diff --git a/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp b/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp
index 0d28e1688c8ce700f76875aa91468db91a4d0859..d6d883665632de772f5432ed8ae6f1aa3bbe36d1 100644
--- a/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ PulsarAnimationWidget::PulsarAnimationWidget(QWidget *parent) :
 
     // initial binary system parameters (have to match GUI!)
     m_pulsarMass = 1.4;
-    m_pulsarRadius = 1.0;
+    m_pulsarRadius = 3.0;
     m_pulsarSpinAxisInclination = 0.0;
     m_pulsarMagneticAxisInclination = 60.0;
     m_pulsarSemiMajorAxis = 5.0;
@@ -100,8 +100,8 @@ PulsarAnimationWidget::PulsarAnimationWidget(QWidget *parent) :
     m_cameraInteraction = false;
 
     // initial view settings
-    m_mouseAngleH = 90.0;
-    m_mouseAngleV = 30.0;
+    m_mouseAngleH = 0.0;
+    m_mouseAngleV = 0.0;
     m_cameraZoom = 150.0;
     m_cameraZoomLBound = 10.0;
     m_cameraZoomUBound = 4500.0;
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ void PulsarAnimationWidget::paintGL()
 
     // TODO: should be located elsewhere
     static GLfloat no_mat[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.0, 1.0};
-    static GLfloat mat_diffuse[] = {0.5, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0};
+    static GLfloat mat_diffuse[] = {0.0, 0.0, 0.5, 1.0};
     static GLfloat mat_specular[] = {1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0};
     static GLfloat low_shininess[] = {2.5};
     static GLfloat translucent[] = {1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.33};