====== Creating an accurate Sun-Earth-Moon system ======
  * Assigned to Aiza Ahmad (2nd year astrophysics major). Started on Sep 17, 2024
  * Goals:
    * Create a realistic & accurate Sun-Earth-Moon model in Unity (HDRP)
      * with 2K (or 8K) texture images from [[https://www.solarsystemscope.com/textures/|Solar Textures]]
      * with accurate orbits calculated from [[tech/tutorials/orbit_calculation|orbital elements]]. Check the embedded PDF file in this page where a tutorial on how to calculate true anomaly is included. 
    * Create/place several cameras to track a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse, or an overview such as top-down view, etc.
      * additional camera comoving with the Earth pointed toward the Moon can show a lunar phase cycle with its libration.
    * Add a rich User Interface components such as mouse tilt/swivel/zoom control, etc.
    * Add a set of calculated shadow cones to simulate eclipse phenomena -> check the "technical aspects" section of [[topics/eclipse]]
  * Timeline: finish the model development by Dec 2024
  * Store files in [https://github.com/STEMin3D/STEMin3D|the project GitHub repository]]. Create a subdirectory under "Scripts" as needed. 
  * Bi-weekly progress update (via email, face-2-face meeting, or Zoom)