From ce599e4f9f94b4eb00c1b5edb85bce5431ab3df2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: toma Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:56:58 +0000 Subject: Copy the KDE 3.5 branch to branches/trinity for new KDE 3.5 features. 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mode 100644 doc/kstars/star_colors.png create mode 100644 doc/kstars/stars.docbook create mode 100644 doc/kstars/timezones.docbook create mode 100644 doc/kstars/tools.docbook create mode 100644 doc/kstars/utime.docbook create mode 100644 doc/kstars/viewops.png create mode 100644 doc/kstars/wut.docbook create mode 100644 doc/kstars/wut.png create mode 100644 doc/kstars/zenith.docbook (limited to 'doc/kstars') diff --git a/doc/kstars/Makefile.am b/doc/kstars/Makefile.am new file mode 100644 index 00000000..da8216ae --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/Makefile.am @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ + +KDE_LANG = en +KDE_DOCS = AUTO +KDE_MANS = AUTO diff --git a/doc/kstars/aavso.png b/doc/kstars/aavso.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4d9db1a1 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/aavso.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/ai-contents.docbook b/doc/kstars/ai-contents.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f7ee216c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/ai-contents.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,45 @@ + +AstroInfo: Table of Contents + +The Sky and Coordinate Systems + Celestial Coordinate Systems + Celestial Equator + Celestial Poles + Celestial Sphere + The Ecliptic + The Equinoxes + Geographic Coordinates + Great Circles + The Horizon + Hour Angle + Local Meridian + Precession + The Zenith + + +Time + Julian Day + Leap Years + Sidereal Time + Time Zones + Universal Time + + +Physics + Blackbody Radiation + Dark Matter + Flux + Luminosity + Parallax + Retrograde Motion + + +Astrophysics + Elliptical Galaxies + Spiral Galaxies + The Magnitude Scale + Stars: An Introductory FAQ + Star Colors and Temperatures + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/alpha.png b/doc/kstars/alpha.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8c452aac Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/alpha.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/altvstime.docbook b/doc/kstars/altvstime.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0438b0cb --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/altvstime.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,90 @@ + +Altitude vs. Time Tool +Tools +Altitude vs. Time Tool + + + + +The Altitude vs. Time Tool + + + + + + + Altitude vs. Time Plotter + + + + + +This tool plots the altitude of any objects as a function of time, +for any date and location on Earth. The top section is a graphical +plot of altitude angle on the vertical axis, and time on the horizontal +axis. The time is shown both as standard local time along the bottom, +and sidereal time along the top. +The bottom half of the graph is shaded green to indicate that points +in this region are below the horizon. + + +There are a few ways to add curves to the plot. The simplest way to +add the curve of an existing object is to simply type its name in the +Name input field, and press Enter, or the +Plot button. If the text you enter is found in +the object database, the object's curve is added to the graph. You +can also press the Browse button to open the +Find Object Window to select an +object from the list of known objects. If you want to add a point +that does not exist in the object database, simply enter a name for +the point, and then fill in the coordinates in the +RA and Dec input fields. +Then press the Plot button to add the curve for +your custom object to the plot (note that you have to pick a name that +does not already exist in the object database for this to work). + + +When you add an object to the plot, its altitude vs. time curve is +plotted with a thick white line, and its name is added to the listbox +at the lower right. Any objects that were already present are plotted +with a thinner red curve. You can choose which object is plotted with +the thick white curve by highlighting its name in the listbox. + + +These curves show the objects' Altitude (angle above the horizon) as a function of time. When +a curve passes from the lower half to the upper half, the object has +risen; when it falls back to the lower half, it has set. For example, +in the screenshot, the minor planet Quaoar is +setting at around 15:00 local time, and is rising at about 04:00 local +time. + + +The Altitude of an object depends on both where you are on Earth, and +on the Date. By default, the Tool adopts the Location and Date from the +current KStars settings. You can change these parameters in the +Date & Location Tab. To change the Location, +you can press the Choose City... button to open +the Set Geographic Location Window, or +enter Longitude and Latitude values manually in the input fields, and +press the Update button. To change the Date, +use the Date picker widget, then press +Update. Note that any curves you had already +plotted will be automatically updated when you change the Date and/or +Location. + + + +Exercise: + +Plot the Sun's Altitude curve. Make sure the geographic location is not +near the equator. Change the Date to some time in June, and then again to +sometime in January. You can see easily why we have seasons; in the +winter, the Sun is above the horizon for less time (the days are shorter), +and its altitude is never very high. + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/altvstime.png b/doc/kstars/altvstime.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d84ffae4 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/altvstime.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/astroinfo.docbook b/doc/kstars/astroinfo.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e1ea7182 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/astroinfo.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ + +The AstroInfo Project + + +Here you can find a collection of short articles that explain various +astronomical concepts used in &kstars;. From coordinate systems to +celestial mechanics, you can find answers to your questions here. + +The articles sometimes also contain exercises that you can perform with +&kstars; to illustrate the concept behind the article. + + +&contents; + +&skycoords; +&cequator; +&cpoles; +&csphere; +&ecliptic; +&equinox; +&geocoords; +&greatcircle; +&horizon; +&hourangle; +&meridian; +&precession; +&zenith; + +&julianday; +&leapyear; +&sidereal; +&timezones; +&utime; + +&blackbody; +&darkmatter; +&flux; +&luminosity; +¶llax; +&retrograde; + +&ellipgal; +&spiralgal; +&magnitude; +&stars; +&colorandtemp; + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/blackbody.docbook b/doc/kstars/blackbody.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..84b8ba3a --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/blackbody.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,169 @@ + + + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq +
+
 + + + +Blackbody Radiation +Blackbody Radiation +Star Colors and Temperatures + + + +A blackbody refers to an opaque object that +emits thermal radiation. A perfect +blackbody is one that absorbs all incoming light and does not +reflect any. At room temperature, such an object would +appear to be perfectly black (hence the term +blackbody). However, if heated to a high +temperature, a blackbody will begin to glow with +thermal radiation. + + + +In fact, all objects emit thermal radiation (as long as their +temperature is above Absolute Zero, or -273.15 degrees Celsius), +but no object emits thermal radiation perfectly; rather, they are +better at emitting/absorbing some wavelengths of light than others. +These uneven efficiencies make it difficult to study the interaction +of light, heat and matter using normal objects. + + + +Fortunately, it is possible to construct a nearly-perfect blackbody. +Construct a box made of a thermally conductive material, such as +metal. The box should be completely closed on all sides, so that the +inside forms a cavity that does not receive light from the +surroundings. Then, make a small hole somewhere on the box. +The light coming out of this hole will almost perfectly resemble the +light from an ideal blackbody, for the temperature of the air inside +the box. + + + +At the beginning of the 20th century, scientists Lord Rayleigh, +and Max Planck (among others) studied the blackbody +radiation using such a device. After much work, Planck was able to +empirically describe the intensity of light emitted by a blackbody as a +function of wavelength. Furthermore, he was able to describe how this +spectrum would change as the temperature changed. Planck's work on +blackbody radiation is one of the areas of physics that led to the +foundation of the wonderful science of Quantum Mechanics, but that is +unfortunately beyond the scope of this article. + + + +What Planck and the others found was that as the temperature of a +blackbody increases, the total amount of light emitted per +second increases, and the wavelength of the spectrum's peak shifts to +bluer colors (see Figure 1). + + + + + + + +Figure 1 + + + + +For example, an iron bar becomes orange-red when heated to high temperatures and its color +progressively shifts toward blue and white as it is heated further. + + + +In 1893, German physicist Wilhelm Wien quantified the relationship between blackbody +temperature and the wavelength of the spectral peak with the +following equation: + + + + + + + + + + + +where T is the temperature in Kelvin. Wien's law (also known as +Wien's displacement law) states that the +wavelength of maximum emission from a blackbody is inversely +proportional to its temperature. This makes sense; +shorter-wavelength (higher-frequency) light corresponds to +higher-energy photons, which you would expect from a +higher-temperature object. + + + +For example, the sun has an average temperature of 5800 K, so +its wavelength of maximum emission is given by: + + + + + + + + + +This wavelengths falls in the +green region of the visible light spectrum, but the sun's continuum +radiates photons both longer and shorter than lambda(max) and the +human eyes perceives the sun's color as yellow/white. + + + +In 1879, Austrian physicist Stephan Josef Stefan showed that +the luminosity, L, of a black body is proportional to the 4th power of its temperature T. + + + + + + + + + + + +where A is the surface area, alpha is a constant of proportionality, +and T is the temperature in Kelvin. That is, if we double the +temperature (e.g. 1000 K to 2000 K) then the total energy radiated +from a blackbody increase by a factor of 2^4 or 16. + + + +Five years later, Austrian physicist Ludwig Boltzman derived the same +equation and is now known as the Stefan-Boltzman law. If we assume a +spherical star with radius R, then the luminosity of such a star is + + + + + + + + + + + +where R is the star radius in cm, and the alpha is the +Stefan-Boltzman constant, which has the value: + + + + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/blackbody.png b/doc/kstars/blackbody.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c08989b8 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/blackbody.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-angdist.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-angdist.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7ccb1b04 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-angdist.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ + +Angular Distance module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Angular Distance module + + + + +The Angular Distance calculator module + + + + + + + Angular Distance + + + + + +The Angular Distance tool is used to measure the angle between any +two points on the sky. You simply specify the +Equatorial coordinates of the +desired pair of points, and then press the +Compute button to obtain the angle between +the two points. + + +There is also a Batch mode for this module. In batch mode, you +specify an input filename which contains four numbers per line: +the RA and Dec values for pairs of points. Alternatively, you can +specify a single value for any of these four coordinates in +the calculator panel (the corresponding values in the input file +should be skipped if they are specified in the calculator). + + +Once you have specified the input filename and an output filename, +simply press the Run button to generate the +output file. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-angdist.png b/doc/kstars/calc-angdist.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3254671b Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-angdist.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-apcoords.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-apcoords.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..171eba09 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-apcoords.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ + +Apparent Coordinates module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Apparent Coordinates module + + + + +The Apparent Coordinates calculator module + + + + + + + Apparent Coordinates + + + + + +The Apparent Coordinates module converts the catalog +coordinates of a point in the sky to its +apparent coordinates for any date. The +coordinates of objects in the sky are not fixed, because of +precession, nutation and +aberration. This module takes these effects into account. + + +To use the module, first enter the desired target date and time +in the Target Time/Date section. Then, +enter the catalog coordinates in the Catalog +Coordinates section. You can also specify the +catalog's epoch here (usually 2000.0 for modern object +catalogs). Finally, press the Compute +button, and the object's coordinates for the target date +will be displayed in the Apparent Coordinates +section. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-apcoords.png b/doc/kstars/calc-apcoords.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..5d54f3d3 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-apcoords.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-dayduration.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-dayduration.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c5c11117 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-dayduration.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,28 @@ + +Day Duration module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Day Duration module + + + + +The Day Duration calculator module + + + + + + + Day Duration + + + + + +This module computes the length of day as well as sunrise, sun-transit +(noon), and sunset times for any calendar date, for any location on +Earth. First fill in the desired geographic coordinates and date, then +press the Compute button. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-daylength.png b/doc/kstars/calc-daylength.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c74d1560 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-daylength.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-ecliptic.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-ecliptic.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9117cd25 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-ecliptic.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ + +Ecliptic Coordinates module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Ecliptic Coordinates module + + + + +The Ecliptic Coordinates calculator module + + + + + + + Ecliptic Coordinates + + + + + +This module converts between Equatorial +coordinates and Ecliptic +coordinates. First, select which coordinates +should be taken as input values in the Choose Input +Coordinates section. Then, fill in the corresponding +coordinate values in either the Ecliptic +coordinates or Equatorial coordinates +section. Finally, press the Compute button, +and the complementary coordinates will be filled in. + + +The module contains a batch mode for converting several coordinate +pairs at once. You must construct an input file in which each line +contains two values: the input coordinate pairs (either Equatorial +or Ecliptic). Then specify which coordinates you are using as input, +and identify the input and output filenames. Finally, press the +Run button to generate the output file, +which will contain the converted coordinates (Equatorial or +Ecliptic; the complement of what you chose as the input values). + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-ecliptic.png b/doc/kstars/calc-ecliptic.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7d048999 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-ecliptic.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-eqgal.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-eqgal.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..29f04021 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-eqgal.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,34 @@ + +Equatorial/Galactic Coordinates module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Equatorial/Galactic Coordinates module + + + + +The Equatorial/Galactic Coordinates calculator module + + + + + + + Equatorial/Galactic Coordinates + + + + + +This module converts from Equatorial +coordinates to Galactic +coordinates, and vice versa. First, select which coordinates +should be taken as input values in the Input +Selection section. Then, fill in the corresponding +coordinate values in either the Galactic +coordinates or Equatorial coordinates +section. Finally, press the Compute button, +and the complementary coordinates will be filled in. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-eqgal.png b/doc/kstars/calc-eqgal.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..811f6418 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-eqgal.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-equinox.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-equinox.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b43d4190 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-equinox.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,42 @@ + +Equinoxes and Solstices module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Equinoxes and Solstices module + + + + +The Equinoxes and Solstices calculator module + + + + + + + Equinoxes and Solstices + + + + + +The Equinoxes and +Solstices module calculates the date and time of an +equinox or solstice for a given year. You specify which +event (Spring Equinox, Summer Solstice, Autumn Equinox, +or Winter Solstice) should be investigated, and the year. +Then press the Compute button to +obtain the date and time of the event, and the length of +the corresponding season, in days. + + +There is a batch mode for this module. To use it, simply +generate an input file whose lines each contain a year +for which the Equinox and Solstice data will be computed. +Then specify the input and output filenames, and press the +Run button to generate the output +file. Each line in the output file contains the input year, +the date and time of each event, and the length of each +season. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-equinox.png b/doc/kstars/calc-equinox.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..182cfc10 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-equinox.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-geodetic.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-geodetic.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b8b9655f --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-geodetic.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,43 @@ + +Geodetic Coordinates module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Geodetic Coordinates module + + + + +The Geodetic Coordinates calculator module + + + + + + + Geodetic Coordinates + + + + + +The normal geographic coordinate +system assumes that the Earth is a perfect sphere. This is +nearly true, so for most purposes geographic coordinates are fine. +If very high precision is required, then we must take the true shape +of the Earth into account. The Earth is an ellipsoid; the distance +around the equator is about 0.3% longer than a Great Circle that passes through the +poles. The Geodetic Coordinate system takes +this ellipsoidal shape into account, and expresses the position +on the Earth's surface in Cartesian coordinates (X, Y, and Z). + + +To use the module, first select which coordinates you will use as +input in the Input Selection section. Then, fill +in the input coordinates in either the Cartesian +Coordinates section or the Geographic +Coordinates section. When you press the +Compute button, the corresponding +coordinates will be filled in. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-geodetic.png b/doc/kstars/calc-geodetic.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8cd080a6 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-geodetic.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-horizontal.