[school-discuss] solar system series at gutenberg and open source schools

[Mike Eschman <meschman@etc-edu.com>]

Buld your own model of the Solar System in 3D with free software : an 
adjunct to the Open Source Schools Solar System Series.

Imagine a volume in which a mass is propelled in a manner that ensures 
some presupposed distribution of matter by state, including solid, icy, 
liquid, aerosol, gas and escape/exchange layer.

Allow bodies to form according to the gravitational constant. Reduce 
that gravitational constant to a series of magnetic foci that accumulate 
material that is flowing by.

Apply gas - pressure -temperature laws to this model.

use occultations and transits to determine chemical composition. (by 
visual observation)

make subjective comparisons between similar sized bodies.

use the aerosols to model atmospheric currents.

study the photography.

that's what this book is all about.

this will both engage students and teachers, and produce students who 
can think and perform well on standardized testing.

It's time to try something like this.

We are completing software to build 3D models of the Solar System using 
the Graviational Effects, Mass and Gas-Pressure a Temperature laws, with 
Kepler's 3 laws.

Using the tool mass distributions can be placed, allowed to form and so 
on, in exploring alternative pasts, and for demonstrating aspplication 
of these fundamental laws.

Camera controls allow complete freedom of movement, and possess a 
"record" button for making 2D movies from flight paths in the 3D 
environment.

We feel this is the ultimate companion to the notes and web sites in the 
Solar System set.

We use VTK for 3D rendering.

Any interest in doing this at your site next school year?
-- 
gutenberg! yum!