Orbits & Time Simulation
How orbital paths and time simulation work in We Are Small. Adjust speed, toggle orbit lines, and watch planets complete their years in seconds.
One of the most powerful features of We Are Small is its real-time orbital simulation. Every planet and moon moves along its actual orbital path, and you control how fast time passes.
Orbital paths
Each planet follows an elliptical orbit around the Sun, just as in reality. You can visualise these paths by toggling orbit lines in the settings panel:
- When enabled, thin coloured lines trace each planet's complete orbital path
- This helps you see the shape and scale of each orbit
- Inner planets have tighter, faster orbits
- Outer planets trace vast, sweeping arcs
Toggle orbit lines from the settings panel (gear icon) at any time.
Time controls
The simulation speed determines how fast time passes. You can adjust it from the settings panel:
| Speed | What you see |
|---|---|
| Paused | Everything frozen — great for studying positions |
| 1 hour/second | Subtle movement, realistic feel |
| 1 day/second | Moon positions shift noticeably |
| 10 days/second | Inner planets visibly orbit |
| 100 days/second | Outer planets complete their years |
Play and pause
Use the play/pause button (top-right corner) to freeze or resume the simulation. When paused, all planets and moons stop in their current positions, letting you study configurations at your leisure.
Choosing the right speed
- Studying a single planet? Use 1 day/second to see its moons move
- Watching inner planet orbits? Try 10 days/second
- Comparing orbital periods? 100 days/second shows the dramatic difference between inner and outer planet speeds
- Taking a screenshot? Pause the simulation for a still frame
Orbital mechanics in action
At higher speeds, you can observe real orbital mechanics at work:
- Inner planets (Mercury, Venus) complete orbits much faster than outer planets
- Mercury orbits the Sun roughly 4 times for every single Earth orbit
- Neptune takes 165 Earth years to complete one orbit — even at 100 days/second, it barely moves
This dramatic difference in orbital periods is a direct consequence of Kepler's Third Law, which states that a planet's orbital period increases with its distance from the Sun.
Settings panel
Open the settings panel by clicking the gear icon to access:
- Simulation speed — Choose from four preset speeds
- Orbit paths — Toggle orbital line visibility
- Texture quality — Switch between 2K and 8K textures
Changes take effect immediately, except for texture quality which requires a page reload.