View of a gas giant, Romlin, from Rytha, an Earthlike, inhabited moon about an hour and a half after both suns set. Several smaller moons are visible near the planet’s rings. Nights on this half of the moon are bright, with the planetshine illuminating the sky to at least the level of twilight. The only real darkness comes during the daily eclipse.

Not sure how I ended up here, but it is a lovely view.

What would the planet be to the people of this moon? Hanging motionless in the sky, changing phases with the time of day, other moons revolving around it, Romlin may lead even early astronomers to realize their own world is not the center. What might be the reactions of explorers from the far side, the first among their people to see this object slowly emerge above the horizon to take up a huge part of the sky?
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This scene was rendered in Space Engine, a procedural universe simulator. I created this planetary system with basic parameters, but the surface and textures are procedurally generated. The illustration in the foreground is mine. I rather like the look of the proportionately thicker lines on this. I might incorporate it into future drawings.

I’ve seen illustrations against photographic or digitally rendered backgrounds and thought I’d try it out.

Ridley belongs to me.
Space Engine was created by Vladimir Romanyuk.

Originally posted March 23, 2021.