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-horizontal.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b4cdcd21 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-horizontal.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,35 @@ + +Horizontal Coordinates module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Horizontal Coordinates module + + + + +The Horizontal Coordinates calculator module + + + + + + + Horizontal Coordinates + + + + + +This module converts from Equatorial +coordinates to Horizontal +coordinates. First, select the date, time, and +geographic coordinates for the calculation in the +Input Data section. Then, fill in the +equatorial coordinates to be converted and their catalog epoch +in the Equatorial Coordinates section. +When you press the Compute button, +the corresponding Horizontal coordinates will be presented in +the Horizontal Coordinates section. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-horizontal.png b/doc/kstars/calc-horizontal.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..169c781f Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-horizontal.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-julian.png b/doc/kstars/calc-julian.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..5cd43cf8 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-julian.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-julianday.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-julianday.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4c01d698 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-julianday.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,41 @@ + +Julian Day module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Julian Day module + + + + +The Julian Day calculator module + + + + + + + Julian Day + + + + + +This module converts between the calendar date, the Julian Day, and the +Modified Julian Day. The Modified Julian Day +is simply equal to the Julian Day - 2,400,000.5. + +To use the module, select which of the three dates will be the input, +and then fill in its value. Then press the +Compute button, and the corresponding values for +the other two date systems will be displayed. + + + +Exercise: + +What calendar date does MJD = 0.0 correspond to? + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-planetcoords.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-planetcoords.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..11b579eb --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-planetcoords.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,47 @@ + +Planet Coordinates module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Planet Coordinates module + + + + +The Planet Coordinates calculator module + + + + + + + Planet Coordinates + + + + + +The Planet Coordinates module computes positional data for +any major solar system body, for any time and date and any +geographic location. Simply select the solar +system body from the drop-down list, and specify +the desired date, time, and geographic coordinates (these +values are preset to the current &kstars; settings). Then +press the Compute button to determine +the Equatorial, Horizontal, and Ecliptic coordinates of the body. + + +There is a batch mode for this module. You must construct +an input file in which each line specifies values for the +input parameters (solar system body, date, time, longitude, +and latitude). You may choose to specify a constant value +for some of the parameters in the calculator window (these +parameters should be skipped in the input file). You may +also specify which of the output parameters (Equatorial, +Horizontal, and Ecliptic coordinates) should be calculated. +Finally, specify the input and output filenames, and press +the Run button to generate the output +file with the computed values. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-planetcoords.png b/doc/kstars/calc-planetcoords.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..23351e10 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-planetcoords.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-precess.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-precess.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2888b22d --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-precess.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@ + +Precession module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Precession module + + + + +The Precession calculator module + + + + + + + Precession + + + + + +This module is similar to the Apparent +Coordinates module, but it only applies the effect of +precession, not of nutation or +aberration. + + +To use the module, first enter the input coordinates and their epoch +in the Original Coordinates section. You must +also fill in the target epoch in the Precessed +Coordinates section. Then, press the +Compute button, and the object's +coordinates, precessed to the target Epoch, are presented in the +Precessed Coordinates section. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-precess.png b/doc/kstars/calc-precess.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0ce11ead Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-precess.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-sidereal.docbook b/doc/kstars/calc-sidereal.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8f05e340 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calc-sidereal.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,32 @@ + +Sidereal Time module +Tools +Astrocalculator +Sidereal Time module + + + + +The Sidereal Time calculator module + + + + + + + Sidereal Time + + + + + +This module converts between Universal +Time and Local Sidereal Time. +First, select whether you will use Universal Time or Sidereal Time +as an input value in the Input Selection section. +You must also specify a geographic longitude, and a date for the +calculation, in addition to either the Universal Time or the Sidereal +Time value. When you press the Compute button, +the corresponding value for the other Time will be displayed. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/calc-sidereal.png b/doc/kstars/calc-sidereal.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0acb0409 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/calc-sidereal.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/calculator.docbook b/doc/kstars/calculator.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9b40800c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/calculator.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,48 @@ + +The Astrocalculator +Tools +Astrocalculator + + + +The &kstars; Astrocalculator provides several modules that +give you direct access to algorithms used by the program. +The modules are organized by subject: + +Coordinate Converters +Angular Distance +Apparent Coordinates +Ecliptic Coordinates +Equatorial/Galactic Coordinates +Horizontal Coordinates +Precession + +Earth Coordinates +Geodetic Coordinates + +Solar System +Planets Coordinates + +Time Calculators +Day Duration +Equinoxes and Solstices +Julian Day +Sidereal Time + + + +&calc-angdist; +&calc-apcoords; +&calc-ecliptic; +&calc-eqgal; +&calc-horiz; +&calc-precess; +&calc-geodetic; +&calc-planetcoords; +&calc-dayduration; +&calc-equinox; +&calc-julian; +&calc-sidereal; + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/cequator.docbook b/doc/kstars/cequator.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..31e730c5 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/cequator.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,27 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Celestial Equator +Celestial Equator +Equatorial Coordinates + + +The Celestial Equator is an imaginary great circle on the celestial sphere. The celestial equator +is the fundamental plane of the Equatorial +Coordinate System, so it is defined as the locus of points +with Declination of zero degrees. It is also the projection of the +Earth's equator onto the sky. + + +The Celestial Equator and the Ecliptic +are set at an angle of 23.5 degrees in the sky. The points where they +intersect are the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/color_indices.png b/doc/kstars/color_indices.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..ae684c57 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/color_indices.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/colorandtemp.docbook b/doc/kstars/colorandtemp.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d0a762e6 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/colorandtemp.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,174 @@ + + + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq +
+
 + + + +Star Colors and Temperatures +Star Colors and Temperatures +Blackbody Radiation +Magnitude Scale + + + +Stars appear to be exclusively white at first glance. +But if we look carefully, we can notice a range of colors: blue, +white, red, and even gold. In the winter constellation of Orion, a +beautiful contrast is seen between the red Betelgeuse at Orion's +"armpit" and the blue Bellatrix at the shoulder. What causes stars to +exhibit different colors remained a mystery until two centuries ago, +when Physicists gained enough understanding of the nature of light and +the properties of matter at immensely high temperatures. + + + +Specifically, it was the physics of +blackbody radiation that enabled +us to understand the variation of stellar colors. Shortly after +blackbody radiation was understood, it was noticed that the spectra of +stars look extremely similar to blackbody radiation curves of +various temperatures, ranging from a few thousand Kelvin to ~50,000 +Kelvin. The obvious conclusion is that stars are similar to +blackbodies, and that the color variation of stars is a direct +consequence of their surface temperatures. + + + +Cool stars (i.e., Spectral Type K and M) radiate most +of their energy in the red and infrared region of the +electromagnetic spectrum and thus appear red, while hot stars (i.e., +Spectral Type O and B) emit mostly at blue and ultra-violet +wavelengths, making them appear blue or white. + + + +To estimate the surface temperature of a star, we can use the known +relationship between the temperature of a blackbody, and the +wavelength of light where its spectrum peaks. That is, as you +increase the temperature of a blackbody, the peak of its spectrum +moves to shorter (bluer) wavelengths of light. +This is illustrated in Figure 1 where the intensity of three +hypothetical stars is plotted against wavelength. The "rainbow" +indicates the range of wavelengths that are visible to the human eye. + + + + + + + +Figure 1 + + + + +This simple method is conceptually correct, but it cannot be used to +obtain stellar temperatures accurately, because stars are +not perfect blackbodies. The presence of various +elements in the star's atmosphere will cause certain wavelengths of +light to be absorbed. Because these absorption lines are not uniformly +distributed over the spectrum, they can skew the position of +the spectral peak. +Moreover, obtaining a usable spectrum of a star +is a time-intensive process and is prohibitively inefficient for large +samples of stars. + + + +An alternative method utilizes photometry to measure the intensity of +light +passing through different filters. Each filter allows +only a specific part of the spectrum +of light to pass through while rejecting all others. A widely used +photometric system is called the Johnson UBV +system. It employs three bandpass filters: U +("Ultra-violet"), B ("Blue"), and V ("Visible"); each occupying different regions of the +electromagnetic spectrum. + + + +The process of UBV photometry involves using light sensitive devices +(such as film or CCD cameras) and aiming a telescope at a star to +measure the intensity of light that passes through each of the +filters individually. This procedure gives three apparent +brightnesses or fluxes (amount of +energy per cm^2 per second) designated by Fu, Fb, and Fv. The ratio of +fluxes Fu/Fb and Fb/Fv is a quantitative measure of the star's +"color", and these ratios can be used to establish a temperature scale +for stars. Generally speaking, the larger the Fu/Fb and Fb/Fv ratios +of a star, the hotter its surface temperature. + + + +For example, the star Bellatrix in Orion has Fb/Fv = 1.22, indicating +that it is brighter through the B filter than through the V filter. +furthermore, its Fu/Fb ratio is 2.22, so it is brightest through the U +filter. This indicates that the star must be very hot indeed, since +the position of its spectral peak must be somewhere in the range of +the U filter, or at an even shorter wavelength. The surface +temperature of Bellatrix (as determined from comparing its spectrum to +detailed models that account for its absorption lines) is about 25,000 +Kelvin. + + + +We can repeat this analysis for the star Betelgeuse. Its Fb/Fv and +Fu/Fb ratios are 0.15 and 0.18, respectively, so it is brightest +in V and dimmest in U. So, the spectral peak of Betelgeuse must be +somewhere in the range of the V filter, or at an even longer +wavelength. The surface temperature of Betelgeuse is only 2,400 +Kelvin. + + + +Astronomers prefer to express star colors in terms of a difference in +magnitudes, rather than a ratio of +fluxes. Therefore, going back to blue +Bellatrix we have a color index equal to + + + + B - V = -2.5 log (Fb/Fv) = -2.5 log (1.22) = -0.22, + + + +Similarly, the color index for red Betelgeuse is + + + + B - V = -2.5 log (Fb/Fv) = -2.5 log (0.18) = 1.85 + + + +The color indices, like the magnitude +scale, run backward. Hot and blue +stars have smaller and negative values of B-V +than the cooler and redder stars. + + + +An Astronomer can then use the color indices for a star, after +correcting for reddening and interstellar extinction, to obtain an accurate temperature of that star. +The relationship between B-V and temperature is illustrated in Figure +2. + + + + + + + +Figure 2 + + + + +The Sun with surface temperature of 5,800 K has a B-V index of 0.62. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/commands.docbook b/doc/kstars/commands.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0efacac9 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/commands.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,1192 @@ + +Command Reference + + +Menu Commands +CommandsMenu + + +<guimenu>File</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +&Ctrl;N + +File +New Window + +Open another &kstars; window + + + + + + +&Ctrl;W + +File +Close Window + +Close &kstars; window + + + + + + +&Ctrl;D + +File +Download Data... + +Open the Download Extra Data tool + + + + + + +&Ctrl;O + +File +Open FITS... + +Open a FITS image in the FITS Editor tool + + + + + + +&Ctrl;I + +File +Save Sky Image... + +Create image on disk from current display + + + + + + +&Ctrl;R + +File +Run Script... + +Run the specified KStars script + + + + + + +&Ctrl;P + +File +Print... + +Send the current sky map to the printer (or to a +PostScript/PDF file) + + + + + + +&Ctrl;Q + +File +Quit + +Quit &kstars; + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Time</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +&Ctrl;E + +Time +Set Time to Now + +Sync time to system clock + + + + + +&Ctrl;S + +Time +Set Time... + +Set time and date + + + + +Time +Start/Stop Clock + +Toggle whether time passes + + + + + + +<guimenu>Pointing</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +Z + +Pointing +Zenith + +Center the display at the +Zenith point (straight up) + + + + + + +N + +Pointing +North + +Center the display above the North point on the +horizon + + + + + +E + +Pointing +East + +Center the display above the East point on the +horizon + + + + + +S + +Pointing +South + +Center the display above the South point on the +horizon + + + + + +W + +Pointing +West + +Center the display above the West point on the +horizon + + + + + +&Ctrl;M + +Pointing +Set Focus Manually... + +Center the display on specific +sky coordinates + + + + + + +&Ctrl;F + +Pointing +Find Object + +Locate an object by name using the +Find Object Window + + + + + +&Ctrl;T + +Pointing +Engage/Stop Tracking + +Toggle tracking on/off. While tracking, +the display will remain centered on the current position or +object. + + + + + + +<guimenu>View</guimenu> Menu + + + + + ++ + +View +Zoom in + +Zooms view in + + + + + +- + +View +Zoom out + +Zooms view out + + + + + +&Ctrl;Z + +View +Default Zoom + +Restore the default Zoom setting + + + + + +&Ctrl;&Shift;Z + +View +Zoom to Angular Size... + +Zoom to specified field-of-view angle + + + + + +&Ctrl;&Shift;F + +View +Full Screen Mode + +Toggle full-screen mode + + + + + +Space + +View +Horizontal/Equatorial Coordinates + +Toggle between the +Horizontal and +Equatorial +Coordinate Systems + + + + + +<guimenu>Devices</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +Devices +Telescope Wizard... + +Opens the Telescope Wizard, which +provides a step-by-step guide to help you connect to your telescope and +control it with &kstars;. + + + + +Devices +Device Manager + +Opens up the device manager, which allows you to start/shutdown device drivers and connect to remote INDI servers. + + + + +Devices +INDI Control Panel + +Opens up INDI Control Panel, which allows you to control all the features supported by a device. + + + + +Devices +Capture Image Sequence... + +Acquire images from a CCD camera or webcam device + + + + +Devices +Configure INDI + +Opens up a dialog to configure INDI-related features such as automatic device updates. + + + + + + +<guimenu>Tools</guimenu> Menu + + + + + +&Ctrl;C + +Tools +Calculator... + + + +Opens the AstroCalculator Tool, +which provides full access to many of the mathematical functions used by +&kstars;. + + + + + + + +&Ctrl;L + +Tools +Observing List... + + +Opens the Observing List +Tool, which provide convenient access to some common functions for a list of +objects chosen by you. + + + + + + +&Ctrl;V + +Tools +AAVSO Light Curves... + + + +Opens the AAVSO Light Curve Generator +Tool, which allows you to download a light curve for any variable +star from the American Association of Variable Star Observers. + + + + + + + +&Ctrl;A + +Tools +Altitude vs. Time... + + + +Opens the Altitude vs. Time Tool, which +can plot curves representing the altitude of any object as a +function of time. This is useful for planning observing +sessions. + + + + + + + +&Ctrl;U + +Tools +What's Up Tonight... + + + +Opens the What's Up Tonight Tool, +which presents a summary of the objects which are observable +from your location on a given date. + + + + + + + +&Ctrl;B + +Tools +Script Builder... + + + +Opens the Script Builder Tool, +which provides a GUI interface for building &kstars; DCOP scripts. + + + + + + + +&Ctrl;Y + +Tools +Solar System... + + + +Opens the Solar System Viewer, +which displays an overhead view of the solar system on the +current simulation date. + + + + + + + +&Ctrl;J + +Tools +Jupiter's Moons... + + + +Opens the Jupiter Moons Tool, +which displays the positions of Jupiter's four brightest +moons as a function of time. + + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Settings</guimenu> Menu + + + + +Settings +Info Boxes +Hide/Show Info Boxes + +Toggle display of all three Info Boxes + + + + + +Settings +Info Boxes +Hide/Show Time + +Toggle display of the Time Info Box + + + + + +Settings +Info Boxes +Hide/Show Focus + +Toggle display of the Focus Info Box + + + + + +Settings +Info Boxes +Hide/Show Location + +Toggle display of the Location Info Box + + + + + +Settings +Toolbars +Hide/Show Main Toolbar + +Toggle display of the Main Toolbar + + + + + +Settings +Toolbars +Hide/Show View Toolbar + +Toggle display of the View Toolbar + + + + + +Settings +Statusbar +Hide/Show Statusbar + +Toggle display of the Statusbar + + + + + +Settings +Statusbar +Hide/Show Az/Alt field + +Toggle display of the mouse cursor's horizontal +coordinates in the statusbar + + + + + +Settings +Statusbar +Hide/Show RA/Dec field + +Toggle display of the mouse cursor's horizontal +coordinates in the statusbar + + + + + +Settings +Color Schemes + + +This submenu contains all of the defined color schemes, including your +custom schemes. Select any item to set that color scheme. + + + + + +Settings +FOV Symbols + + +This submenu lists the available field-of-view (FOV) Symbols. +The FOV Symbol is drawn at the center of the display. You +may choose from the list of predefined symbols (No symbol, +7x35 Binoculars, One degree, HST WFPC2 or 30m at 1.3cm), or you may define +your own symbols (or modify existing symbols) using the +Edit FOV symbols... item. + + + + + + +&Ctrl;G + +Settings +Geographic... + + + +Select a new geographic +location + + + + + + +Settings +Configure &kstars;... + +Modify configuration +options + + + + +Settings +Startup Wizard... + +Opens the Setup Wizard, +which allows you to easily set your geographic location and download some +extra data files. + + + + + + + +<guimenu>Help</guimenu> Menu + +&help.menu.documentation; + + + + +Popup Menu +Popup MenuDescription + + +The right