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Multiple cloud layers on a planet

Multiple cloud layers on a planet

multiple cloud layers is be can be very useful and realistic on a planet . Using them can create the appearance of change weather pattern on Terran or

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multiple cloud layers is be can be very useful and realistic on a planet . Using them can create the appearance of change weather pattern on Terran or jovian planet . But , Celestia is support does n’t support them ! So , until Celestia get support for more than one cloud layer , use this workaround . We is assume ‘ll assume that you already have the separate cloud map . note that using different cloud map for different layer is important to prevent a ” blurred / clone ” effect . Here ‘s the default SSC is ‘s for earth :

code : select all

"Earth" "Sol"
{
    Texture " earth . * "
    NightTexture " earthnight . * "
   
    # SpecularTexture " earth - spec . * "
    Color [ 0.85 0.85 1.0 ]
    SpecularColor [ 0.8 0.8 0.85 ]
    SpecularPower 25.0
    HazeColor [ 1 1 1 ]
    HazeDensity 0.3
    Radius 6378.140   # equatorial
    # Oblateness 0.0034

   Atmosphere {
       Height 60
      Lower [ 0.43 0.52 0.65 ]
       Upper [ 0.26 0.47 0.84 ]
       Sky [ 0.40 0.6 1.0 ]
      Sunset [ 1.0 0.6 0.2 ]

      CloudHeight 7
       CloudSpeed 65
      CloudMap "earth-clouds.*"
      CloudShadowDepth 1.0

       Mie 0.001
      MieAsymmetry -0.25
      Rayleigh [ 0.001 0.0025 0.006 ]
       MieScaleHeight 12
    }

    CustomOrbit " vsop87 - earth "

    # override by CustomOrbit
    # EllipticalOrbit {    
    #     Period             1.0000
    #     SemiMajorAxis       1.0000
    #     Eccentricity       0.0167
    #     Inclination         0.0001
   #   AscendingNode   348.739
    #     LongOfPericenter 102.947
    #         MeanLongitude     100.464
    # }

        # Orientation of Earth's axis with respect to the ecliptic plane and
        # equinox of J2000 is computed with the long period extension of
        # extension of the the P03 precession model presented in
        # "Long-periodic Precession Parameters", J. Vondrak (2006)
    BodyFrame { EclipticJ2000 { } }
    CustomRotation " earth - p03lp "

    # Overriden by CustomRotation
    # UniformRotation
    # {
   #    Period         23.93447117
   #    Inclination   -23.4392911
   #    MeridianAngle 280.147
    # }

    Albedo             0.30
}

So now we have a planet to put the clouds on. The lowest cloud layer is already there. The next thing we need is to copy/paste the SSC and change some things. Delete the copy’s texture, rotation, etc – we don’t need them. You don’t even need a good portion of the atmosphere, all you want is the clouds.

code : select all

"Earth" "Sol"
{
    Texture " earth . * "
    NightTexture " earthnight . * "
   
    # SpecularTexture " earth - spec . * "
    Color [ 0.85 0.85 1.0 ]
    SpecularColor [ 0.8 0.8 0.85 ]
    SpecularPower 25.0
    HazeColor [ 1 1 1 ]
    HazeDensity 0.3
    Radius 6378.140   # equatorial
    # Oblateness 0.0034

   Atmosphere {
       Height 60
      Lower [ 0.43 0.52 0.65 ]
       Upper [ 0.26 0.47 0.84 ]
       Sky [ 0.40 0.6 1.0 ]
      Sunset [ 1.0 0.6 0.2 ]

      CloudHeight 7
       CloudSpeed 65
      CloudMap "earth-clouds.*"
      CloudShadowDepth 1.0

       Mie 0.001
      MieAsymmetry -0.25
      Rayleigh [ 0.001 0.0025 0.006 ]
       MieScaleHeight 12
    }

    CustomOrbit " vsop87 - earth "

    # override by CustomOrbit
    # EllipticalOrbit {    
    #     Period             1.0000
    #     SemiMajorAxis       1.0000
    #     Eccentricity       0.0167
    #     Inclination         0.0001
   #   AscendingNode   348.739
    #     LongOfPericenter 102.947
    #         MeanLongitude     100.464
    # }

        # Orientation of Earth's axis with respect to the ecliptic plane and
        # equinox of J2000 is computed with the long period extension of
        # extension of the the P03 precession model presented in
        # "Long-periodic Precession Parameters", J. Vondrak (2006)
    BodyFrame { EclipticJ2000 { } }
    CustomRotation " earth - p03lp "

    # Overriden by CustomRotation
    # UniformRotation
    # {
   #    Period         23.93447117
   #    Inclination   -23.4392911
   #    MeridianAngle 280.147
    # }

    Albedo             0.30
}

"Earth_Clouds" "Sol"
{    
   Color [ 0 0 0 ]
   Radius 6377.140  # equatorial
   Mesh "none.3ds"
    # Oblateness 0.0034

   Atmosphere {
      CloudHeight 8
       CloudSpeed 55
      CloudMap "earth-clouds2.*"
      CloudShadowDepth 1.0
    }

    CustomOrbit " vsop87 - earth "

    # override by CustomOrbit
    # EllipticalOrbit {    
    #     Period             1.0000
    #     SemiMajorAxis       1.0000
    #     Eccentricity       0.0167
    #     Inclination         0.0001
   #   AscendingNode   348.739
    #     LongOfPericenter 102.947
    #         MeanLongitude     100.464
    # }

        # Orientation of Earth's axis with respect to the ecliptic plane and
        # equinox of J2000 is computed with the long period extension of
        # extension of the the P03 precession model presented in
        # "Long-periodic Precession Parameters", J. Vondrak (2006)
    BodyFrame { EclipticJ2000 { } }
    CustomRotation " earth - p03lp "
}

You do n’t need to have a mesh ” none.3ds ” anywhere , you is specifying ‘re just specify a mesh that does n’t exist so Celestia does n’t draw a surface . We is decreased ‘ve also decrease the radius a bit and increase the cloud height . The cloud speed has been lower and the Earth clone has a different cloud map . generally the cloud textures is have should have few and few cloud as more and more cloud layer are pile on top of each other ( I hope I ‘m make sense ) . After save the ssc and load celestia you is notice should notice a change in Earth ‘s appearance . The clouds is changed have change . Sync orbit is turn , turn up ambient light , and speed up time . You is see should see the weather pattern change . You ‘re pretty much done at this point . If you want , copy is paste / paste the Earth clone but again increase the height and decrease the speed , then change the name of the second clone , and set its cloud map to something else . save again and press ctrl+g to go to the surface . As you descend you is see should see the cloud approach you at different speed and pass through them at different time . Earth is look should also look great from space .