Watch SpaceL
Tap the map to drop a particle. Drag a planet. Double-tap to add one. Pinch or scroll to zoom.
Layout , .
Colours V
Planets 1–8N
Physics FE
Friction
Softness
Less friction: longer orbits, finer detail. Less softness: closer to true gravity, sharper and more chaotic. Both cost more computation.
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What am I looking at? I
Every pixel is a particle, released at rest. Gravity pulls it toward the planets, and friction slowly drains its energy until one planet catches it. The pixel takes that planet's colour.
Nearby starting points can end up at different planets, because the paths wind around each other. That sensitivity is chaos, and it is what draws the swirls. Tap anywhere to watch a single particle make its journey.
The physics is 2swap's, from his video Gravity Basins and his public-domain renderer, swaptube. His gravity is softened, force = G·m / (r² + ε), which is what gives the smooth, marbled shapes; turn softness down for something closer to real gravity.
Keyboard shortcuts ?
SpacePlay / pause
LLearn how it works
DDrop a particle at the pointer
NNew planet
1–8Select a planet
ArrowsMove selected planet, or pan (Shift: faster)
[ ]Selected planet lighter / heavier
DeleteRemove selected planet
+ −Zoom in / out
0Reset view
, .Previous / next layout
VNext colours (Shift: previous)
FMore friction (Shift: less)
EMore softness (Shift: less)
RNext output size
SCopy a link
CSave an image
MRender a 10 s video
GShow / hide these controls
T P I ?Jump to Layout, Physics, About, Keys
EscDeselect, skip Learn, cancel a render