Astronomy related programs
Several astronomy related programs are provided here,
in Microsoft Windows and Linux versions, plus source code so that
they can be compiled for other systems.
Some of these programs are rather trivial
(but you may still find them worthwhile); on the other hand,
starmap, planet, and lunsol are quite involved.
About the programs
The programs are all command line based, not GUI.
Linux users are mostly familiar with this, but many Windows users are not.
The Windows section below points to some instructions that explain this.
The source code (.c files) of the programs is also provided, in case you
are interested in seeing that, or would like to compile the programs for
some other system.
Each C program has only one .c file.
Each can be compiled like "cc -o file file.c -lm".
The programs provided here are as follows.
Click each name for descriptions and usage examples.
-
starmap:
produces PostScript commands for drawing a star map
-
planet:
shows the positions of the sun and planets
-
lunsol:
prints information about the moon and sun
-
celcoo:
converts right ascension and declination to altitude and azimuth
-
elong:
calculates the angle between two objects
-
precess:
precesses right ascension and declination to a given year
-
misc:
miscellaneous shell scripts (Linux only)
Getting the programs
Here are instructions for getting the programs.
The programs are relatively small, so they are grouped together.
For Microsoft Windows
It is suggested that you make a folder called "astro" as explained
here.
You could make the folder by using Windows Explorer, but we want to
ensure that the folder is in a convenient place for later use.
Also, this will introduce you to using "command windows" if you are
not familiar with that.
Then download all the files you want to the astro folder:
Right click each of the appropriate files below and
"save link as" or "save target as" to save it in your astro folder.
(The folder's location was displayed in the lower left corner of the command
window that you used to make the folder.)
Then unzip each zip file into your astro folder:
In Windows Explorer go to the astro folder.
For each zip file, double click it, click "extract all files",
tell it to unzip the files into this same astro folder (not a folder below it),
and click extract.
If you are going to use starmap, you also need to do this
additional setup.
Please see these instructions
for some advice about running these programs in a command window.
For Linux
It is suggested that you make a directory called "astro"
and download all the files you want to the astro directory:
Right click each of the appropriate files below and
"save link as" or "save target as" to save it in your astro directory.
-
astro32lin.zip (96,647 byte file):
This contains the programs: some binary and some shell scripts.
The C programs were compiled for 32 bit systems, but will also work
on most 64 bit systems.
-
astro32data.zip (11,996,931 byte file):
This contains data for the starmap program.
You need it if you are going to use starmap; otherwise you don't need it.
-
astro32src.zip (79,790 byte file):
This contains the source files for the programs.
You need this file only if you want to compile the programs yourself, or you
are interested in seeing how the programs work.
In the astro directory type "unzip file.zip"
for each zip file.
Then "chmod +x" the program files.
If you are going to use starmap, you also need a PostScript viewer,
such as gv.
The "map" shell script will call starmap and then call gv on the
output.
For other systems
It is suggested that you make a directory called "astro"
and download all the files you want to the astro directory:
Right click each of the appropriate files below and
"save link as" or "save target as" to save it in your astro directory.
unzip each zip file that you downloaded.
Then compile each C program.
Each C program has only one .c file.
Each can be compiled like "cc -o file file.c -lm".
Miscellaneous
These aren't programs, but here are a couple calculations
you may find interesting:
If you have any questions or comments, you can send mail to
support@arkkra.com.
Bill Krauss