Show HN: Newton's Orchard – Browser-based space/gravity playground

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Summary

Newton's Orchard is an open-source browser-based simulation playground for exploring space and gravity, built as an educational tool with features like deterministic time scrubbing, editable bodies, and missions.

Hi HN!<p>My son spent a lot of time in 5th grade playing with the 2-dimensional PhET gravity&#x2F;space sims[1]. His STEM class uses it, and he was playing with it at home, and has been looking for more. I found several space sims&#x2F;playgrounds online, including NASA&#x27;s Eyes on the Solar System[2], but nothing that seemed to offer a real progression from what he was getting out of the PhET sims, so I built Newton&#x27;s Orchard over the summer for him.<p><a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;newtonsorchard.app" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;newtonsorchard.app</a><p>The source is also published at <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;andrewchilds&#x2F;newtons-orchard" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;github.com&#x2F;andrewchilds&#x2F;newtons-orchard</a><p>It features deterministic time scrubbing, all bodies are editable, different preset systems and experiments, missions to complete (complete 3 to unlock the blackhole object type and mission), and a gallery for user submissions.<p>I would very much appreciate feedback from HN - particularly from the lens of making it engaging and illuminating for students, and anyone that would like to just get a feel for how gravity works. Thank you!<p>[1] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;phet.colorado.edu&#x2F;sims&#x2F;html&#x2F;gravity-and-orbits&#x2F;latest&#x2F;gravity-and-orbits_all.html" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;phet.colorado.edu&#x2F;sims&#x2F;html&#x2F;gravity-and-orbits&#x2F;lates...</a> [2] <a href="https:&#x2F;&#x2F;eyes.nasa.gov&#x2F;apps&#x2F;solar-system&#x2F;" rel="nofollow">https:&#x2F;&#x2F;eyes.nasa.gov&#x2F;apps&#x2F;solar-system&#x2F;</a>
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