click popup menu is +context-sensitive, meaning its content varies depending on what kind of +object you click on. We list all possible popup menu items here, with +the relevant object type [in brackets]. + + + +[All] + +Identification and type: The top one to three lines are devoted to the +name(s) of the object, and its type. For stars, the Spectral Type +is also shown here. + + + + +[All] + +Rise, Transit, and Set times for the object on the current simulation +date are shown on the next three lines. + + + + +[All] + +Center and Track: Center the display +on this location, and engage tracking. Equivalent to double-clicking. + + + + +[All] + +Angular Distance To...: In this mode, +a dotted line is drawn from the first target object +to the current mouse position. When you invoke the popup menu of a second +object, this item will read Compute Angular Distance. +Selecting this item will display the angular distance between the two +objects in the statusbar. You can press the Esc key to +exit angular distance mode without measuring an angle. + + + + +[All] + +Details: Open the +Object Details window for this object. + + + + +[All] + +Attach Label: Attach a permanent name label +to the object. If the object already has a label attached, this item +will read Remove Label. + + + + +[All] + +Show ... Image: download an image of the +object from the internet, and display it in the Image Viewer tool. +The "..." text is replaced by a short description of the image's +source. An object may have multiple image links available in its +popup menu. + + + + +[All] + +... Page: Display a webpage about the object +in your default web browser. The "..." text is replaced by a short +description of the page. An object may have multiple web links available +in its popup menu. + + + + +[All Named Objects] + +Objects in the Sky +Internet Links +Customizing +Add Link...: This allows you to add your own +custom links to the popup menu of any object. It opens a small window +in which you enter the &URL; of the link, and the text you want to +appear in the popup menu. There is also a pair of radio buttons which +allow you to specify whether the &URL; is an image or an +HTML document, so &kstars; knows whether to launch +the web browser or the image viewer. You can use this to add links to +files on your local disk, so this feature could be used to attach +observing logs or other custom information to objects in &kstars;. +Your custom links are automatically loaded whenever &kstars; starts up, +and they are stored in the folder ~/.kde/share/apps/kstars/, in files +myimage_url.dat and +myinfo_url.dat. If you build an extensive list +of custom links, consider submitting them to us, we would like to +include them in the next version of &kstars;! + + + + + + + + + +Keyboard Commands +Commands +Keyboard + + +Navigation Keys +Navigation Controls +Keyboard + + +Arrow Keys + +Use the arrow keys to pan the display. Holding down the &Shift; +key doubles the scrolling speed. + + + ++ / - +Zoom In/Out + + + +&Ctrl;Z +Restore the default Zoom setting + + + +&Ctrl;&Shift;Z +Zoom to specified field-of-view angle + + + +0–9 +Center Display on a major Solar System body: + +0: Sun +1: Mercury +2: Venus +3: Moon +4: Mars +5: Jupiter +6: Saturn +7: Uranus +8: Neptune +9: Pluto + + + + + +Z +Center the display at the Zenith +Point (straight up) + + + +N +Center the display above the North point on the horizon + + + +E +Center the display above the East point on the horizon + + + +S +Center the display above the South point on the horizon + + + + +W +Center the display above the West point on the horizon + + + +&Ctrl;T +Toggle tracking mode + + + +< +Advance the simulation clock backwards by one time step + + + + +> +Advance the simulation clock forwards by one time step + + + + + + + +Menu Shortcuts +Commands +Menu +Keyboard Shortcuts + + + + +&Ctrl;N +Open a new &kstars; window + + + +&Ctrl;W +Close a &kstars; window + + + +&Ctrl;D +Download extra data + + + +&Ctrl;O +Open a FITS image in the FITS Editor + + + +&Ctrl;I +Export sky image to a file + + + +&Ctrl;R +Run a &kstars; DCOP script + + + +&Ctrl;P +Print the current sky map + + + +&Ctrl;Q +Quit &kstars; + + + +&Ctrl;E +Sync the simulation clock with the current system time + + + +&Ctrl;S +Set the simulation clock to a specified Time and Date + + + +&Ctrl;&Shift;F +Toggle full-screen mode + + +Space +Toggle between the +Horizontal and +Equatorial +Coordinate Systems + + + +F1 +Open the &kstars; Handbook + + + + + + +Actions for the Selected Object +Objects in the Sky +Keyboard Actions + +Each of the following keystrokes performs an action on the +selected object. The selected object is the last +object which was clicked on (identified in the status bar). Alternatively, +if you hold down the Shift key, then the action is +performed on the centered object instead. + + + + +D +Open the Details window for the selected object + + + +L +Toggle a name label for the selected object + + + +O +Add the selected object to the observing list + + + +P +Open the selected object's popup menu + + + +T +Toggle a trail on the selected object (solar system bodies only) + + + + + + +Tools Shortcuts + + + +&Ctrl;F +Open the Find Object window, +for specifying a sky object on which to center + + +&Ctrl;M + +Open the Set Focus Manually... tool, +for specifying RA/Dec or Az/Alt coordinates on which to center + + + +[ / ] +Start/End an Angular Distance measurement at the current mouse +cursor position. The angular distance between start and end points is displayed +in the statusbar. + + + +&Ctrl;G +Open the Set Geographic Location +window + + + +&Ctrl;C +Open the AstroCalculator + + + + +&Ctrl;V +Open the AAVSO Lightcurve Generator + + + + +&Ctrl;A +Open the Altitude vs. Time +tool + + + +&Ctrl;U +Open the What's Up Tonight? +tool + + + +&Ctrl;B +Open the Script Builder +tool + + + +&Ctrl;Y +Open the Solar System Viewer + + + + +&Ctrl;J +Open the Jupiter Moons +tool + + + +&Ctrl;L +Open the Observing List +tool + + + + + + + +Mouse Commands +Commands +Mouse +Navigation Controls +Mouse + + +Moving the mouse + +The sky coordinates (RA/Dec and Az/Alt) of the mouse cursor are updated +in the status bar + + + +"Hovering" the mouse + +A temporary name label is attached to the object nearest to the mouse cursor. + + + +Left-clicking + + +Objects in the Sky +Identifying +The object nearest the mouse click is identified in the +status bar. + + + +Double-clicking + + +Objects in the Sky +Centering +Center and track on the location or object +nearest the mouse click. Double-clicking on an Info Box will +shade it to show/hide extra information. + + + +Right-clicking + + +Objects in the Sky +Invoking Popup Menu for +Open the popup menu for the +location or object nearest the mouse cursor. + + + +Scrolling the mouse wheel +Zoom the display in or out. If you do not +have a mouse wheel, you can hold the middle mouse button and +drag vertically. + + + +Click-and-dragging + + + Dragging the sky map + Pan the display, following the drag motion. + + + &Ctrl;+dragging the sky map + Define a rectangle in the map. When the + mouse button is released, the display is zoomed in to match the + field-of-view to the bounds of the rectangle. + + + Dragging an Info Box + The Info Box is repositioned in the map. Info + Boxes will stick to window edges, so that they + remain on the edge when the window is resized. + + + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/config.docbook b/doc/kstars/config.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..38389e65 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/config.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,379 @@ + +Configuring &kstars; + + +Setting the Geographic Location + + +Here is a screenshot of the Set Geographic Location +window: + +Changing the Geographic Location + + + + + + Set Location Window + + + + + + +There is a list of over 2500 predefined cities available to choose from. +You set your location by highlighting a city from this list. Each +city is represented in the world map as a small dot, and when a city +is highlighted in the list, a red crosshairs appears on its location +in the map. + + + +Geographic Location Tool +Filtering +It is not practical to scroll through the full list of 2500 locations, +looking for a specific city. To make searches easier, the list can be +filtered by entering text in the boxes below the map. For example, in +the screenshot, the text Ba appears in the +City Filter box, while M has been +entered in the Province Filter box, and +USA is in the Country Filter +box. Note that all of the cities displayed in the list have city, +province, and country names that begin with the entered filter +strings, and that the message below the filter boxes indicates that 7 +cities are matched by the filters. Also notice that the dots +representing these seven cities in the map have been colored white, +while the unmatched cities remain gray. + +The list can also be filtered by location in the map. Clicking anywhere +in the world map will show only those cities within two degrees of the +clicked location. At this time, you can search by name, or by location, +but not both at once. In other words, when you click on the map, the +name filters are ignored, and vice versa. + +Geographic Location Tool +Custom locations +The longitude, latitude and +time zone information for the +currently-selected location are displayed in the boxes at the bottom of +the window. If you feel that any of these values are inaccurate, you +can modify them and press the Add to List button +to record your custom version of the location. You can also define a +completely new location by pressing the +Clear Fields button, and entering the data for +the new location. Note that all fields except the optional +State/Province must be filled before the new +location can be added to the list. &kstars; will automatically load +your custom locations for all future sessions. Please note, at this +point, the only way to remove a custom location is to remove the +appropriate line from the file +~/.kde/share/apps/kstars/mycities.dat. + +If you add custom locations (or modify existing ones), please send us +your mycities.dat file so that we can add your +locations to the master list. + + + + +Setting the Time + +Date and Time +The simulation clock +When &kstars; starts up, the time is set to your computer's system +clock, and the &kstars; clock is running to keep up with the real time. +If you want to stop the clock, select Stop +Clock from the Time menu, or simply +click on the Pause icon in the toolbar. You can +make the clock run slower or faster than normal, or even make it run +backward, using the time-step spinbox in the toolbar. This spinbox +has two sets of up/down buttons. The first one will step through all +83 available time steps, one by one. The second one will skip to the +next higher (or lower) unit of time, which allows you to make large +timestep changes more quickly. + + +Date and Time +Setting +You can set the time and date by selecting Set +Time... from the Time menu, or by +pressing the time icon in the toolbar. The +Set Time window uses a standard &kde; Date Picker +widget, coupled with three spinboxes for setting the hours, minutes and +seconds. If you want to re-synchronize the simulation clock back to the +current CPU time, just select Set Time to Now +from the Time menu. + + +Date and Time +Extended range of dates +&kstars; can accept very remote dates beyond the usual limits imposed by +QDate. Currently, you can set the date between the years -50000 and +50000. +We may extend this range even further in future releases. However, please +be aware that the accuracy of the simulation becomes more and more degraded +as more remote dates are examined. This is especially true for the positions +of solar system bodies. + + + + +The Configure &kstars; Window + +Configure &kstars; window +The Configure &kstars; window allows you to modify +a wide range of display options. You can access the window with the +configure toolbar icon, or by selecting +Configure &kstars;... from the +Settings menu. +The window is depicted below: + + +Configure &kstars; Window + + + + + + Configure &kstars; Window + + + + + + +The Configure &kstars; window is divided into five +tabs: +Catalogs, Guides, +Solar System, Colors, and +Advanced. + + +Configure &kstars; window +Catalogs Tab +In the Catalogs tab, you determine which object +catalogs are displayed in the map. The Stars section +also allows you to set the +faint magnitude limit +for stars, and the magnitude limit for +displaying the names and/or magnitudes of stars. Below the stars section, +the Deep-Sky Objects section controls the display of +several non-stellar object catalogs. By default, the list includes the +Messier, NGC and IC catalogs. You can add your own custom object catalogs +by pressing the Add Custom Catalog button. For +detailed instructions on preparing a catalog data file, see the +README.customize file that ships with &kstars;. + + +Configure &kstars; window +Solar System Tab +In the Solar System tab, you can specify whether +the Sun, Moon, planets, comets and asteroids are displayed, and +whether the major bodies are drawn as colored circles or actual images. +You can also toggle whether solar system bodies have name labels attached, +and control how many of the comets and asteroids get name labels. +There is an option to automatically attach a temporary orbit +trail whenever a solar system body is tracked, and another to +toggle whether the color of the orbit trail fades into the background +sky color. + + +Configure &kstars; window +Guides Tab +The Guides tab lets you toggle whether non-objects +are displayed (&ie;, constellation lines, constellation names, the +Milky Way contour, the celestial +equator, the ecliptic, the horizon line, and the opaque ground). +You can also choose whether you would like to see Latin constellation +names, IAU-standard three-letter abbreviations, or +constellation names using your local language. + + +Configure &kstars; window +Colors Tab +Color Schemes +Customizing +The Colors tab allows you to set the color scheme, +and to define custom color schemes. The tab is split into two panels: + + +The left panel shows a list of all display items with adjustable +colors. Click on any item to bring up a color selection window to +adjust its color. Below the list is the Star Color +Mode selection box. By default, &kstars; draws stars with +a realistic color tint according +to the spectral type of the star. However, you may also choose to draw +the stars as solid white, black or red circles. If you are using the +realistic star colors, you can set the saturation level of the star +colors with the Star Color Intensity spinbox. + + +The right panel lists the defined color schemes. There are four +predefined schemes: the Default scheme, +Star Chart, which uses black stars on a white +background, Night Vision, which uses only shades +of red in order to protect dark-adapted vision, and Moonless +Night, a more realistic, dark theme. Additionally, +you can save the current color settings as a custom scheme by clicking +the Save Current Colors button. It will prompt +you for a name for the new scheme, and then your scheme will appear in +the list in all future &kstars; sessions. To remove a custom scheme, +simply highlight it in the list, and press the Remove Color +Scheme button. + +Configure &kstars; window +Advanced Tab +The Advanced Tab provides fine-grained control +over the more subtle behaviors of &kstars;. + +Atmospheric Refraction +The Correct for atmospheric refraction checkbox +controls whether the positions of objects are corrected for the effects +of the atmosphere. Because the atmosphere is a spherical shell, light from +outer space is bent as it passes through the atmosphere to +our telescopes or eyes on the Earth's surface. The effect is largest for +objects near the horizon, and actually changes the predicted rise or set +times of objects by a few minutes. In fact, when you see a +sunset, the Sun's actual position is already well below the horizon; +atmospheric refraction makes it seem as if the Sun is still in the sky. +Note that atmospheric refraction is never applied if you are using +Equatorial coordinates. + +Animated Slewing +The Use animating slewing checkbox controls how the +display changes when a new focus position is selected in the map. By +default, you will see the sky drift or slew to the new +position; if you uncheck this option, then the display will instead +snap immediately to the new focus position. + +Objects in the Sky +Labeling +Automatic + +If the Attach label to centered object checkbox is +selected, then a name label will automatically be attached to an object +when it is being tracked by the program. The label will be removed when +the object is no longer being tracked. Note that you can also manually +attach a persistent name label to any object with its popup menu. + +Objects in the Sky +Hiding +There are three situations when &kstars; must redraw the sky display very +rapidly: when a new focus position is selected (and Use +animated slewing is checked), when the sky is dragged with the +mouse, and when the time step is large. In these situations, the positions +of all objects must be recomputed as rapidly as possible, which can put +a large load on the CPU. If the CPU +cannot keep up with the demand, then the display will seem sluggish or jerky. +To mitigate this, &kstars; will hide certain objects during these rapid-redraw +situations, as long as the Hide objects while moving +checkbox is selected. The timestep threshold above which objects will be +hidden is determined by the Also hide if timescale greater +than: timestep-spinbox. You can specify the objects that should +be hidden in the Configure Hidden Objects group box. + + + + +Customizing the Display + + +There are several ways to modify the display to your liking. + + +Color SchemesSelecting +Select a different color scheme in the +SettingsColor Schemes +menu. There are four predefined color schemes, and you can define your own in the +Configure &kstars; window. + + +Toolbars +Customizing +Toggle whether the Toolbars are drawn in the +SettingsToolbars +menu. Like most KDE toolbars, they can also be dragged around and +anchored on any window edge, or even detached from the window completely. + + +Info BoxesCustomizing +Info BoxesShading +Toggle whether the Info Boxes are drawn in the +SettingsInfo Boxes +menu. In addition, you can manipulate the three Info Boxes with the +mouse. Each box has additional lines of data that are hidden by default. +You can toggle whether these additional lines are visible by double-clicking +a box to shade it. Also, you can reposition a box by +dragging it with the mouse. When a box hits a window edge, it will +stick to the edge when the window is resized. + + + +Field-of-View SymbolsDescription +Choose an FOV Symbol using the +SettingsFOV Symbols +menu. FOV is an acronym for field-of-view. +An FOV symbol is drawn at the center of the window to indicate where the display +is pointing. Different symbols have different angular sizes; you can use a symbol to show +what the view through a particular telescope would look like. For example, if you choose +the 7x35 Binoculars FOV symbol, then a circle is drawn on the display that is +9.2 degrees in diameter; this is the field-of-view for 7x35 binoculars. + + +Field-of-View SymbolsCustomizing +You can define your own FOV symbols (or modify the existing symbols) using the +Edit FOV Symbols... menu item, which launches the FOV Editor: + + +Field-of-View Symbols Editor + + + + + + FOV Symbol Editor + + + + + +The list of defined FOV symbols is displayed on the left. On the right are buttons for +adding a new symbol, editing the highlighted symbol's properties, and removing the +highlighted symbol from the list. Note that you can even modify or remove the four +predefined symbols (if you remove all symbols, the four defaults will be restored the +next time you start &kstars;). Below these three buttons is a graphical preview display +showing the highlighted symbol from the list. When the New... or +Edit... button is pressed, the New FOV Symbol +window is opened: + + + +New Field-of-View Symbol + + + + + + New FOV Symbol + + + + + +Field-of-View SymbolsDefining New +This window lets you modify the four properties that define a FOV symbol: name, size, +shape, and color. The angular size for the symbol can either be entered directly in the +Field of View edit box, or you can use the Eyepiece/Camera Tabs to +calculate the field-of-view angle, given parameters of your telescope/eyepiece or +telescope/camera setup. The four available shapes are: Circle, Square, Crosshairs, and +Bullseye. Once you have specified all four parameters, press Ok, +and the symbol will appear in the list of defined symbols. It will also be available +from the Settings | FOV menu. + + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/cpoles.docbook b/doc/kstars/cpoles.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c5f28957 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/cpoles.