Simulations - Programming languages?

  • Context: Undergrad 
  • Thread starter Thread starter Shaybay92
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    Programming Simulations
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around programming languages suitable for astronomy simulations. Participants share their experiences and seek recommendations for languages and resources to get started in this area.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about experiences with astronomy simulations and asks for language recommendations, mentioning Haskell and C++ as prior experiences and expressing interest in Python.
  • Another participant expresses a desire to study astronomy through computer programming, indicating a shared interest in the topic.
  • A third participant notes the use of FORTRAN and C in simulations, highlighting an N-body simulation written in CUDA, which utilizes GPU capabilities for calculations.
  • A different participant shares their experience with Fortran and mentions limitations faced as a Windows user, expressing interest in transitioning to Java and questioning its suitability for scientific simulations.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying experiences and preferences regarding programming languages for simulations, with no consensus on a single recommended language or approach. Multiple competing views on the suitability of different languages remain present.

Contextual Notes

Some participants mention specific limitations related to operating systems and graphics packages, which may affect their choice of programming language for simulations.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in astronomy simulations, programming language selection for scientific computing, and those seeking resources for learning about simulations in a computational context.

Shaybay92
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I was wondering whether anyone has experience in astronomy simulations. If so, what language do you use and recommend? I've done Haskell and a very small bit of C++... I've been told Python is good, what are your thoughts?

Also are there any good websites that may get me started?

Thanks
 
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Shaybay92 said:
I was wondering whether anyone has experience in astronomy simulations. If so, what language do you use and recommend? I've done Haskell and a very small bit of C++... I've been told Python is good, what are your thoughts?

Also are there any good websites that may get me started?

Thanks
Great question! I would love to study the basic of Astronomy via computer programming.
 
Same here! Any leads?
 
I've seen simulations written in both FORTRAN and C. However, I have come across an N-body simulation written in CUDA, which is based on C. CUDA gives you the ability to program a new Nvidia graphics card, so you can run simulations using the graphics card's GPU to do calculations, instead of using the computer's CPU.
 
Funny, I was expecting a whole forum about simulation here.

I started working with Fortran last year, but since I'm a Windows user, I feel like I'm missing on a lot of things. Most graphics packages are for Linux, for example.

This year I'm thinking about changing my direction to Java. Does anyone knows of some kind of limitation for Java simulations? Is it safe to do simulations with it, with scientific purposes?
 

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