tracking satelite path

[WimOos]

Does anybody know of a way to track a satelite path around the earth. We have an animation showing satelites around the earth and need to show where it photographed the earth. The problem is that the path it looks at on the earth is a circle that gets rotated by the earth's rotation. We thought of creating a helix and then put a twist modifier on to simulate to earth's rotation.

Anybody have some ideas?

regards,
Wim

[DanielBrew]

couldn't you have the satelite following a circular path then animate the path?

[WimOos]

I can't seem to open your file - I suspect it is because we are still on max2009.

We tried the circle animated, but it does not track where the satelite has been in the past.
We want to create a line from 100% visible to see-through that follows the satellite and tracks we it has been in the past. I think it is an exact circle on plan, but deformed by the rotation of the earth. It is a bit of a pain.

[DanielBrew]

Yes my file is Max 2010. You can use an animated circle and then select your satelite and convert it's trajectory into a spline. That should give you a path showing where it's been.

[WimOos]

PERFECT!!!

thank you!

[DanielBrew]

glad it worked.