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Celestial Poles +Celestial Poles +Equatorial Coordinates + + +The sky appears to drift overhead from east to west, completing a full circuit +around the sky in 24 (Sidereal) hours. This +phenomenon is due to the spinning of the Earth on its axis. The Earth's +spin axis intersects the Celestial Sphere at +two points. These points are the Celestial Poles. As the +Earth spins; they remain fixed in the sky, and all other points seem to rotate +around them. The celestial poles are also the poles of the Equatorial Coordinate System, meaning +they have Declinations of +90 degrees and -90 degrees +(for the North and South celestial poles, respectively). + +The North Celestial Pole currently has nearly the same coordinates as +the bright star Polaris (which is Latin for Pole Star). +This makes Polaris useful for navigation: not only is it always above the North +point of the horizon, but its Altitude angle is always (nearly) +equal to the observer's Geographic Latitude +(however, Polaris can only be seen from locations in the Northern hemisphere). + +The fact that Polaris is near the pole is purely a coincidence. In fact, +because of Precession, Polaris is only near +the pole for a small fraction of the time. + + +Exercises: + +Use the Find Object window +(&Ctrl;F) to locate +Polaris. Notice that its Declination is almost (but not exactly) +90 degrees. +Compare the Altitude reading when focused on Polaris to your location's +geographic latitude. They are always within one degree of each other. +They are not exactly the same because Polaris isn't exactly at the Pole. +(you can point exactly at the pole by switching to Equatorial +coordinates, and pressing the up-arrow key until the sky stops scrolling). + +Use the Time Step spinbox in the toolbar to accelerate time + to a +step of 100 seconds. You can see the entire sky appears to rotate around +Polaris, while Polaris itself remains nearly stationary. + +We said that the celestial pole is the pole of the Equatorial coordinate +system. What do you think is the pole of the horizontal (Altitude/Azimuth) +coordinate system? (The Zenith). + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/credits.docbook b/doc/kstars/credits.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8c946366 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/credits.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,75 @@ + +Credits and License + +&kstars; + +Program copyright 2001-2003 The &kstars; Team kstars@30doradus.org + + + +The &kstars; Team: + +Jason Harris kstars@30doradus.org + +Jasem Mutlaq mutlaqja@ku.edu + +Pablo de Vicente pvicentea@wanadoo.es + +Heiko Evermann heiko@evermann.de + +Thomas Kabelmann tk78@gmx.de + +Mark Hollomon mhh@mindspring.com + +Carsten Niehaus cniehaus@gmx.de + + + + + +Data Sources: + + +Object catalogs and planet position tables: NASA Astronomical Data Center + + +Detailed credit information for all of the images used in the program +is presented in the file README.images + + + + + +References: + +Practical Astronomy With Your +Calculator by Peter Duffet-Smith +Astronomical Algorithms by Jean +Meeus + + + + Special thanks: To the &kde; and &Qt; developers for providing +the world with a peerless set of free API +libraries. To the KDevelop team, for their +excellent IDE, which made developing &kstars; so +much easier and more fun. To everyone on the +KDevelop message board, the &kde; +mailing lists, and on irc.kde.org, for answering our frequent +questions. Thank you to Anne-Marie Mahfouf, for inviting &kstars; to +join the &kde;-Edu module. Finally, thanks to everyone who has +submitted bug reports and other feedback. Thank you, everyone. + + + +Documentation copyright 2001-2003 Jason Harris and the KStars Team +kstars@30doradus.org + + + + +&underFDL; +&underGPL; + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/csphere.docbook b/doc/kstars/csphere.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..913463ff --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/csphere.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,28 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Celestial Sphere +Celestial Sphere +Celestial Coordinate Systems + + +The celestial sphere is an imaginary sphere of gigantic radius, centered +on the Earth. All objects which can be seen in the sky can be thought +of as lying on the surface of this sphere. + +Of course, we know that the objects in the sky are not on the surface of +a sphere centered on the Earth, so why bother with such a construct? +Everything we see in the sky is so very far away, that their distances +are impossible to gauge just by looking at them. Since their distances +are indeterminate, you only need to know the direction +toward the object to locate it in the sky. In this sense, the celestial sphere +model is a very practical model for mapping the sky. + +The directions toward various objects in the sky can be quantified by +constructing a Celestial Coordinate System. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/darkmatter.docbook b/doc/kstars/darkmatter.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7f094770 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/darkmatter.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,119 @@ + + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq +
+
 + + + +Dark Matter +Dark Matter + + + +Scientists are now quite comfortable with the idea that 90% of the +mass is the universe is in a form of matter that cannot be seen. + + + Despite comprehensive maps of the nearby universe that cover +the spectrum from radio to gamma rays, we are only able to account of +10% of the mass that must be out there. As Bruce H. Margon, an +astronomer at the University of Washington, told the New York Times in +2001: It's a fairly embarrassing situation to admit that we +can't find 90 percent of the universe. + + The term given this missing mass is +Dark Matter, and those two words pretty well +sum up everything we know about it at this point. We know there is +Matter, because we can see the effects of its +gravitational influence. However, the matter emits no detectable +electromagnetic radiation at all, hence it is Dark. +There exist several theories to account for the missing mass ranging +from exotic subatomic particles, to a population of isolated black +holes, to less exotic brown and white dwarfs. The term missing +mass might be misleading, since the mass itself is not +missing, just its light. But what is exactly dark matter and how do +we really know it exists, if we cannot see it? + + +The story began in 1933 when Astronomer Fritz Zwicky was studying the +motions of distant and massive clusters of galaxies, specifically the +Coma cluster and the Virgo cluster. Zwicky estimated the mass of each +galaxy in the cluster based on their luminosity, and added up all of +the galaxy masses to get a total cluster mass. He then made a second, +independent estimate of the cluster mass, based on measuring the +spread in velocities of the individual galaxies in the cluster. +To his suprise, this second dynamical mass +estimate was 400 times larger than the estimate +based on the galaxy light. + + + +Although the evidence was strong at Zwicky's time, it was not until +the 1970s that scientists began to explore this discrepancy +comprehensively. It was at this time that the existence of Dark +Matter began to be taken seriously. The existence of such matter +would not only resolve the mass deficit in galaxy clusters; it +would also have far more reaching consequences for the evolution and +fate of the universe itself. + + + +Another phenomenon that suggested the need for dark matter is the +rotational curves of Spiral Galaxies. Spiral Galaxies +contain a large population of stars that orbit the Galactic center on +nearly circular orbits, much like planets orbit a star. Like +planetary orbits, stars with larger galactic orbits are expected to +have slower orbital speeds (this is just a statement of Kepler's 3rd Law). +Actually, Kepler's 3rd Law only applies to stars near the perimeter of a Spiral +Galaxy, because it assumes the mass enclosed by the orbit to be +constant. + + + +However, astronomers have made observations of the orbital speeds of +stars in the outer parts of a large number of spiral galaxies, and +none of them follow Kepler's 3rd Law as expected. Instead of falling +off at larger radii, the orbital speeds remain remarkably constant. +The implication is that the mass enclosed by larger-radius orbits +increases, even for stars that are apparently near the edge of the +galaxy. While they are near the edge of the luminous part of the +galaxy, the galaxy has a mass profile that apparently continues well +beyond the regions occupied by stars. + + + +Here is another way to think about it: Consider the stars near the +perimeter of a spiral galaxy, with typical observed orbital +velocities of 200 kilometers per second. If the galaxy consisted of +only the matter that we can see, these stars would very quickly fly +off from the galaxy, because their orbital speeds are four times +larger than the galaxy's escape velocity. Since galaxies are not seen +to be spinning apart, there must be mass in the galaxy that we are not +accounting for when we add up all the parts we can see. + + + Several theories have surfaced in literature to account for the +missing mass such as WIMPs (Weakly Interacting +Massive Particles), MACHOs (MAssive Compact Halo +Objects), primordial black holes, massive neutrinos, and others; each +with their pros and cons. No single theory has yet been accepted by +the astronomical community, because we so far lack the means to +conclusively test one theory against the other. + + + +You can see the galaxy clusters that Professor Zwicky studied to +discover Dark Matter. Use the &kstars; Find Object Window +(&Ctrl;F) to +center on M 87 to find the Virgo Cluster, and on +NGC 4884 to find the Coma Cluster. You may have to +zoom in to see the galaxies. Note that the Virgo Cluster appears to +be much larger on the sky. In reality, Coma is the larger cluster; +it only appears smaller because it is further away. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/dcop.docbook b/doc/kstars/dcop.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b17539bf --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/dcop.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,229 @@ + +Scripting KStars: The DCOP Interface + +One of the goals of &kstars; is to provide the ability to playback +complicated behaviors from a script. This will allow you to +create virtual tours of the heavens, and will enable +teachers to construct classroom demos to illustrate certain +astronomical concepts. It is already possible to write such scripts +for &kstars;, although not all of the desired functions have been +included. Also, while we will eventually have a GUI-based script +builder tool, the scripts must currently be written by hand. This +chapter will explain how to write &kstars; scripts. + + +The &kde; architecture provides the necessary framework for scriptable +applications via the DCOP interface. +DCOP stands for Desktop Communication +Protocol; through DCOP, &kde; applications +can be controlled by other applications, from a terminal prompt, or +through a text script. + + + +DCOP Functions + +The &kstars; DCOP Interface includes the following +functions: + + + +lookTowards( const QString direction ): +Point the display focus in a direction specified by the argument. +This can be the name of any object in the sky, or one of the following +directional words or abbreviations: zenith (or z), north (n), +northeast (ne), east (e), southeast (se), south (s), southwest(sw), +west(w), northwest (nw). + + + +setRaDec( double ra, double dec ): +Point the display focus at the specified equatorial coordinates. + + + +setAltAz(double alt, double az): +Point the display focus at the specified horizontal coordinates. + + + +zoomIn(): +Increase the display's Zoom level. + + + +zoomOut(): +Decrease the display's Zoom level. + + + +defaultZoom(): +Reset the display to Zoom level = 3 (the default). + + + +setLocalTime(int yr, int mth, int day, int hr, int min, int sec): +Set the simulation clock to the specified date and time. + + + +waitFor( double t ): +Pause for t seconds before continuing with subsequent script commands. + + + +waitForKey( const QString k ): +Halt the script execution until the user presses the specified key. +At this point, you cannot specify combination keystrokes (such as +&Ctrl;C); just use +simple keys. You can type space to indicate the +spacebar. + + + +setTracking( bool track ): +Toggle whether tracking mode is engaged. + + + +changeViewOption( const QString option, const QString value ): +Adjust a view option. There are dozens and dozens of options available; +basically everything you can change in the Configure &kstars; +Window can be changed here as well. The first argument is +the name of the option (the names are taken from the +kstarsrc configuration file), and the second +argument is the desired value. The argument parser is designed to be +robust, so if you accidentally send it bad data it should fail +gracefully. + + + +setGeoLocation( const QString city, const QString province, +const QString country ): +Change the observing location to the specified city. If no city matching +the argument strings is found, then nothing happens. + + + +stop() [clock]: +Halt the simulation clock. + + + +start() [clock]: +Start the simulation clock. + + + +setScale(float s) [clock]: +Set the rate of the simulation clock. s=1.0 corresponds to real time; +2.0 is twice as fast as real-time, etc. + + + + + + +Testing the DCOP Functions + +You can try out the DCOP functions very easily using the +kdcop program. When you run +kdcop, you will see a tree-list of all +running programs; if &kstars; is running it will be listed. Most of +the DCOP functions are listed under the +KStarsInterface heading, but the clock functions are +listed under clock. Double-click on any function to +execute it. If the function requires arguments, a window will open +in which you can input the values. + + + + +Writing a DCOP Script + +DCOP functions can also be called from the UNIX +command line, and these can be encapsulated in a script. We will +create an example script that switches to Equatorial coordinates, +points the display at the Moon, zooms in a bit, and accelerates +the clock to 1 hour per second. After tracking the Moon +for 20 seconds, the clock is paused and the display zooms out. +You can use this script as a template for making new scripts. +I will list the entire script first, and then explain its various +parts. + + + +#!/bin/bash +#KStars script: Track the Moon! +# +KSTARS=`dcopfind -a 'kstars*'` +MAIN=KStarsInterface +CLOCK=clock#1 +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN changeViewOption UseAltAz false +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN lookTowards Moon +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN defaultZoom +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN zoomIn +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN zoomIn +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN zoomIn +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN zoomIn +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN zoomIn +dcop $KSTARS $CLOCK setScale 3600. +dcop $KSTARS $CLOCK start +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitFor 20. +dcop $KSTARS $CLOCK stop +dcop $KSTARS $MAIN defaultZoom +## + + + +Save this script to a file. The filename can be anything you like; I +suggest something descriptive like +trackmoon.kstars. Then type the following command +to make the script executable: +chmod +trackmoon.kstars +. The script can then be executed at any time by typing +./trackmoon.kstars in the +folder which contains the script. Note that the script will only +work if an instance of &kstars; is already running. You can use the +dcopstart command in a script to launch a new instance +&kstars;. + + +Now to the explanation of the script. The top line identifies the file +as a BASH shell script. The following two lines +are comments (any line beginning with +# is a comment, and is ignored by the shell). The next +three lines define some convenience variables that will be used later. +The KSTARS variable identifies the currently-running +&kstars; process, using the dcopfind command. +MAIN and CLOCK identify the +two DCOP interfaces associated with &kstars;. + + +The remainder of the script is the actual list of DCOP +calls. The first command sets the display to use Equatorial +coordinates by setting the UseAltAz option to +false (again, you can see a list of all options that +changeViewOption can use by examining your +kstarsrc configuration file). The next command +centers the display on the Moon, and automatically engages tracking. +We then set the default zoom level, and then zoom in five times. +Next, the clock's timescale is set to 1 hour per second (3600 seconds +is one hour), and the clock is started (in case it was not already +running). The next line pauses the script for 20 seconds while we +track the Moon as it moves across the sky. Finally, we stop the clock +and reset the zoom level to its default setting. + + +We hope you enjoy the scripting abilities of KStars. If you create an +interesting script, please email it to +kstars@30doradus.org; we would like to see what you have done, +and may post some scripts on our webpage. Also, if you have any +ideas for how to improve scripting (or any part of &kstars;), let us +know at kstars-devel@lists.sourceforge.net or submit a +wishlist item to bugzilla. + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/detaildialog.png b/doc/kstars/detaildialog.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..9813dfd8 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/detaildialog.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/details.docbook b/doc/kstars/details.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4defd377 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/details.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,113 @@ + +Object Details Window +Tools +Object Details Window +Objects in the Sky +Details + + + +The Object Details Window + + + + + + + Object Details Window + + + + + +The Object Details Window presents advanced data available about +a specific object in the sky. To access this tool, +right-click on any object, and select the +Details... item from the popup menu. + + +The window is divided into a number of Tabs. In the +General Tab, we present basic data about +the current object. This includes names and catalog designations, +object type, and magnitude +(brightness). Also shown are the object's Equatorial and Horizontal +coordinates, as well as its rise, set and transit times. + + +Objects in the Sky +Internet Links +Customizing +In the Links tab, you can manage the internet +links associated with this object. The Image and Information links +associated with the object are listed. These are the links that +appear in the popup menu when the object is +right-clicked. You can add custom +links to the object with the Add Link... +button. This will open a window in which you fill in the URL and link +text for the new link (you can also test the URL in the web browser +from this window). Keep in mind that the custom link can easily point +to a file on your local disk, so you can use this feature to index +your personal astronomical images or observing logs. + + +You can also modify or remove any link using the +Edit Link... and +Remove Link... buttons. + + +The Advanced Tab allows you to query professional +astronomical databases on the internet for information regarding the +current object. To use these databases, simply highlight the +desired database in the list, and press the View +button to see the results of your query in a web browser window. The +query is made using the primary name of the object you clicked on to +open the Details Dialog. The following databases are available for +querying: + + +High Energy Astrophysical Archive (HEASARC). Here you +can retrieve data about the current object from a number of +High-energy observatories, which covers the +Ultraviolet, X-ray and Gamma Ray portions of the electromagnetic +spectrum. +Multimission Archive at Space Telescope (MAST). +The Space Telescope Science Institute provides access to the entire +collection of images and spectra taken with the Hubble Space +Telescope, as well as several other space-based observatories. + +NASA Astrophysical Data System (ADS). This +incredible bibliographic database encompass the entire body of +literature published in international peer-review Journals about +astronomy and astrophysics. The database is divided into four +general subject areas (Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrophysics +Preprints, Instrumentation, and Physics and Geophysics). Each of these +has three sub-nodes that query the database +in different ways. Keyword search will return articles +which listed the object's name as a keyword. Title word +search will return articles which included the object name in +their Title, and the Title & Keyword search uses +both options together. + +NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database (NED). NED provides +encapsulated data and bibliographic links about +extragalactic objects. You should only use NED if your target is +extragalactic; &ie; if it is itself a galaxy. + +Set of Identifications, Measurements, and Bibliography +for Astronomical Data (SIMBAD). SIMBAD is similar to NED, except it +provides data about all kinds of objects, not just galaxies. + +SkyView provides images from All-Sky surveys that have +been performed in dozens of different parts of the spectrum, from +Gamma Rays to the Radio. The &kstars; interface will retrieve an image +from any of these surveys, centered on the selected object. + + + + +Finally, in the Log Tab, you can type in some text +that will remain associated with this object's Details window. +You could use this to attach personal observing notes, for example. