Space Engine

Space Engine is a scientific space simulation that creates a vast, explorable universe containing stars, planets, galaxies and other astronomical objects. Instead of following a conventional game campaign, it allows users to travel through space and explore astronomical environments on an enormous scale. The software combines astronomical data with procedural generation to create objects and locations far beyond what could realistically be handcrafted one by one. You can move from familiar regions of space to distant systems and simply observe what is there. Space Engine is particularly appealing to anyone fascinated by astronomy, because it turns the universe into something you can navigate rather than merely look at in a textbook. It may not provide traditional enemies or quests, but it offers something considerably larger: an entire universe to get lost in.

“SpaceEngine is a realistic virtual Universe you can explore on your computer. You can travel from star to star, from galaxy to galaxy, landing on any planet, moon, or asteroid with the ability to explore its alien landscape. You can alter the speed of time and observe any celestial phenomena you please. All transitions are completely seamless, and this virtual universe has a size of billions of light-years across and contains trillions upon trillions of planetary systems. The procedural generation is based on real scientific knowledge, so SpaceEngine depicts the universe the way it is thought to be by modern science. Real celestial objects are also present if you want to visit them, including the planets and moons of our Solar system, thousands of nearby stars with newly discovered exoplanets, and thousands of galaxies that are currently known.” - Vladimir Romanyuk