How does Auto-orbit work?

[vh]

Does it put everything in a stable orbit, or does it put everything in a stable orbit and make sure the objects stay within that orbit. Would be helpful to know for several experimentations.

[Naru523]

The latter, I think.

[Darvince]

Auto-orbit adjusts all orbits to having no eccentricity based on their current location. What happens afterwards has nothing to do with it.

[FiahOwl]

Darvince is correct.

[deoxy99]

Here's how auto-orbit works: It automatically puts objects in orbits!

[FiahOwl]

Here's how auto-orbit works: It automatically puts objects in orbits!

that too.

[smjjames]

I've heard that the auto orbit doesn't always quite work or maybe that it doesn't always orbit the body that you want it to orbit and that it's better to do orbit parent.

Not really sure what the problem was with auto orbit, but anyways.....

@mudkipz: The first one obviously, there is no such feature that 'locks' an orbit in place.

[FiahOwl]

I've heard that the auto orbit doesn't always quite work or maybe that it doesn't always orbit the body that you want it to orbit and that it's better to do orbit parent.

Not really sure what the problem was with auto orbit, but anyways.....

@mudkipz: The first one obviously, there is no such feature that 'locks' an orbit in place.

If an object is inside a hill sphere (Actually, it's always in one), It places that object in a circular orbit.

[Darvince]

The largest object has an infinite hill sphere, so yes. You're right that objects can never leave a hill sphere.

[vh]

would be cool to have an option to lock an orbit.

[smjjames]

You can sort of lock an orbit by locking the diameter and putting mass to zero, that way it won't get affected by other masses, but if the parent objects orbit shifts, it might lose the orbital position and if the object you're changing has any sattelites, it'll probably lose those as well.

[vh]

what what, i'm pretty sure mass of 0 objects are affected gravitationally. If it doesn't, how does it orbit anything!

[smjjames]

Other than the parent object, I don't think they are. I'm not really sure how it works with zero mass objects in US.