diff --git a/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp b/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp
index 6399a2a2f4d769f598961d235e094e9371182c36..e3198a37185f18b39da4c2cfcbbfd84cd2dc0be6 100644
--- a/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp
+++ b/src/pulsaranimationwidget.cpp
@@ -77,18 +77,18 @@ PulsarAnimationWidget::PulsarAnimationWidget(QWidget *parent) :
 
     // initial binary system parameters (have to match GUI!)
     m_pulsarMass = 1.4;
-    // initial companion is "Neutron Star"
-    m_companionMass = 1.4;
+    m_pulsarRadius = 1.0;
     m_pulsarSpinAxisInclination = 0.0;
     m_pulsarMagneticAxisInclination = 60.0;
     m_pulsarSemiMajorAxis = 5.0;
-    m_companionSemiMajorAxis = (m_pulsarMass/m_companionMass) * m_pulsarSemiMajorAxis;
     // initial spin frequency of 0.5 Hz
     m_pulsarRotationDelta = (360.0 * 0.5) / m_framesPerSecond;
     // beam properties (keep this order!)
     m_pulsarBeamLength = 3.0f;
     setPulsarBeamAngle(30);
-
+    // initial companion is "Neutron Star"
+    m_companionMass = 1.4;
+    m_companionSemiMajorAxis = (m_pulsarMass/m_companionMass) * m_pulsarSemiMajorAxis;
 
     // update orbital period (based on settings above)
     updateOrbitPeriod();
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ void PulsarAnimationWidget::paintGL()
             glEnable(GL_LIGHTING);
             glMaterialfv(GL_FRONT, GL_AMBIENT, no_mat);
             glMaterialfv(GL_FRONT, GL_DIFFUSE, mat_diffuse);
-            gluSphere(m_quadricPulsar, 1.0, 32, 32);
+            gluSphere(m_quadricPulsar, m_pulsarRadius, 32, 32);
             glDisable(GL_LIGHTING);
         }
         glPopMatrix();
diff --git a/src/pulsaranimationwidget.h b/src/pulsaranimationwidget.h
index 7dc21bd829876e50fd0467324976320bed44e1c2..31f15f9b8c3feac7ca521c4fdcef3c7dd56fce77 100644
--- a/src/pulsaranimationwidget.h
+++ b/src/pulsaranimationwidget.h
@@ -104,16 +104,16 @@ private:
     double m_orbitRotationAngle;
     double m_orbitRotationDelta;
 
+    double m_pulsarRadius;
+    double m_pulsarBeamLength;
+    double m_pulsarBeamAngle;
+    double m_pulsarBeamOuterRadius;
     double m_pulsarMass;
     double m_pulsarSemiMajorAxis;
-    double m_companionMass;
-    double m_companionSemiMajorAxis;
-
     double m_pulsarSpinAxisInclination;
     double m_pulsarMagneticAxisInclination;
-    double m_pulsarBeamLength;
-    double m_pulsarBeamAngle;
-    double m_pulsarBeamOuterRadius;
+    double m_companionMass;
+    double m_companionSemiMajorAxis;
 
     bool m_showOrbits;
     bool m_showRotationAxes;