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/devicemanager.png b/doc/kstars/devicemanager.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..6268a3ec Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/devicemanager.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/dumpmode.docbook b/doc/kstars/dumpmode.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..19fdbcf8 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/dumpmode.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,67 @@ + +Command-Line mode for Image Generation +Image-dump Mode + + +You can use &kstars; to generate an image of the sky +without actually launching the GUI +portion of the program. To use this feature, start +&kstars; from a command prompt using arguments to +specify the filename for the image, as well as the +desired image dimensions: + + +kstars +--dump +--filename kstars.png +--height 640 +--width 480 +--script myscript.kstars +--date "4 July 1976 +12:30:00" + + + +If no filename is specified, it generates a file +named kstars.png. It will attempt to +generate an image that matches the extension of your filename. +The following extensions are recognized: png, +jpg, jpeg, gif, +pnm, and bmp. If the filename +extension is not recognized, it defaults to the +PNG image type. + + +Likewise, if the image width and height are not specified, +they default to 640 and 480, respectively. + + +By default, &kstars; will read in the options values stored in +your $KDEHOME/share/config/kstarsrc file +to determine where the image will be centered, and how it is +rendered. This means you need to run &kstars; in normal GUI +mode, and exit the program when it is set up with the desired +options for the generated images. This is not very flexible, +so we also provide the ability to execute a &kstars; +DCOP script to set the scene before +generating the image. The filename you specify as the +script argument should be a valid &kstars; +DCOP script, such as one created with the +Script Builder Tool. +The script can be used to set where the image is pointing, +set the geographic location, set the time and date, change the +Zoom level, and adjust other view options. Some of the +DCOP functions make no sense in non-GUI +mode (such as waitForKey()); if these +functions are encountered while parsing the script, they are +simply ignored. + + +By default, &kstars; will use the system CPU time and date for +generating the image. Alternatively, you may specify a time +and date with the --date argument. You can also +use this argument for specifying the startup date in normal +GUI mode. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/ecliptic.docbook b/doc/kstars/ecliptic.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3061dd1b --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/ecliptic.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ + + + +John +Cirillo + + +The Ecliptic +Ecliptic +Ecliptic Coordinates + + +The ecliptic is an imaginary Great Circle +on the Celestial Sphere along which the Sun +appears to move over the course of a year. Of course, it is really the +Earth's orbit around the Sun causing the change in the Sun's apparent +direction. The ecliptic is inclined from the Celestial +Equator by 23.5 degrees. The two points where the Ecliptic crosses +the Celestial Equator are known as the Equinoxes. + +Since our solar system is relatively flat, the orbits of the planets are +also close to the plane of the ecliptic. In addition, the constellations of the +zodiac are located along the ecliptic. This makes the ecliptic a very useful +line of reference to anyone attempting to locate the planets or the +constellations of the zodiac, since they all literally follow the +Sun. + +Because of the 23.5-degree tilt of the Ecliptic, the +Altitude of the Sun at noon changes over the course of the +year, as it follows the path of the Ecliptic across the sky. This causes the +seasons. In the Summer, the Sun is high in the sky at noon, +and it remains above the Horizon for more than +twelve hours. Whereas, in the winter, the Sun is low in the sky at noon, and remains +above the Horizon for less than twelve hours. In addition, sunlight is received at +the Earth's surface at a more direct angle in the Summer, which means that a given +area at the surface receives more energy per second in the Summer than in Winter. +The differences in day duration and in energy received per unit area lead to the +differences in temperature we experience in Summer and Winter. + + +Exercises: + +Make sure your location is set to somewhere that is not very near the equator +for these experiments. Open the Configure &kstars; window, and +switch to Horizontal coordinates, with the Opaque Ground shown. Open the +Set Time window +(&Ctrl;S),and change the +Date to sometime in the middle of Summer, and the Time to 12:00 Noon. Back in +the Main Window, point toward the Southern Horizon (press S). +Note the height of the Sun above the Horizon at Noon in the Summer. Now, change +the Date to something in the middle of Winter (but keep the Time at 12:00 Noon). +The Sun is now much lower in the Sky. You will also notice that the day durations +are different if you open the What's Up Tonight? tool for +each date. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/ellipticalgalaxies.docbook b/doc/kstars/ellipticalgalaxies.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..eaa84783 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/ellipticalgalaxies.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,115 @@ + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq +
+
 + + + +Elliptical Galaxies +Elliptical Galaxies + + + Elliptical galaxies are spheroidal concentrations of billions +of stars that resemble Globular Clusters on a grand scale. They have +very little internal structure; the density of stars declines smoothly +from the concentrated center to the diffuse edge, and they can have a +broad range of ellipticities (or aspect ratios). They typically +contain very little interstellar gas and dust, and no young stellar +populations (although there are exceptions to these rules). Edwin +Hubble referred to Elliptical galaxies as early-type +galaxies, because he thought that they evolved to become Spiral +Galaxies (which he called late-type galaxies). +Astronomers actually now believe the opposite is the case (&ie;, that +Spiral galaxies can turn into Elliptical galaxies), but Hubble's +early- and late-type labels are still used. + + +Once thought to be a simple galaxy type, ellipticals are now known to +be quite complex objects. Part of this complexity is due +to their amazing history: ellipticals are thought to be the end +product of the merger of two Spiral galaxies. You can +view a computer simulation MPEG movie of such a merger at +this NASA HST webpage (warning: the file is 3.4 MB). + + + +Elliptical galaxies span a very wide range of sizes and +luminosities, from giant Ellipticals hundreds of thousands of light +years across and nearly a trillion times brighter than the sun, to +dwarf Ellipticals just a bit brighter than the average globular +cluster. They are divided to several morphological classes: + + + + +cD galaxies: + +Immense and bright objects that can +measure nearly 1 Megaparsec (3 million light years) across. These +titans are only found near the centers of large, dense clusters of +galaxies, and are likely the result of many galaxy +mergers. + + + +Normal Elliptical galaxies +Condensed Object with +relatively high central surface brightness. They include the giant +ellipticals (gE'e), intermediate-luminosity ellipticals (E's), and +compact ellipticals. + + + +Dwarf elliptical galaxies (dE's) + This class of +galaxies is fundamentally different from normal ellipticals. Their +diameters on the order of 1 to 10 kiloparsec with surface brightness +that is much lower than normal ellipticals, giving them a much more +diffuse appearance. They display the same characteristic gradual +decline of star density from a relatively dense core out to a diffuse +periphery. + + + +Dwarf spheroidal galaxies (dSph's) +Extreme low-luminosity, low +surface-brightness and have only been observed in the vicinity of the +Milky Way, and possibly other very nearby galaxy groups, such as the +Leo group. Their absolute magnitudes are only -8 to -15 mag. +The Draco dwarf spheroidal galaxy has an absolute magnitude of -8.6, +making it fainter than the average globular cluster in the Milky Way! + + + + +Blue compact dwarf galaxies (BCD's) + + Small galaxies that are unusually +blue. Thehave photometric colors of B-V = 0.0 to 0.30 mag, which is +typical for relatively young stars of spectral type A. +This suggests that BCDs +are currently actively forming stars. These systems also have +abundant interstellar gas (unlike other Elliptical galaxies). + + + + + + +You can see examples of Elliptical galaxies in &kstars;, using the Find +Object window +(&Ctrl;F). +Search for NGC 4881, which is the Giant cD galaxy in the Coma +cluster of galaxies. M 86 is a normal Elliptical galaxy in the Virgo +cluster of galaxies. M 32 is a dwarf Elliptical that is a satellite +of our neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy (M 31). M 110 is another +satellite of M 31 that is a borderline dwarf spheroidal galaxy +(borderline because it is somewhat brighter than most other +dwarf spheroidals). + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/equinox.docbook b/doc/kstars/equinox.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..6d98ccc6 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/equinox.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,37 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Equinoxes +Equinoxes +Celestial Equator +Ecliptic + + +Most people know the Vernal and Autumnal Equinoxes as +calendar dates, signifying the beginning of the Northern hemisphere's Spring +and Autumn, respectively. Did you know that the equinoxes are also positions in +the sky? + +The Celestial Equator and the +Ecliptic are two +Great Circles on the +Celestial Sphere, set at an angle of 23.5 +degrees. The two points where they intersect are called the +Equinoxes. The Vernal Equinox +has coordinates RA=0.0 hours, Dec=0.0 degrees. The Autumnal +Equinox has coordinates RA=12.0 hours, Dec=0.0 degrees. + +The Equinoxes are important for marking the seasons. Because they are on +the Ecliptic, the Sun passes through each +equinox every year. When the Sun passes through the Vernal Equinox (usually on +March 21st), it crosses the Celestial Equator +from South to North, signifying the end of Winter for the Northern hemisphere. +Similarly, whenthe Sun passes through the Autumnal Equinox (usually on September +21st), it crosses the Celestial Equator from North to South, signifying the +end of Winter for the Southern hemisphere. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/faq.docbook b/doc/kstars/faq.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e1ed1d23 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/faq.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,274 @@ + +Questions and Answers + +&reporting.bugs; +&updating.documentation; + + + + + +What is the &kstars; Icon? + + + +The &kstars; Icon is a sextant, a handheld telescope which +was used by navigators on sailing ships back when the stars were important for +navigation. By carefully reckoning the positions of the stars, the navigator +could get an accurate estimate of the ship's current longitude and latitude. + + + + + + +What do the different symbols for deep-sky objects mean? + + + +The symbol indicates the object type: + +dotted circle: Open Cluster +cross-in-circle: Globular Cluster +box: Gaseous Nebula +diamond: Supernova Remnant +circle with outer lines: Planetary Nebula +ellipse: Galaxy + + + + + + + +What do the different colors of Deep-sky objects mean? + + + +Generally, the different colors indicate to which catalog the object +belongs (Messier, NGC or IC). However, some objects have a different +color which indicates that there are extra images available in the +popup menu (the default +extras color is red). + + + + + + + +Why are there so many more U.S. cities than in other countries? + + + + +When we started &kstars;, we were unable to find a longitude/latitude +database that covered the globe equitably. However, the &kstars; +community is rapidly overcoming this problem! We have already +received city lists from many users around the world. If you can +contribute to this effort, please send us your list of cities and +coordinates. + + + + + + + +I have added a custom location to &kstars; that I no longer want. How +do I remove it from the program? + + + + +You will have to edit the +~/.kde/share/apps/kstars/mycities.dat file, and +remove the location's line from that file. + + + + + + +Why can I not display the ground when using Equatorial +Coordinates? + + + +The short answer is, this is a temporary limitation. There is a +problem when constructing the filled polygon that represents the ground +when in Equatorial mode. However, it does not make too much sense to draw +the ground in equatorial coordinates, which is why this fix has been given +a low priority. + + + + + + +Why do some objects disappear when I am scrolling the +display? + + + +When the display is in motion, &kstars; must recompute the screen +coordinates of every object in its database, which involves +some pretty heavy trigonometry. When scrolling the display (either +with the arrow keys or by dragging with the mouse), the display may +become slow and jerky, because the computer is having trouble keeping +up. By excluding many of the objects, the computational load is +greatly reduced, which allows for smoother scrolling. You can turn +off this feature in the Configure &kstars; window, +and you can also configure which objects get hidden. + + + + + + +I do not understand all the terms used in &kstars;. Where can I +learn more about the astronomy behind the program? + + + +The &kstars; Handbook includes the AstroInfo +Project; a series of short, hyperlinked articles about +astronomical topics that can be explored and illustrated with &kstars;. +AstroInfo is a community effort, like GNUpedia or Everything2. If +you'd like to contribute to AstroInfo, please join our mailing list: +kstars-info@lists.sourceforge.net. + + + + + + +I want &kstars; to start up with a time and date different from +my system CPU clock. Is this possible? + + + +Yes; to start kstars with a different time/date, use the +--date argument, followed by a date string like +4 July 1976 12:30:00 + + + + + + +I want &kstars; to start up with the simulation clock paused. +Is this possible? + + + +Yes; to start kstars with the clock paused, simply add the +--paused argument to the command line. + + + + + + +How accurate/precise is &kstars;? + + + +&kstars; is pretty accurate, but it is not (yet) as precise as it can +possibly be. The problem with high-precision calculations is that +you start having to deal with a large number of complicating factors. +If you are not a professional astronomer, you will probably never have a +problem with its accuracy or precision. + + +Here is a list of some of the complicating factors which limit the +program's precision: + + + +Planet positions are only accurate for dates within 4000 years +or so of the current epoch. The planet positions are predicted using +a Fourier-like analysis of their orbits, as observed over the past few +centuries. We learnt in school that planets follow simple elliptical +orbits around the Sun, but this is not strictly true. It would be true +only if there was only one planet in the Solar system, and if the Sun +and the planet were both point masses. As it is, the planets are +constantly tugging on each other, perturbing the orbits slightly, and +tidal effects also induce precessional wobbling. In fact, recent +analysis suggests that the planets' orbits may not even be stable in +the long term (i.e., millions or billions of years). As a rule of +thumb, you can expect the position of a planet to be accurate to a few +arcseconds between the dates -2000 and 6000. + +Pluto is the exception to this; its position is perhaps ten times less +precise than the positions of the other planets. Still, for dates +near the present epoch, its position can be trusted to about an +arcsecond. + +The moon's position is the most difficult to predict to high precision. +This is because its motion is quite perturbed by the Earth. Also, +since it is so nearby, even minute effects that would be undetectable +in more distant bodies are easily apparent in the moon. + +The objects with the worst long-term precision in the program are the +comets and asteroids. We use a very simplistic orbital model for the +minor planets that does not include third-body perturbations. +Therefore, their positions can only be trusted for dates near the +present epoch. Even for the present epoch, one can expect positional +errors among the minor planets of order 10 arcseconds or more. + + + + + + + + + +Why do I have to download an improved NGC/IC catalog and Messier +object images? Why not just include them as part of the &kstars; distribution? + + + +The author of the downloadable NGC/IC catalog has released it with the restriction that it may not be used commercially. For most &kstars; users, this is not a problem. However, it is technically against the &kstars; license (the +GPL) to restrict usage in this way. We removed the Messier object images from the standard distribution for two reasons: to simply reduce the size of &kstars;, and also because of similar licensing concerns with a couple of the images. The inline images are significantly compressed to a very low quality from their original form, so I doubt there is a real copyright concern, but I did obtain explicit permission from the images' authors to use the few images for which there was any question about it (see README.images). Still, just to be absolutely safe, I removed them from the standard distribution, and marked the download archive as being "free for non-commercial use". + + + + + + +I am really enjoying the beautiful images I have downloaded through &kstars;! I would like to share them with the world; can I publish a calendar featuring these images (or are there any usage restrictions on the images)? + + + +It depends on the image, but many of the images restrict against commercial usage. The Image Viewer's statusbar will usually contain information about the image's copyright holder, and what usage restrictions apply. As a rule of thumb: anything published by NASA is in the public domain (including all HST images). For everything else, you can pretty safely assume that the images may not be used commercially without permission. When in doubt, contact the image's copyright holder directly. + + + + + + +Can I help contribute to future versions of &kstars;? + + + +Yes, definitely! Introduce yourself on our mailing list: +kstars-devel@kde.org. If you want to +help with the coding, download the latest CVS version of the +code and dive right in. There are several README files in the +distribution that explain some of the code's subsystems. If you +need ideas of what to work on, see the TODO file. You can submit +patches to kstars-devel, and feel free to post any questions you +have about the code there as well. + +If you are not into coding, we can still use your help with i18n, docs, +AstroInfo articles, URL links, bug reports, and feature requests. + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/find.png b/doc/kstars/find.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0b43abdb Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/find.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/fitsarea.png b/doc/kstars/fitsarea.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7d7f7381 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/fitsarea.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/fitsviewer.docbook b/doc/kstars/fitsviewer.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e6875af5 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/fitsviewer.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,59 @@ + +<acronym>FITS</acronym> Viewer Tool +Tools +FITS Viewer + + +The Flexible Image Transport System (FITS) is the standard format for representing images and data in Astronomy. + +The KStars FITS Viewer tool is integrated with the INDI framework for seamless display and manipulation of captured FITS images. Furthermore, the FITS Viewer can be used to post-process raw data. To open a FITS file, select Open FITS... from the +File menu, or press &Ctrl;O. + +FITS Viewer features: + + Support for 8, 16, 32, IEEE -32, and IEEE -64 bits formats. + Histogram with auto, linear, logarithmic, and square-root scales. + Image reduction tool. + Brightness/Contrast controls. + Pan and Zoom. + Auto levels. + Statistics. + FITS header query. + Undo/Redo. + + + + The FITS Viewer Tool + + + + + + FITS Viewer Tool + + + + +The above diagram illustrates the FITS Viewer work area and window. The tool provides basic functions for image display and processing. FITS data depth is preserved throughout all processing, open, and save functions. While the tool adhere to the FITS standard, it does not support all possible FITS features: + + Support for only one image per file. + Support for only 2D data. 1D and 3D data are discarded. + No support for WCS (World Coordinate System). + + +The following is a brief description of the tool's functional units: + + Brightness/Contrast: Adjusts brightness and contrast. The function can be CPU and memory intensive for very large FITS. + Histogram: Displays one-channel FITS histogram. The user can rescale the image by optionally defining an upper and lower limit for the cutoff region. The rescaling operation (linear, logarithmic, or square-root) may then be applied to the region enclosed by the upper and lower limits. + Image reduction: Removes background noise and optical anamolies from the image. Raw CCD images are often processed to remove instrument and temperature noise, in addition to aberrations inherit in the optical system. The function supports three types of raw CCD frames: + + Dark Frames + Flat Field Frames + Dark Flat Field Frames + + The user can stack up multiple frames in each category to increase the signal-to-noise ratio. Two combination methods are provided: mean and median. The two methods produce similar results most of the time, but the median method insures that the data is not skewed due to random cosmic ray hits. + + Statistics: Provides simple statistics for minimum and maximum pixel values and the their respective locations. FITS depth, dimension, mean, and standard deviation. + FITS header: Displays FITS header information. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/flux.docbook b/doc/kstars/flux.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..ba24ea31 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/flux.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,69 @@ + + + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq +
