During molecular simulations, it’s not uncommon to lose track of the structural elements you’re most interested in. You try to follow a subunit or a specific site, but as the animation plays out, your perspective shifts—even when you wish it wouldn’t.
Have you ever thought, “I just want to keep looking at that part, no matter how the molecule moves”? That’s where the Look at atoms animation in SAMSON comes in. It’s built specifically to solve this problem: helping you remain visually locked onto the part of your system that matters—without shifting your camera’s point of view.
Why this helps molecular modelers
When you’re analyzing a molecular trajectory—say, during ligand binding, folding, or mechanical deformation—it’s incredibly helpful to maintain your spatial orientation. If the camera follows the atoms too closely, you’re moving all over the place. If it stays fixed on nothing, you might miss subtle displacements. The solution?
Fix your camera position, but keep your target dynamic.
This technique is particularly useful if you’re:
- Comparing the relative motion of substructures
- Demonstrating motion in presentations without disorienting the viewer
- Recording focused animations during simulations
How it works
The Look at atoms animation effect allows your camera’s target to follow the geometric center of selected atoms, while your camera’s position stays fixed. The result: your view stays stable, but you’re always looking at the action.
Step-by-step
- Select the atoms you want the camera to follow.
- Orient the camera as you wish—this position will remain fixed.
- Go to the Animator’s Track view and set the start frame.
- Double-click “Look at atoms” in the Animation panel.
- Set the end frame of your animation. The camera will keep looking at the target throughout.
You can move the start and end frames as needed later, giving you flexibility if your animation changes. The interpolation between frames is automatic, and the camera smoothly follows the selected atoms’ center.
Customizing further
If you’re using multiple cameras, you can inspect the animation and disable the “Apply to active camera” option to assign it to a different one. Additionally, the “Keep camera upwards” option can help stabilize results based on whether the environment’s grid is active.
Visual example
Conclusion
Whether you’re presenting your work or analyzing dynamic regions of a molecule, the Look at atoms animation effect in SAMSON provides a simple but valuable way to maintain focus. Your scene stays stable to watch complex events unfold—exactly where they matter most.
To learn more, visit the original documentation page: https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/animations/look-at-atoms/
SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can get SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.