Rotate on Pivot of another objects center point

Support Animation and Rigging
1

Hi All,
I am trying to move my Anchor Point or Pivot point so my shuttle will pivot around (as an orbit) on the Sphere’s “Z” axis.
When using SHIFT+ “S” I have options to assign object to 3d cursors position. However, The whole ship moves to that pivot point and gives no offset. I tried offset but did not see much difference or know where to change the objects offset of the positioned 3d cursor.
“Yes I know this screen grab example has the 3d cursor on the wrong object for my desired pivot point” It was after trying all I left it and moved it to a post here.
Thanks

pivot on sphere.JPG945×660 149 KB

SOLVED But I do not know how to show it in the TITLE Line? I am only a user on the Forum not Admin so I cannot change the TITLE as I was once asked to do?

2

Here’s my first attempt to answer a question, sorry if I mess up :slight_smile:

Assign the 3D cursor to the centre of the sphere (select the sphere, shift-S, “cursor to selected”). Now in object mode select your spaceship, Object Menu > Transform > Origin To 3D Cursor. That will set the spaceship’s origin to the centre of the sphere. Now rotating it will rotate it around the sphere. Hopefully.

3

In Object mode:

  1. Select your sphere
  2. shift s, ‘Cursor to selected’
  3. select your space ship
  4. Change your pivot point to ‘3D Cursor’

  5. hit R Z and move the mouse, the ship rotates around the sphere

… or, parent the space ship to the sphere

select the space ship
hold shift, and select the sphere, let go of shift
hit ctrl p, choose ‘object’

select just the sphere, and R Z . The sphere rotates (in place) and the ship obits with it.

4

Thanks for trying you guys, but to select sphere set Cursor to Origin does set the 3d cursor to the sphere. Then to select the ship and SHIFT “S” or the longer route still ends up in the ship rotation of it’s “Z” not the Sphere’s.

Maybe it is one of two things?

  1. I am using this ship as an appended file. And using it’s Null or Empty to steer it. As all parts are parented to the empty./
  2. the “Z” axis is one in the same for the planet and the Sphere, where I really need Offset, yet I have not found the info on that.

I could parent after setting proper alignment to sphere to have “Z” axis rotation as desired. Thank you. But I do not have what I really wanted a NON parented object to rotate off another’s origin point.
There must be a way to do this…

Photox did you mean to use SHIFT “S” to “Change your pivot point to ‘3D Cursor’” or is there a different approach/keystroke to acquire. As that did not give me what I wanted.

5

Photox,

That SOLVED it Thanks. For some reason the first time I read your post there was no screen grab? So I did not know to use the lil icons at the bottom. Exact what I wanted.
Thanks again for the help.
NC

Hey ahhh I went to KF that desired rotation and when i do I get a shuttle that rotates on it’s “Z” axis not the planets?
When doing your steps above it works using the “R” and “Z” and mouse.
I hit “I” in both coordinates sections (position and rotation) but after insert of KF’s I get a rotation on only the “Z” of the shuttle?