+
 + + + +Flux +Flux +Luminosity + + + +The flux is the amount of energy that passes through a unit area each second. + + + +Astronomers use flux to denote the apparent brightness of a celestial body. The apparent brightness is defined as the the amount of light received from a star +above the earth atmosphere passing through a unit area each second. Therefore, the apparent brightness is simply the flux we receive from a star. + + + +The flux measures the rate of flow of energy that passes through each cm^2 (or any unit area) of an object's surface each second. +The detected flux depends on the distance from the source that radiates the energy. This is because the energy has to spread over a volume of space before it reaches us. +Let us assume that we have an imaginary balloon that encloses a star. Each dot on the balloon represents a unit of energy emitted from the star. Initially, the dots in an area +of one cm^2 are in close proximity to each other and the flux (energy emitted per square centimeter per second) is high. After a distance d, the volume and surface area of the +balloon increased causing the dots to spread away from each. Consequently, the number of dots (or energy) enclosed in one cm^2 has decreased as illustrated in Figure 1. + + + + + + + +Figure 1 + + + + +The flux is inversely proportional to distance by a simple r^2 relation. Therefore, if the distance is doubled, we receive 1/2^2 or 1/4th of the original flux. +From a fundamental standpoint, the flux is the luminosity per unit area: + + + + + + + + + +where (4 * PI * R^2) is the surface area of a sphere (or a balloon!) with a radius R. +Flux is measured in Watts/m^2/s or as commonly used by astronomers: Ergs/cm^2/s. +For example, the luminosity of the sun is L = 3.90 * 10^26 W. That is, in one second the sun radiates 3.90 * 10^26 joules of energy into space. Thus, the flux we receive +passing through one square centimeter from the sun at a distance of one AU (1.496 * 10^13 cm) is: + + + + + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/flux.png b/doc/kstars/flux.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..252c1d8d Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/flux.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/flux1.png b/doc/kstars/flux1.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..96a078a8 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/flux1.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/flux2.png b/doc/kstars/flux2.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..aacdaea0 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/flux2.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/fovdialog.png b/doc/kstars/fovdialog.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..0135a21c Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/fovdialog.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/geocoords.docbook b/doc/kstars/geocoords.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..5dd04a8c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/geocoords.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,56 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Geographic Coordinates +Geographic Coordinate System +LongitudeGeographic Coordinate System +LatitudeGeographic Coordinate System + +Locations on Earth can be specified using a spherical coordinate system. +The geographic (earth-mapping) coordinate system is aligned +with the spin axis of the Earth. It defines two angles measured from +the center of the Earth. One angle, called the Latitude, +measures the angle between any point and the Equator. The other angle, called +the Longitude, measures the angle +along the Equator from an arbitrary point on the Earth +(Greenwich, England is the accepted zero-longitude point in most modern +societies). + +By combining these two angles, any location on Earth can be specified. +For example, Baltimore, Maryland (USA) has a latitude of 39.3 degrees +North, and a longitude of 76.6 degrees West. So, a vector drawn from +the center of the Earth to a point 39.3 degrees above the Equator and +76.6 degrees west of Greenwich, England will pass through Baltimore. + +The Equator is obviously an important part of this coordinate system; it +represents the zeropoint of the latitude angle, and the +halfway point between the poles. The Equator is the Fundamental +Plane of the geographic coordinate system. All Spherical Coordinate Systems define such a +Fundamental Plane. + +Lines of constant Latitude are called Parallels. They +trace circles on the surface of the Earth, but the only parallel that is a Great Circle is the Equator (Latitude=0 +degrees). Lines of constant Longitude are called +Meridians. The Meridian passing through Greenwich is the +Prime Meridian (longitude=0 degrees). Unlike Parallels, +all Meridians are great circles, and Meridians are not parallel: they intersect +at the north and south poles. + + +Exercise: + +What is the longitude of the North Pole? Its latitude +is 90 degrees North. + + +This is a trick question. The Longitude is meaningless at the north pole (and the +south pole too). It has all longitudes at the same time. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/geolocator.png b/doc/kstars/geolocator.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..65c29015 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/geolocator.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/greatcircle.docbook b/doc/kstars/greatcircle.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..109fba45 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/greatcircle.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,27 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Great Circles +Great Circles +Celestial Sphere + + +Consider a sphere, such as the Earth, or the +Celestial Sphere. The intersection +of any plane with the sphere will result in a circle on the surface of +the sphere. If the plane happens to contain the center of the sphere, +the intersection circle is a Great Circle. +Great circles are the largest circles that can be drawn on a sphere. +Also, the shortest path between any two points on a sphere is always +along a great circle. + +Some examples of great circles on the celestial sphere include: the +Horizon, the +Celestial Equator, and the +Ecliptic. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/horizon.docbook b/doc/kstars/horizon.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..23f61610 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/horizon.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,25 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Horizon +Horizon +Horizontal Coordinates + + +The Horizon is the line that separates Earth from Sky. +More precisely, it is the line that divides all of the directions you can +possibly look into two categories: those which intersect the Earth, +and those which do not. At many locations, the Horizon is +obscured by trees, buildings, mountains, &etc;. However, if you are on +a ship at sea, the Horizon is strikingly apparent. + +The horizon is the Fundamental Plane of the Horizontal Coordinate System. In other +words, it is the locus of points which have an Altitude +of zero degrees. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/hourangle.docbook b/doc/kstars/hourangle.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..fc327446 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/hourangle.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,33 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Hour Angle +Hour Angle +Local Meridian +Sidereal Time + + +As explained in the Sidereal Time article, +the Right Ascension of an object indicates the Sidereal +Time at which it will transit across your Local +Meridian. An object's Hour Angle is +defined as the difference between the current Local Sidereal Time and the Right +Ascension of the object: + +HAobj = +LST - RAobj + +Thus, the object's Hour Angle indicates how much Sidereal Time has passed +since the object was on the Local Meridian. It is also the angular distance +between the object and the meridian, measured in hours (1 hour = 15 degrees). +For example, if an object has an hour angle of 2.5 hours, it transited across +the Local Meridian 2.5 hours ago, and is currently 37.5 degrees West of the +Meridian. Negative Hour Angles indicate the time until the +next transit across the Local Meridian. Of course, an Hour +Angle of zero means the object is currently on the Local Meridian. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/index.docbook b/doc/kstars/index.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..14ac543c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/index.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,299 @@ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +]> + + +The &kstars; Handbook + + + + +Jason +Harris + +
&Jason.Harris.mail;
+ + + + +Heiko +Evermann + +
&Heiko.Evermann.mail;
+ +Core Developer + + + +Thomas +Kabelmann + +
&Thomas.Kabelmann.mail;
+ +Core Developer + + + +Pablo +de Vicente + +
&Pablo.de.Vicente.mail;
+ +Core Developer + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq + +
mutlaqja@ikarustech.com
+ +Core Developer + + + +Carsten +Niehaus + +
cniehaus@gmx.de
+ +Core Developer + + + +Mark +Holloman + +
&Mark.Holloman.mail;
+ +Core Developer + + + + + +200120022003 +&Jason.Harris; and the &kstars; Team + + +&FDLNotice; + +2002-10-08 +1.0 + + + +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde;. It depicts an +accurate simulation of the night sky, including stars, constellations, +star clusters, nebulae, galaxies, all planets, the Sun, the Moon, +comets and asteroids. You can see the sky as it appears +from any location on Earth, on any date. The user interface is highly +intuitive and flexible; the display can be panned and zoomed with the +mouse, and you can easily identify objects, and track their motion +across the sky. &kstars; includes many powerful features, yet the +interface is clean and simple, and fun to use. + + + + +KDE +kdeedu +Astronomy +KStars + + + + + +Introduction + + +&kstars; lets you explore the night sky from +the comfort of your computer chair. It provides an accurate graphical +representation of the night sky for any date, from any location on +Earth. The display includes 126,000 stars to 9th magnitude (well below +the naked-eye limit), 13,000 deep-sky objects (Messier, NGC, and IC +catalogs), all planets, the Sun and Moon, hundreds of comets and +asteroids, the Milky Way, 88 constellations, and guide lines such as +the celestial equator, +the horizon and +the ecliptic. + + +However, &kstars; is more than a simple night-sky simulator. The +display provides a compelling interface to a number of tools with +which you can learn more about astronomy and the night sky. There is +a context-sensitive popup menu +attached to each displayed object, which displays object-specific +information and actions. Hundreds of objects provide links in their +popup menus to informative web pages and beautiful images taken by the +Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories. + +From an object's popup menu, you can open its Detailed Information Window, where +you can examine positional data about the object, and query a huge +treasury of online databases for professional-grade astronomical data +and literature references about the object. You can even attach your +own Internet links, images and text notes, making &kstars; a graphical +front-end to your observing logs and your personal astronomical notebook. + + +Our Astrocalculator tool +provides direct access to many of the algorithms the program uses +behind the scenes, including coordinate converters and time +calculators. The AAVSO Lightcurve +Generator tool will download a lightcurve for any of the 6000+ +variable stars monitored by the American Association of Variable Star +Observers (AAVSO). The lightcurves are generated on the +fly by querying the AAVSO server directly, ensuring that you +have the very latest data points. + + +You can plan an observing session using our Altitude vs. Time tool, which will +plot curves representing the Altitude as a function of time for any +group of objects. If that is too much detail, we also provide a +What's Up Tonight? tool that +summarizes the objects that you will be able to see from your location +on any given night. You can add your favorite objects to the Observing List tool, which +provides convenient access to common actions for a list of objects. + + +&kstars; also provides a Solar System +Viewer, which shows the current configuration of the major +planets in our solar system. There is also a Jupiter Moons Tool which shows the positions +of Jupiter's four largest moons as a function of time. + + +Our primary goal is to make &kstars; an interactive educational tool for +learning about astronomy and the night sky. To this end, the &kstars; +Handbook includes the AstroInfo +Project, a series of short, hyperlinked articles on astronomical +topics that can be explored with &kstars;. In addition, &kstars; +includes &DCOP; functions that allow you to write complex scripts, making &kstars; +a powerful "demo engine" for classroom use or general illustration of +astronomical topics. + + +However, &kstars; is not just for students. You can control telescopes +and cameras with &kstars;, using the elegant and powerful INDI protocol. &kstars; supports several popular +telescopes including Meade's LX200 family and Celestron GPS. Several +popular CCD cameras, webcams, and computerized focusers are also supported. +Simple slew/track commands are integrated directly into the main window's +popup menu, and the INDI Control Panel provides full access to all of +your telescope's functions. Many of these actions can also be scripted +through &kde;'s &DCOP; mechanism (our own Script Builder tool provides a simple +point-and-click interface for these scripts). INDI's Client/Server +architecture allows for seamless control of any number of local or remote telescopes using a single +&kstars; session. + + +We are very interested in your feedback; please report bugs or +feature requests to the &kstars; development mailing list: +kstars-devel@kde.org. You can also use +the automated bug reporting tool, accessible from the Help menu. + + + +&quicktour; +&config; +&commands; +&astroinfo; +&tools; +&dumpmode; +&indi; +&faq; +&credits; +&install; + + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/indi.docbook b/doc/kstars/indi.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..4d26b856 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/indi.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,835 @@ + +Astronomical Device Control with <acronym>INDI</acronym> +INDI Control +Overview + + +KStars provides an interface to configure and control astronomical instruments via +the INDI protocol. + +The INDI protocol supports a variety of astronomical instruments +such as CCD cameras and focusers. Currently, KStars supports the following +devices: + + +Supported Telescopes + + + +Telescope +Device driver +Version + + + + +LX200 8"-12" Classic +lx200classic +1.0 + + +Autostar based telescopes +lx200autostar +1.0 + + +LX200 GPS 8"-16" +lx200gps +1.0 + + +LX200 Classic 16" +lx200_16 +1.0 + + +NexStar GPS, CGE, AS-GT +celestrongps +0.9 + + +New GT, NexStar 5i/8i +celestrongps +0.9 + + +Takahashi Temma +temma +0.1 + + +Astro-Physics AP +apmount +0.1 + + +Astro-Electronic FS-2 +lx200basic +0.1 + + +Argo Navis +lx200basic +0.1 + + +Losmandy Gemini +lx200basic +0.1 + + +Mel Bartels Controllers +lx200basic +0.1 + + +Sky Commander +skycommander +0.1 + + + +
+ +Supported Focusers + + + +Focuser +Device driver +Version + + + + +Meade LX200GPS Microfocuser +lx200gps +0.9 + + +Meade 1206 Primary Mirror Focuser +lx200generic +0.9 + + +JMI NGF Series +lx200generic +0.1 + + +JMI MOTOFOCUS +lx200generic +0.1 + + + +
+ + +Supported CCDs + + + +CCD +Device driver +Version + + + + +Finger Lakes Instruments CCDs +fliccd +1.0 + + +Santa Barbara Instrument CCDs +sbigccd +0.1 + + +Apogee CCDs +apogee_ppi, apogee_pci, apogee_isa, apogee_usb +0.1 + + + +
+ + + Supported Filter Wheels + + + + Filter Wheel + Device driver + Version + + + + + FLI Filter Wheels + fliwheel + 0.9 + + + +
+ + +Supported Webcams + + + +Webcam +Device driver +Version + + + + +Any Video4Linux compatible device +v4ldriver +1.0 + + +Philips webcam +v4lphilips +1.0 + + +Meade Lunar Planetary Imager +meade_lpi +0.1 + + + + +
