Rotating perspective camera around object in javaFX

The general technique defines the answers to: RotateTransition around the pivot point? You define a rotary transform and then use a timeline (or animation timer) to animate the angle of the rotary transform as needed. If you want the object to be centered, you can move the camera to the beginning of the object before rotating.

The sample here just demonstrates how to do this for a 3D application:

In the sample, the camera rotates around a cube centered at coordinates 0,0,0. Animated rotation around the y-axis. Sample images show images with varying degrees of rotation. You can click on an object in the scene to center the camera on the object and rotate around it.

import javafx.animation.*;
import javafx.application.Application;
import javafx.scene.*;
import javafx.scene.paint.*;
import javafx.scene.shape.*;
import javafx.scene.transform.*;
import javafx.stage.Stage;
import javafx.util.Duration;

public class CameraRotationApp extends Application {

    private Parent createContent() throws Exception {
        Sphere sphere = new Sphere(2.5);
        sphere.setMaterial(new PhongMaterial(Color.FORESTGREEN));

        sphere.setTranslateZ(7);
        sphere.setTranslateX(2);

        Box box = new Box(5, 5, 5);
        box.setMaterial(new PhongMaterial(Color.RED));

        Translate pivot = new Translate();
        Rotate yRotate = new Rotate(0, Rotate.Y_AXIS);

        // Create and position camera
        PerspectiveCamera camera = new PerspectiveCamera(true);
        camera.getTransforms().addAll (
                pivot,
                yRotate,
                new Rotate(-20, Rotate.X_AXIS),
                new Translate(0, 0, -50)
        );

        // animate the camera position.
        Timeline timeline = new Timeline(
                new KeyFrame(
                        Duration.seconds(0), 
                        new KeyValue(yRotate.angleProperty(), 0)
                ),
                new KeyFrame(
                        Duration.seconds(15), 
                        new KeyValue(yRotate.angleProperty(), 360)
                )
        );
        timeline.setCycleCount(Timeline.INDEFINITE);
        timeline.play();

        // Build the Scene Graph
        Group root = new Group();       
        root.getChildren().add(camera);
        root.getChildren().add(box);
        root.getChildren().add(sphere);

        // set the pivot for the camera position animation base upon mouse clicks on objects
        root.getChildren().stream()
                .filter(node -> !(node instanceof Camera))
                .forEach(node ->
                        node.setOnMouseClicked(event -> {
                            pivot.setX(node.getTranslateX());
                            pivot.setY(node.getTranslateY());
                            pivot.setZ(node.getTranslateZ());
                        })
                );

        // Use a SubScene
        SubScene subScene = new SubScene(
                root,
                300,300,
                true,
                SceneAntialiasing.BALANCED
        );
        subScene.setFill(Color.ALICEBLUE);
        subScene.setCamera(camera);
        Group group = new Group();
        group.getChildren().add(subScene);

        return group;
    }

    @Override
    public void start(Stage stage) throws Exception {
        stage.setResizable(false);
        Scene scene = new Scene(createContent());
        stage.setScene(scene);
        stage.show();
    }

    public static void main(String[] args) {
        launch(args);
    }
}