SpaceEngine is a 3D space simulator that models the observable universe using astronomical catalogs and procedural generation. You can navigate freely in any direction at any speed, jumping between real charted stars or visiting procedurally generated systems beyond known space. Time moves forward or backward at your command. The software generates planets, nebulae, and galaxies through algorithmic processes, filling gaps where catalog data ends. There's no objective or progression—it's a sandbox for exploring cosmic scale. You might trace exoplanet orbits, watch a supernova remnant evolve across millennia, or drift through a spiral arm generated on the fly. Suits anyone curious about astronomy or scale, though the learning curve for controls is steep.