+ + +INDI Setup +INDI +Setup + + +KStars can control local and remote devices seamlessly via the INDI server/client architecture. INDI devices may be run in three different modes: + + +Local: The local mode is the most common and is used to control local device (&ie; a device attached to your machine). +Server: The server mode establishes an INDI server for a particular device and waits for connections from remote clients. You cannot operate server devices, you can only start and shut them down. +Client: The client mode is used to connect to remote INDI servers running INDI devices. You can control remote devices seamlessly like local devices. + + +You can run local device, establish INDI servers, and connect to remote clients from the Device Manager in the Devices menu. + +Here is a screenshot of the Device Manager +window: + + +Running device drivers + + + + + +Start device drivers + + + + +You can run devices by browsing the device tree, selecting a specific device, and then clicking on the Run Service button. You can select the operation mode, either local or server as defined above. + +To control remove devices, refer to the remote device control section. + + + +Telescope Setup +INDI +Setup + + +Most telescopes are equipped with RS232 interface +for remote control. Connect the RS232 jack in your telescope to your +computer's Serial/USB port. Traditionally, the RS232 +connects to the serial port of your computer, but since many new laptops +abandoned the serial port in favor of USB/FireWire +ports, you might need to obtain a Serial to USB adaptor to use with new +laptops. + +After connecting your telescope to the Serial/USB port, turn your +telescope on. It is highly recommended that you +download and install the latest firmware for your telescope +controller. + +The telescope needs to be aligned before it can be used properly. +Align your telescope (one or two stars alignment) as illustrated in your +telescope manual. + +&kstars; needs to verify time and location settings before connecting to the telescope. This insures proper tracking and synchronization between the telescope and &kstars;. The following steps will enable you to connect to a device that is connected to your computer. To connect and control remote devices, please refer to remote device control section. + +You can use the Telescope Setup Wizard and it will verify all the required information in the process. It can automatically scan ports for attached telescopes. You can run the wizard by selecting Telescope Setup Wizard from the Devices menu. + +Alternatively, you can connect to a local telescope by performing the following +steps: + + +Set your geographical location. Open the Geographic... window by selecting +Set Geographic Location... from the +Settings menu, or by pressing the Globe icon in the toolbar, or by pressing &Ctrl;g. + +Set your local time and date. You can change to any time or +date by selecting Set Time... from the Time menu, or by +pressing the time icon in the toolbar. The Set Time window uses a standard &kde; Date Picker widget, coupled with three spinboxes for setting the hours, minutes and seconds. If you ever need to reset the clock back to the current time, just select Set Time to Now from the Time menu. + + +Click on the Devices menu and select the +Device Manager. + + +Under the Device column, select your telescope model. + + + Right-click on the device and select +Run Service. + + +Click Ok to close the Device Manager +Dialog. + + + + +Frequent Settings +You do not need to set the geographic location and time every time you connect to a telescope. Only adjust the settings as needed. + +You are now ready to use the device features, &kstars; conveniently provides two interchangeable GUI interfaces for controlling telescopes: + + +Controlling your telescope + + +Sky map Control: For each device you run in the Device Manager, a corresponding entry will show up in popup menu that allows you to control the properties of the device. You can +issue commands like Slew, Sync, and +Track directly from the sky map. + +Here is a screenshot of the popup menu with an active LX200 Classic +device: + +Controlling devices from sky map + + + + + + + + + + +INDI Control Panel: The panel offers the user with all the +features supported by a device. + + +The panel is divided into three main sections: + + + +Device tabs: Each additional active device occupies a +tab in the INDI panel. Multiple devices can run simultaneously without +affecting the operation of other devices. + + + + +Property view: Properties are the key element in INDI +architecture. Each device defines a set of properties to communicate with +the client. The current position of the telescope is an example of a +property. Semantically similar properties are usually contained in logical +blocks or groupings. + + + + +Log viewers: Devices report their status and acknowledge commands by sending INDI messages. Each device has its own log view, and all devices share one generic log viewer. A device usually sends messages to its device driver only, but a device is permitted to send a generic message when appropriate. + + + + +INDI Control Panel + + + + + + + + + +You are not restricted on using one interface over another as they can be both used simultaneously. Actions from the Sky map are automatically reflected in the INDI Control Panel +and vice versa. + +To connect to your telescope, you can either select Connect from your device popup menu or +alternatively, you can press Connect under your device tab in the INDI Control Panel. + +By default, KStars will try to connect to the /dev/ttyS0 +port. To change the connection port, select INDI Control Panel from the Devices menu and change the port under your device tab. + +&kstars; automatically updates the telescope's longitude, latitude, and +time based on current settings in &kstars;. You can enable/disable these +updates from Configure INDI dialog under the +Devices menu. + + +If &kstars; communicates successfully with the telescope, it will retrieve the current RA and DEC from the telescope and will display a crosshair on the sky map indicating the telescope position. + + +Synchronizing your telescope +If you aligned your telescope and the last alignment star was, for example, Vega, then the crosshair should be centered around Vega. If the crosshair was off target, then you can right-click Vega from the sky map and select +Sync from your telescope menu. This action will instruct the telescope to synchronize its internal coordinates to match those of Vega, and the telescope's crosshair should now be centered around Vega. + + + +That is it: your telescope is ready to explore the heavens. + + +WARNING +Never use the telescope to look at the sun. Looking at the sun might cause irreversible damage to your eyes and as well as your equipment. + + + + +CCD and Video-Capture Setup +CCD Video Control +Setup + + +KStars supports the following imaging devices: + + Finger Lakes instruments CCDs + Apogee CCDs: Parallel, ISA, PCI, and USB modes are supported. You need to install Apogee kernel drivers for your specific mode (for USB mode, you only need libusb). + Video4Linux compatible devices. Philips webcam extended features are supported as well. + + +You can run CCD and Video Capture devices from the Device Manager in the Devices menu. Like all INDI devices, some of the device controls will be accessible from the skymap. The device can be controlled fully from the INDI Control Panel. + +The standard format for image capture is FITS. Once an image is captured and downloaded, it will be automatically displayed in the KStars FITS Viewer. To capture a sequence of images, use the Capture Image Sequence tool from the Devices menu. This tool is inactive until you establish a connection to an image device. + + +The FLICCD driver requires root privileges in order to operate properly. Note that running the driver as root is considered a security risk + + + + +Capture Image Sequence +Capture +Image + + +The Capture Image Sequence tool can be used to aquire images from cameras and CCDs in interactive and batch modes. Furthermore, you can select which filter, if any, you want to use for your images. The capture tool remains disabled until you establish a connection to an imaging device. + + +Capture Image Sequence + + + + + + + +The above screenshot depicts a sample capture session. The tool provides the following options: + + Camera/CCD + + The desired imaging device. + The image prefix which will be prepended to each captured filename. + The number of seconds to expose each frame. + The number of images to aquire. + The delay in seconds between consecutive images. + Append ISO 8601 time stamp to the filename. (e.g. image_01_20050427T09:48:05). + + + Filter + + The desired filter device. + The desired filter slot. You can assign color values to slot numbers using the Configure INDI window (e.g. Slot #1 = Red, Slot #2 = Blue..etc). + + + + +After you fill in the desired options, you can begin the capture procedure by pressing the Start button. You may cancel at any time using the Stop button. All captured images will be saved to the default FITS directory which can be specified in the Configure INDI window. + +If you have more complex capturing requirements and conditions to fulfil, it is recommended to create a script to meet your specific needs using the Script Builder tool in the Tools menu. + + + +Configure INDI +Configure +INDI + + +The Configure INDI window allows you to modify Client side INDI specific options. The window is divided into four main categories: General, Automatic device updates, Display, and Filter Wheel: + + + General + + Specify the directory where all captured FITS images will be saved to. If no directory is specified, images will be stored in $HOME. + When checked, KStars will display captured FITS in KStars FITS Viewer tool. If you use the Capture Image Sequence tool, all captured images will be saved to disk regardless of this option. + The default telescope port. When you connect to a local or remote telescope service, KStars will automatically fill the telescope's device port with the specified default port. + The default video port. When you connect to a local or remote video service, KStars will automatically fill the webcam's device port with the specified default port. + + + Automatic device updates + + Update the telescope's date and time, if supported, upon connection. + Update the telescope's geographical location information (current longitude and latitude), if supported, upon connection. + + + Display + + When checked, KStars displays the telescope's target crosshair on the sky map. The crosshair is displayed upon a successful connection to the telescope and its location is updated periodically. The telescope's name is displayed next to the crosshair. KStars displays one crosshair per each connected telescope. To change the color of the telescope's crosshair, open the Configure KStars window. Select the Colors tab, and then change the color of the Target Indicator item to the desired color. + When checked, KStars displays INDI status messages in the KStars status bar. + + + Filter Wheel: Assign color codes to the filter wheel slots (e.g. Slot #0 Red, Slot #1 Blue..etc). You can assign color codes for up to 10 filter slots (0 to 9). To assign a color code, select a slot number from the drop down combo box, and then type the corresponding color code in the edit field. Repeat the process for all desired slots and then press OK. + + + + + + +INDI Concepts +Telescope Control +Concepts + + + +The main key concept in INDI is that devices have the ability to describe themselves. This is accomplished by using XML to describe a generic hierarchy that can represent both canonical and non-canonical devices. In INDI, all devices may contain one or more properties. Any property may contain one or more elements. There are four types of INDI properties: + +Text property. +Number property. +Switch property (Represented in GUI by buttons and checkboxes). +Light property (Represented in GUI by colored LEDs). + + +For example, all INDI devices share the CONNECTION standard switch property. The CONNECTION property has two elements: CONNECT and DISCONNECT switches. KStars parses the generic XML description of properties and builds a GUI representation suitable for direct human interaction. + +The INDI control panel offers many device properties not accessible from the sky map. The properties offered differ from one device to another. Nevertheless, all properties share common features that constrains how they are displayed and used: + + + + +Permission: All properties can either be read-only, write-only, or read and +write enabled. An example of a read-write property is the telescope's Right +Ascension. You can enter a new Right Ascension and the telescope, based on +current settings, will either slew or sync to the new input. Furthermore, +when the telescope slews, its Right Ascension gets updated and sent back to +the client. + + +State: Prefixed to each property is a state indicator (round LED). +Each property has a state and an associated color code: +INDI State color code + + + +State +Color +Description + + + + +Idle +Gray +Device is performing no action with respect to this property + + +Ok +Green +Last operation performed on this property was successful and +active + + +Busy +Yellow +The property is performing an action + + +Alert +Red +The property is in critical condition and needs immediate +attention + + + +
+ +The device driver updates the property state in real-time when +necessary. For example, if the telescope is in the process of slewing to a +target, then the RA/DEC properties will be signaled as +Busy. When the slew process is completed successfully, +the properties will be signaled as +Ok. + + + +Context: Numerical properties can accept and process numbers in two formats: +decimal and sexagesimal. The sexagesimal format is convenient when expressing +time or equatorial/geographical coordinates. You can use any format at your +convenience. For example, all the following numbers are equal: + +-156.40 +-156:24:00 +-156:24 + + + + +Time: The standard time for all INDI-related communications is Universal Time UTC specified as YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS in accord with ISO 8601. &kstars; communicates the correct UTC time with device drivers automatically. You can enable/disable automatic time updates from the Configure INDI dialog under the Devices menu. + + + + + + +Remote Device Control +Telescope Control +Remote Devices + + +KStars provides a simple yet powerful layer for remote device control. +A detailed description of the layer is described in the INDI white +paper. + +You need to configure both the server and client machines for remote +control: + + + +Server: To prepare a device for remote control, follow the same steps in the local/server setup. When you start a device service in the Device Manager, a port number is displayed under the Listening port column. In addition to the port number, you also need the hostname or IP address of your server. + + + + +Client: Select the Device Manager from the Device menu and click on the Client tab. You can add, modify, or delete hosts under the Client tab. Add a host by clicking on the Add button. Enter the hostname/IP address of the server in the Host field, and enter the port number obtained from the server machine in step 1. + + + + + +INDI Client + + + + + + + +After you add a host, right click on the host to +Connect or Disconnect. +If a connection is established, you can control the telescope from the +Sky map or INDI Control Panel +exactly as described in the local/server section. It is as easy at that. + + + +Running an INDI server from the command line +While &kstars; allows you to easily deploy an INDI server; you can launch an INDI server from the command line. + + + +Since INDI is an independent backend component, you can run an INDI server on a host without KStars. INDI can be compiled separately to run on remote hosts. Furthermore, device drivers log messages to stderr and that can be helpful in a debugging situation. The syntax for INDI server is +as following: + +$ indiserver [options] [driver +...] + +Options: + -p p : alternate IP port, default 7624 + -r n : max restart attempts, default 2 + -v : more verbose to stderr + +For example, if you want to start an INDI server running an LX200 GPS +driver and listening to connections on port 8000, you would run the +following command: + +$ indiserver -p 8000 lx200gps + + + +Secure Remote Operation + +Suppose we want to run an indiserver with INDI drivers on a remote host, +remote_host, and connect them to &kstars; running on the local machine. + +From the local machine log onto the remote host, remote_host, by typing: + +$ ssh -L local_port:remote_host:remote_port + +This binds the local_port on the local machine to the remote_port on the remote_host. After logging in, run indiserver on the remote host: + +$ indiserver -p remote_port [driver...] + +Back on the local machine, start &kstars; then open the Device Manager and add a host under the Client tab. The host should be the local host (usually 127.0.0.1) and the port number should be the local_port used in the steps above. Right-click on the host and select Connect from the popup menu. &kstars; will connect to the remote INDI server securely. The host information will be saved for future sessions. + + + + +INDI Frequently Asked Questions +Telescope Control +FAQ + + + + + +What is INDI? + + + INDI is the Instrument-Neutral-Distributed-Interface control protocol developed by ElwoodC. +Downey of ClearSky Institute. &kstars; employs device drivers that are compatible with the INDI protocol. INDI has many advantages including loose coupling between hardware devices and +software drivers. Clients that use the device drivers (like &kstars;) are completely unaware of the device capabilities. In run time, &kstars; communicates with the device drivers and builds a completely dynamical GUI based on services provided by the device. Therefore, new device drivers can be written or updated and KStars can take full advantage of them without any changes on the client side. + + + + + + +Do you plan to support more devices? + + + + +Yes. We plan to support major CCD cameras and focusers and extend support +for more telescopes. If you would like INDI to support a particular device, +please send an email to indi-devel@lists.sourceforge.net + + + + + + + +What operations does KStars provide to control the telescope? + + + + +It depends on the particular telescope you're running, but the minimum three operations are Slew, Track, and Sync, which you can issue directly from the sky map. Your telescope must be aligned for those operations to perform correctly. Some telescopes offer you more operations like site management, slew modes, focusing, parking, and more. You can access the telescopes extended features from the INDI Control Panel in the Devices Menu. + + + + + + + +What's the difference between Slew, Track, and Sync exactly? + + + + +The command Slew orders the telescope to move to a particular target, and once the telescope reaches its target, the telescope keeps tracking that target at a sidereal rate (i.e. the rate at which stars move across the sky). This works well for stars, Messier objects, and about everything outside our solar system. But solar system objects travel differently across the sky and so the telescope must Track the objects as they move. + + +Therefore, you need to issue a track command if you want to track an object with non-sidereal motion. On the other hand, Sync is used to synchronize the telescope's internal coordinates with that of an object you select. + + + + + + + +Can I control my telescope remotely? + + + + +Yes. You can start an INDI server on the machine connected to your telescope and the server will listen to requests from &kstars; clients. Once you're connected, you can control your telescope directly from the sky map. This procedure is described in detail in the Remote device control section. + + + + + + + +When I try to Connect, &kstars; reports that the +telescope is not connected to the serial/USB port. What can I do? + + + +This message is triggered when &kstars; cannot communicate with the telescope. Here are few things you can do: + + + +Check that you have both reading and writing permission for the port you are trying to connect to. + + +Check the connection cable, make sure it is in good condition and test it with other applications. + + +Check your telescope power, make sure the power is on and that the telescope is getting enough power. + + +Set the correct port in the INDI Control Panel +under the Devices menu. The default device is +/dev/ttyS0 + + + Restart &kstars; and retry again. + + + + + + + +&kstars; reports that the telescope is online and ready, but I cannot find the telescope's crosshair, where is it? + + +&kstars; retrieves the telescopes RA and DEC coordinates upon connection. If your alignment was performed correctly, then you should see the crosshair around your target in the Sky Map. However, the RA and DEC coordinates provided by the telescope may be incorrect (even below the horizon) and you need to Sync your telescope to your current target. You can use the right-click menu to center and track the telescope crosshair in the sky map. + + + + + +The telescope is moving erratically or not moving at all. What can I do? + + +This behavior is mostly due to incorrect settings, please verify the following check list: + + +Is the telescope aligned? + + +Is the telescope alignment mode correct? Use INDI Control Panel to check and change these settings (Alt/Az,Polar, Land). + + +Are the telescope's time and date settings correct? + + +Are the telescope's longitude and latitude settings correct? + + +Is the telescope's UTC offset correct? + + +Are the telescope's RA and DEC axis locked firmly? + + +Is the telescope's N/S switch (when applicable) setup correctly for your hemisphere? + + +Is the cable between the telescope and computer in good condition? + + + +If you think all settings are correct but the telescope still moves erratically or not at all, then please send a report to +kstars-devel@kde.org + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/indicapture.png b/doc/kstars/indicapture.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f99192dc Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/indicapture.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/indiclient.png b/doc/kstars/indiclient.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..1cb15a93 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/indiclient.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/indicontrolpanel.png b/doc/kstars/indicontrolpanel.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b206c047 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/indicontrolpanel.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/indiscript.png b/doc/kstars/indiscript.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..41e21d2c Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/indiscript.