- positionEarth(t)
    thetaMoon = positionMoon(t+dt) - positionMoon(t)
    thetaMars = positionMars(t+dt) - positionMars(t)
    # Rotation only around z axis (0,0,1)
    E.pos = rotate(E.pos,angle=thetaEarth,axis=vector(0,1,0))
    Ma.pos = rotate(Ma.pos,angle=thetaMars,axis=vector(0,1,0))
    v = rotate(v,angle=thetaMoon,axis=vector(0,1,0))
    M.pos = E.pos + v
t += dt

I am wondering How to change the path of orbit to elliptical? I have tried several ways but I could not manage to find any solution.

Thank you. Thank you

Answer 1

This seems like more of a physics issue as opposed to a programming issue. The problem is that you are assuming that each of the orbits are circular when calculating velocity and integrating position linearly (e.g v * dt). This is not how you would go about calculating the trajectory of an orbiting body.

For the case of simplicity, we will assume all the masses are point masses so there aren't any weird gravity gradients or attitude dynamics to account for.

From there, you can refer to this MIT page. (http://web.mit.edu/12.004/TheLastHandout/PastHandouts/Chap03.Orbital.Dynamics.pdf) on orbit dynamics. On the 7th page, there is an equation relating the radial position from your centerbody as a function of a multitude of orbital parameters. It seems like you have every parameter except the eccentricity of the orbit. You can either look that up online or calculate it if you have detailed ephemeral data or apoapsis/periapsis information.

From that equation, you will see a phi - phi_0 term in the denominator. That is colloquially known as the true anomaly of the satellite. Instead of time, you would iterate on this true anomaly parameter from 0 to 360 to find your radial distance, and from true anomaly, inclination, right angle to the ascending node, and the argument of periapses, you can find the 3D cartesian coordinates at a specific true anomaly.

Going from true anomaly is a little less trivial. You will need to find the eccentric anomaly and then the mean anomaly at each eccentric anomaly step. You now have mean anomaly as a function of time. You can linearly interpolate between "nodes" at which you calculate the position with v * dt. You can calculate the velocity from using the vis-viva equation and dt would be the difference between the calculated time steps.

At each time step you can update the satellite's position in your python program and it will properly draw your trajectories.

For more information of the true anomaly, wikipedia has a good description of it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/True_anomaly

For more information about orbital elements (which are needed to convert from radial position to cartesian coordinates): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orbital_elements