BUG – Preferences ==> DE 441 Path : the button “Change” was functional but completely black. Solved.
BUG – Solved an issue concerning the generation of a horizon profile suffixed by “.pkf”.
BUG – Corrected several cosmetic bugs around.
BUG – Even if Asteroids were left active on Application exit, they appeared disabled on restart. Solved.
(1) Ephemeris ==> JPL DE4XX Raw Data.
Position and velocity vectors are now expressed in AU. Added the calculation of Orbital Osculating Elements referred to planets from Mercury to Pluto.
N = Longitude of Ascending Node
AP = Argument of Perihelion
TA = True Anomaly.
(2) STATUS PANEL.
Two new clickable panel. TSL non can be shown in HHMMSS, DDDMMSS°, DDD.dddddd°. Moon phase panel shows separately Moon Illumination + Phase Name and Moon Age in days.
(3) COMET ORBITS.
Now comets with an eccentricity e > 0.75 and e < 1 are computed by a near-parabolic model, giving more accurate results with respect the elliptical orbital model.
(4) STELLAR CATALOGUE FORM
Added the star colour derived by the B-V index. A new help note (1) (bottom of the form) specifies that the Spectral Type follows the MK System. It’s a pretty complex system, so the URL for a complete explanation is provided.
(5) ASTEROIDS and COMETS Forms
They have always been my despair. I have changed the arrangement of the elements several times because I considered the windows decidedly unaesthetic. This time I think I am quite satisfied…..
(6) CANON OF SOLAR ECLIPSES
Added filters for TOT, ANN, HYB, PAR, NCT, NCA. The last two are non-central total and annular eclipses, respectively.
(7) – Tool 09
In the bottom left of the Form is now visible the elevation of the Horizon Profile (if present) at the Local Prime Meridian, where the stars reach their maximum altitude above the horizon. As example (image below), we can see that the elevation of mountains at Prime Meridian is 0.3°. The star Adhara normally should be visible in Rome’s sky from 6500 BC, but its max. elevation value, 0.1°, is smaller than 0.3°. This means that actually the star is likely still not visible. 6400 BC should be a better date. Anyway, if an accurate date is needed, a further check in the HOR View is recommended.
(8) New Terminal T9
It contains a quick annual report with Azimuth of the Sun at Equinoxes and Solstices. If a local Horizon Profile is loaded, these numerical quantities are referred to the Horizon Profile. Also containing dates of Equinoxes and Solstices with the corresponding Moon Phase.
(9) New Tool 25 – Historical recorded transits of the Swift-Tuttle Comet.
Thanks to a numerical integration calculated in 1994 by Yeomans et al., it was possible to implement the calculation of the recorded historical transits by this comet. The operation of the Tool is similar to that already existing for Halley’s Comet.
Transits included in K.Yau, D. Yeomans, P.Weissman Data:
2392,2261,2126,1992,1862,1737,1610,1479,1348,1212,1079,
950,826,698,569,441,316,188,59,
-68, -193, -331, -446, -573, -702
(10) – Tool 07 – Moon Phases
Added a couple of columns: the geocentric ecliptic longitude of the Moon (JNOW) and the Sign where moon is lying. Sign, not constellation, referred to the equinox of date.
(11) – Event files.
Event files have a new format, called Version 8 (suffix “.evn8”). When accessing for the first time to a V7 event, a window appears, informing the user that the current event will be converted to V8 format, leaving unchanged the old V7 file. From now on the user has to load and save the Version 8 file only. Conversion only is performed, the Event won’t be loaded. In order to load the new V8 event the user has to access again to “Load Events”.
(12) New tools 26, 27 and 28.
These new tools create tracks of Planets, Asteroids and Comets, respectively, on the EQT map only, showing a maximum time range of one year. Also an exportable ephemeris (simply copy and paste into a text file) is generated.
(13) Terminal T5 and T6 (Lunar Eclipses).
On T5 and T6 now the value of Occulted Moon Disk Area (%) appears, pointed by the red arrow. T5 shows the instantaneous value (variable over time), T6 shows the fixed value computed for G.E.
(14) Distance Panel in the Main Window.
The last two panels (bottom) have been detached from Distance Panel. The rightmost now is referred to solar eclipses only and it’s clickable. It shows alternatively the occultation of the solar disk in diameter, area and digits (one digit is 1/12 of the solar diameter).
