Controls

This section describes the controls of the Gaia Sky.

Keyboard controls

To check the most up-to-date controls go to the Controls tab in the preferences window. Here are the default keyboard controls.

Key(s)	Action
NUMPAD_0	Free camera
NUMPAD_1	Focus camera
NUMPAD_2	Gaia scene camera
NUMPAD_3	Spacecraft mode
NUMPAD_4	Gaia FoV 1 camera
NUMPAD_5	Gaia FoV 2 camera
NUMPAD_6	Gaia FoV 1 and 2 camera
L-CTRL + 3	360 mode
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + UP	Increase star point size
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + DOWN	Decrease star point size
SPACE	Toggle simulation play/pause
F5	Take screenshot
F6	Start/stop frame output mode
F11	Toggle fullscreen/windowed mode
L-CTRL + F	Search dialog
ESCAPE	Quit application
-	Decrease limiting magnitude
+	Increase limiting magnitude
,	Divide time warp by two
.	Double time warp
*	Reset limiting magnitude
L-SHIFT + B	Toggle constellation boundaries
L-SHIFT + C	Toggle constellation lines
L-SHIFT + E	Toggle ecliptic grid
L-SHIFT + G	Toggle galactic grid
L-SHIFT + L	Toggle labels
L-SHIFT + M	Toggle moons
L-SHIFT + O	Toggle orbits
L-SHIFT + P	Toggle planets
L-SHIFT + Q	Toggle equatorial grid
L-SHIFT + S	Toggle stars
L-SHIFT + T	Toggle satellites
L-SHIFT + U	Expand/collapse controls window
L-CTRL + U	Toggle UI completely (hide/show user interface)
L-CTRL + D	Toggle debug info
L-CTRL + S	Toggle stereoscopic mode
L-CTRL + L-SHIFT + S	Switch between stereoscopic profiles

Mouse controls

Here are the default mouse controls for the focus and free Camera modes. The other modes do not have mouse controls.

Focus mode

Mouse + keys	Action
L-MOUSE DOUBLE CLICK	Select focus object
L-MOUSE SINGLE CLICK	Stop all rotation and translation movement
L-MOUSE + DRAG	Apply rotation around focus
L-MOUSE + L-SHIFT + DRAG	Camera roll
R-MOUSE + DRAG	Pan view freely from focus
M-MOUSE + DRAG or WHEEL	Move towards/away from focus

Free mode

Mouse + keys	Action
L-MOUSE DOUBLE CLICK	Select object as focus (changes to focus mode)
L-MOUSE SINGLE CLICK	Stop all rotation and translation movement
L-MOUSE + DRAG	Pan view
L-MOUSE + L-SHIFT + DRAG	Camera roll
M-MOUSE + DRAG or WHEEL	Forward/backward movement

Gamepad controls

As of version 0.704b the Gaia Sky supports basic gamepad/controller input. By default, only the Xbox 360 controller is supported, so you may want to map your gamepad differently using software like jstest-gtk –here– on Linux or the Universal Joystick Remapper for Windows. You can also opt for a Joystick-to-keyboard solution such as xpadder –here–, even though this has not been tested with Gaia Sky.

Xbox 360 controller button configuration

The actions mapped to each button or axis depend on the current camera mode (focus, free, spacecraft):

Focus mode

Axis/button	Action
Left bumper	Hold to apply 0.5 factor to speed
Right bumper	Hold to apply 0.1 factor to speed
Left trigger	Move away from focus
Right trigger	Move towards focus
Left stick horizontal	Horizontal rotation around focus
Left stick vertical	Vertical rotation around focus
Right stick horizontal	Roll right and left
Right stick vertical	Move towards or away from focus
D-pad	None
A	None
B	None
X	None
Y	None

Free camera mode

Axis/button	Action
Left bumper	Hold to apply 0.5 factor to speed
Right bumper	Hold to apply 0.1 factor to speed
Left trigger	Move away from focus
Right trigger	Move towards focus
Left stick horizontal	Yaw right and left
Left stick vertical	Pitch up and down
Right stick horizontal	Move sideways
Right stick vertical	Move forward and backward
D-pad	None
A	None
B	None
X	None
Y	None

Spacecraft mode

Axis/button	Action
Left bumper	Stabilise spacecraft rotations
Right bumper	Stop spacecraft
Left trigger	Apply backward thrust
Right trigger	Apply forward thrust
Left stick horizontal	Yaw right and left
Left stick vertical	Pitch up and down
Right stick horizontal	Roll right and left
Right stick vertical	None
D-pad	None
A	Decrease engine power
B	None
X	Increase engine power
Y	None

Touch controls

No mobile version yet.