Celestial Mechanics Software

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Jim Klein - 29 Aug 2006 15:20 GMT

Hi,

I write and sell and give away free versions of my optical design
software called KDP. See my signature line. The free version at my web
site is more that capable of designing and analysing any and all
optical systems of interest to any amateur astronomer so I'm not
trying to sell anybody anything. This is not an ad. I respect the
non-commercial nature of news groups.

I have had a long term interest in celestial mechanics and have
started to add celestial mechanics computational capabilities to my
software for my own intellectual curiosity. I have started with Orbits
for Amateurs.

Has this need, if in fact there is a need, already been answered by
some other software or would it be a useful thing to provide.
Ephemeris calc's, orbital elements and all the other things of
interest to the seriously demented amateur.

Thought I'd ask before I spend too many lost weekends programming. :-)

If this does stimulate interests, what specifically would be of most
interest?

What I add would be included in my free software version as well as in
the commercial version and the astronomical capabilities would be
fully implemented in a full manner in all software versions.

Sincerely,

James E. Klein
jameseklein@earthlink.net

Engineering Calculations
http://www.ecalculations.com
ecalculations@ecalculations.com
Engineering Calculations is the home of
the KDP-2 Optical Design Program
for Windows and (soon) MAC OSX
Free KDP-2 (DEMO) downloadable!
1-818-507-5706 (Voice and Fax)

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Tom Polakis - 29 Aug 2006 15:39 GMT

> I have had a long term interest in celestial mechanics and have
> started to add celestial mechanics computational capabilities to my
> software for my own intellectual curiosity. I

> Has this need, if in fact there is a need, already been answered by
> some other software or would it be a useful thing to provide.
> Ephemeris calc's, orbital elements and all the other things of
> interest to the seriously demented amateur.

Jim,

As you probably already know, many amateurs use desktop planetarium
software to make their Solar System observing plans. I use Carina
Software's Voyager III. Others use The Sky, Guide, Sky Tools, Starry
Night, and other packages.

As for creating an ephemeris, it's hard to beat JPL's Horizons
ephemeris generator. You might check this site out before you proceed.

http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi

Tom

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Klaatu - 29 Aug 2006 16:15 GMT

For *nix platforms see Xephem
http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/

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Llanzlan Klazmon - 29 Aug 2006 23:13 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
> the commercial version and the astronomical capabilities would be
> fully implemented in a full manner in all software versions.

Some of the current planetarium software includes ephemeris generators (at
least Skymap Pro does and of course they would all have to do the necessary
calculations to plot the positions of planets comets and asteroids. Are you
familiar with Jean Meeus' books?

http://www.willbell.com/math/mc1.htm
http://www.willbell.com/math/index.htm

A good freeware skycharting program that many amateurs use:

http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

The is an open source version under development:

http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/index.php

Klazmon.

> Sincerely,
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Free KDP-2 (DEMO) downloadable!
> 1-818-507-5706 (Voice and Fax)

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Space Forum / Amateur Astronomy / August 2006

Celestial Mechanics Software