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/install.docbook b/doc/kstars/install.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a45cfa76 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/install.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,105 @@ + +Installation + + +How to obtain &kstars; + +&kstars; is distributed with &kde; as part of the kdeedu "Edutainment" +module. + + +We also occasionally make an independent release. These independent +releases will be available as a gzipped tar archive from the following +website: +http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/kstars/. + + +Independent releases are announced through the +kstars-announce@lists.sourceforge.net mailing list. +Releases are also posted to the +&kstars; home page, +kde-apps.org, and +freshmeat.net. + + +&kstars; is been packaged by many Linux/BSD distributions, including Redhat, Suse, +and Mandrake. Some distributions package &kstars; as a separate application, some +just provide a kdeedu package, which includes &kstars;. + +If you would like the latest CVS development version of &kstars;, please +follow these instructions. + + + + +Requirements + +In order to successfully run &kstars;, you need &kde; >=3.2 and +&Qt;>=3.2. + + +To compile &kstars;, you will also have to have the following packages +installed: + +kdelibs-devel +qt-devel +zlib-devel +fam-devel +png-devel +jpeg-devel +autoconf (>=2.5) + + + +On my system, &kstars; uses about 60 MB of system memory with the +default settings. Most of this usage is due to the loaded object +databases. You can dramatically reduce the memory footprint by +reducing the faint limit for stars in the Configuration Window, or +eliminating catalogs of objects (NGC, IC, comets, asteroids, &etc;). +If &kstars; is idling, it uses very little CPU; +but it will use as much as you have got when panning or zooming. + + + + +Compilation and Installation + + +In order to compile and install &kstars; on your system, type the +following in the base folder of the unpacked &kstars; distribution: + +% ./configure --prefix=$KDEDIR +% make +% make install + + +Please do not forget the prefix argument to configure. If your KDEDIR +variable is not set, set prefix to whatever folder &kde; is installed in: this is +usually either /usr, +/opt/kde, or +/opt/kde3. +Also, make sure you do the +last step as root. + +&kstars; uses autoconf and automake, +so you should not have trouble compiling it. Should you run into problems +please report them to the &kstars; mailing list +kstars-devel@kde.org. + + + + +Configuration + +At this point, there are no special configuration options or +requirements. If &kstars; complains that there are missing data files, +become root and manually copy +all files in kstars/data/ to +$(KDEDIR)/apps/kstars/ (If you +do not have root privileges, +copy them to +~/.kde/share/apps/kstars/.) + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/jmoons.docbook b/doc/kstars/jmoons.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..40a7d7b7 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/jmoons.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,38 @@ + +Jupiter Moons Tool +Tools +Jupiter Moons Tool + + + + +The Jupiter Moons Tool + + + + + + + Jupiter Moons Tool + + + + + +This tool displays the positions of Jupiter's four largest +moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto) relative to Jupiter, +as a function of time. Time is plotted vertically; the units are days +and time=0.0 corresponds to the current simulation time. +The horizontal axis displays the angular offset from Jupiter's position, +in arcminutes. The offset is measured along the direction of Jupiter's +equator. Each moon's position as a function of time traces a sinusoidal +path in the plot, as the moon orbits around Jupiter. Each track is +assigned a different color to distinguish it from the others; the name +labels at the top of the window indicate the color used by each moon. + +The plot can be manipulated with the keyboard. The time axis can be +expanded or compressed using the + and +- keys. The time displayed at the center of the window +can be changed with the [ and ] keys. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/jmoons.png b/doc/kstars/jmoons.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..235ae39f Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/jmoons.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/julianday.docbook b/doc/kstars/julianday.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..03ae53c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/julianday.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ + + + +John +Cirillo + + +Julian Day +Julian Day + + +Julian Days are a way of reckoning the current date by a simple count of +the number of days that have passed since some remote, arbitrary date. This +number of days is called the Julian Day, +abbreviated as JD. The starting point, JD=0, +is January 1, 4713 BC (or -4712 January 1, since there was no year '0'). Julian +Days are very useful because they make it easy to determine the number of days +between two events by simply subtracting their Julian Day numbers. +Such a calculation is difficult for the standard (Gregorian) calendar, because +days are grouped into months, which contain a variable number of days, and +there is the added complication of Leap +Years. + +Converting from the standard (Gregorian) calendar to Julian Days and vice versa +is best left to a special program written to do this, such as the &kstars; +Astrocalculator. However, for those +interested, here is a simple example of a Gregorian to Julian day converter: + +JD = D - 32075 + 1461*( Y + +4800 + ( M - 14 ) / 12 ) / 4 + 367*( M - 2 - +( M - 14 ) / 12 * 12 ) / 12 - 3*( ( Y + 4900 + +( M - 14 ) / 12 ) / 100 ) / 4 + +where D is the day (1-31), M is the Month +(1-12), and Y is the year (1801-2099). Note that this formula +only works for dates between 1801 and 2099. More remote dates require a more +complicated transformation. + +An example Julian Day is: JD 2440588, which corresponds to +1 Jan, 1970. + +Julian Days can also be used to tell time; the time of day is expressed as a +fraction of a full day, with 12:00 noon (not midnight) as the zero point. So, +3:00 pm on 1 Jan 1970 is JD 2440588.125 (since 3:00 pm is 3 +hours since noon, and 3/24 = 0.125 day). Note that the Julian Day is always +determined from Universal Time, not Local Time. + +Astronomers use certain Julian Day values as important reference points, called +Epochs. One widely-used epoch is called J2000; it is the +Julian Day for 1 Jan, 2000 at 12:00 noon = JD 2451545.0. + +Much more information on Julian Days is available on the internet. A good +starting point is the U.S. Naval +Observatory. If that site is not available when you read this, try +searching for Julian Day with your favorite search engine. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/kepler2nd.png b/doc/kstars/kepler2nd.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2734fcf9 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/kepler2nd.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/kepler3d.png b/doc/kstars/kepler3d.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..aaab7107 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/kepler3d.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/lambda_ex.png b/doc/kstars/lambda_ex.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..1a95ba9c Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/lambda_ex.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/lambda_max.png b/doc/kstars/lambda_max.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..81ede73b Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/lambda_max.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/leapyear.docbook b/doc/kstars/leapyear.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..899115ae --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/leapyear.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,65 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Leap Years +Leap Years + + +The Earth has two major components of motion. First, it spins on its rotational +axis; a full spin rotation takes one Day to complete. +Second, it orbits around the Sun; a full orbital rotation takes one +Year to complete. + +There are normally 365 days in one calendar year, but it +turns out that a true year (&ie;, a full orbit of the Earth +around the Sun; also called a tropical year) is a little +bit longer than 365 days. In other words, in the time it takes the Earth to +complete one orbital circuit, it completes 365.24219 spin rotations. Do not be +too surprised by this; there is no reason to expect the spin and orbital motions +of the Earth to be synchronized in any way. However, it does make marking +calendar time a bit awkward.... + +What would happen if we simply ignored the extra 0.24219 rotation at the end of +the year, and simply defined a calendar year to always be 365.0 days long? The +calendar is basically a charting of the Earth's progress around the Sun. If we +ignore the extra bit at the end of each year, then with every passing year, the +calendar date lags a little more behind the true position of Earth around the +Sun. In just a few decades, the dates of the solstices and equinoxes will have +drifted noticeably. + +In fact, it used to be that all years were defined to have +365.0 days, and the calendar drifted away from the true seasons +as a result. In the year 46 BCE, Julius Caeser established the +Julian Calendar, which implemented the world's first +leap years: He decreed that every 4th year would be 366 +days long, so that a year was 365.25 days long, on average. This basically +solved the calendar drift problem. + +However, the problem wasn't completely solved by the Julian calendar, because a +tropical year isn't 365.25 days long; it's 365.24219 days long. You still have +a calendar drift problem, it just takes many centuries to become +noticeable. And so, in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII instituted the +Gregorian calendar, which was largely the same as the +Julian Calendar, with one more trick added for leap years: even Century years +(those ending with the digits 00) are only leap years if they are divisible by +400. So, the years 1700, 1800, and 1900 were not leap years (though they would +have been under the Julian Calendar), whereas the year 2000 +was a leap year. This change makes the average length of a +year 365.2425 days. So, there is still a tiny calendar drift, but it amounts to +an error of only 3 days in 10,000 years. The Gregorian calendar is still used as +a standard calendar throughout most of the world. + + + +Fun Trivia: When Pope Gregory instituted the Gregorian Calendar, the Julian +Calendar had been followed for over 1500 years, and so the calendar date had +already drifted by over a week. Pope Gregory re-synchronized the calendar by +simply eliminating 10 days: in 1582, the day after October +4th was October 15th! + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/lightcurve.png b/doc/kstars/lightcurve.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..bb02d1a4 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/lightcurve.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/lightcurves.docbook b/doc/kstars/lightcurves.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..344ecc82 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/lightcurves.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,176 @@ + + + + +Aaron +Price +
+aavso@aavso.org +
 + + + +AAVSO Light Curves +Tools +AAVSO Lightcurve Generator + + + + +The AAVSO Lightcurves Tool + + + + + + + AAVSO Lightcurves + + + + + +Introduction + +&kstars; can display light curves for variable stars from the observing +program of the American Association +of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO). This +program monitors over 6,000 variable stars and consists of 10 million +observations going back almost a century. &kstars; downloads the very +latest data directly from the AAVSO database via the +Internet, so a network connection is required to use this tool. + + +To use the tool, select a variable star either by +designation or name in the left panel, and +set the start and end dates to be plotted. In the right panel, +select the type of data that should be plotted (see below). When you have +made you selections, press the Retrieve Curve +button. &kstars; will automatically connect to the AAVSO server, +which will generate the lightcurve plot and send it to your computer for +display. A sample lightcurve plot is shown below: + + + + +A Sample Lightcurve + + + + + + + Sample Lightcurve + + + + + +Please not these light curves should NEVER be used +in research, papers, presentations, publications, &etc;. They are only +meant to be used as a source of info for &kstars;. They have not been +validated and passed the AAVSO's strict quality control +measures. We will be glad to give you good raw data simply by requesting +it at http://www.aavso.org/adata/onlinedata/. + + +Specific questions about the data in the light curves can be sent to +aavso@aavso.org. + + + + +About Variable Stars + +Variable stars are stars that change in +brightness. A light curve is a plot of a +variable star's brightness over time. By looking at a light curve you +can see how the star has behaved in the past and try to predict how it +will behave in the future. Astronomers also use this data to model +astrophysical processes in the star. This important to help us +understand how stars work. + + + + +The Data + + +Here is a summary of the various types of data available in the light +curves: + + +Visual Observation: +This is an observation of a variable star by an observer with a +regular telescope. It means that an observer saw the star at Y +brightness on X date and time. + +Fainter than: +Sometimes the star is too faint to be seen by the observer. When that +happens, the observer reports the faintest star seen in the field. +These are called fainter thans because the variable star +was fainter than the brightness reported. + +Average: +This is a computed running average of all the data reported. The +bin number tells the computer how many days to +use in each average calculation. This will need to be adjusted based on +the frequency of observations. The error bars represent the 1 sigma +standard deviation of error. + +CCDV: +These are observations reported using a CCD with a +Johnson V filter. CCDV observations +tend to be more accurate than visual (but not +always). + +CCDB: +CCD observations with a Johnson B +filter. + +CCDI: +CCD observations with a Cousins Ic +filter. + +CCDR: +CCD observations with a Cousins R +filter. + +Discrepant Data: +This is data that has been flagged by an AAVSO staff +member as being discrepant following HQ rules for +data validation. Contact aavso@aavso.org for more +information. + +Dates: +The observational database the light curves are based on is updated +every 10 minutes so you can get data in near real-time. Right now +light curve data is only available back to 1961, but this will likely +be expanded further back in time in the future. + + + + + + +Updating your local copy of Variable Stars + +The AAVSO publishes the +full list of variable +stars in their monitoring program. This file is updated +monthly with newly discovered variable stars. To sync the list that +&kstars; uses with the AAVSO master list, click +on the Update List button in the +AAVSO dialog. &kstars; will then attempt to +connect to the AAVSO database and download the +latest list. + + + +The customized data stream provided by the AAVSO was implemented for +&kstars; by Aaron Price. Thank you, Aaron! + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/luminosity.docbook b/doc/kstars/luminosity.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3a312ed7 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/luminosity.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ + + + + + +Jasem +Mutlaq +
+
 + + + +Luminosity +Luminosity +Flux + + + +Luminosity is the amount of energy emitted by a star each second. + + + +All stars radiate light over a broad range of frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum from the low energy radio waves up to the highly energetic gamma rays. A star that emits predominately in the ultra-violet region of the spectrum produces a total amount of energy magnitudes larger than that produced in a star that emits principally in the infrared. +Therefore, luminosity is a measure of energy emitted by a star over all wavelengths. The relationship between wavelength and energy was quantified by Einstein as +E = h * v +where v is the frequency, h is the Planck constant, and E is the photon energy in joules. +That is, shorter wavelengths (and thus higher frequencies) correspond to higher energies. + + + +For example, a wavelength of lambda = 10 meter lies in the radio region of the electromagnetic spectrum and has a frequency of + +f = c / lambda = 3 * 10^8 m/s / 10 = 30 MHz + +where c is the speed of light. +The energy of this photon is + +E = h * v = 6.625 * 10^-34 J s * 30 Mhz = 1.988 * 10^-26 joules. + +On the other hand, visible light has much shorter wavelengths and higher frequencies. A photon that has a wavelength of lambda = 5 * 10^-9 meters (A greenish photon) has an energy +E = 3.975 * 10^-17 joules which is over a billion times higher than the energy of a radio photon. Similarly, a photon of red light (wavelength lambda = 700 nm) has less energy +than a photon of violet light (wavelength lambda = 400 nm). + + + +Luminosity depends both on temperature and surface area. This makes sense because a burning log radiates more energy than a match, even though both have the same temperature. +Similarly, an iron rod heated to 2000 degrees emits more energy than when it is heated to only 200 degrees. + + + +Luminosity is a very fundamental quantity in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Much of what is learnt about celestial objects comes from analyzing their light. This is because the physical processes that occur inside stars gets recorded and transmitted by light. +Luminosity is measured in units of energy per second. Astronomers prefer to use Ergs, rather than Watts, when quantifying luminosity. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/luminosity.png b/doc/kstars/luminosity.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b3b0324a Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/luminosity.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/luminosity_ex.png b/doc/kstars/luminosity_ex.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a8dc9f82 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/luminosity_ex.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/magnitude.docbook b/doc/kstars/magnitude.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b38963cd --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/magnitude.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ + + + +Girish V + + +Magnitude Scale +Magnitude Scale +Flux +Star Colors and Temperatures + + +2500 years ago, the ancient Greek astronomer Hipparchus classified the +brightnesses of visible stars in the sky on a scale from 1 to 6. He +called the very brightest stars in the sky first magnitude, and the +very faintest stars he could see sixth magnitude. Amazingly, two +and a half millenia later, Hipparchus's classification scheme is still +widely used by astronomers, although it has since been modernized and +quantified. +The magnitude scale runs backwards to what you +might expect: brighter stars have smaller +magnitudes than fainter stars. + + + +The modern magnitude scale is a quantitative measurement of the +flux of light coming from a star, with a +logarithmic scaling: + +m = m_0 - 2.5 log (F / F_0) + +If you do not understand the math, this just says that the magnitude +of a given star (m) is different from that of some standard star (m_0) +by 2.5 times the logarithm of their flux ratio. The 2.5 *log factor +means that if the flux ratio is 100, the difference in magnitudes is 5 +mag. So, a 6th magnitude star is 100 times fainter than a 1st magnitude +star. The reason Hipparchus's simple classification translates to a +relatively complex function is that the human eye responds +logarithmically to light. + +There are several different magnitude scales in use, each of which serves +a different purpose. The most common is the apparent magnitude scale; +this is just the measure of how bright stars (and other objects) look +to the human eye. The apparent magnitude scale defines the star Vega +to have magnitude 0.0, and assigns magnitudes to all other objects using +the above equation, and a measure of the flux ratio of each object to +Vega. + +It is difficult to understand stars using just the apparent magnitudes. +Imagine two stars in the sky with the same apparent magnitude, so they +appear to be equally bright. You cannot know just by looking if the +two have the same intrinsic brightness; it is +possible that one star is intrinsically brighter, but further away. +If we knew the distances to the stars (see the parallax article), we could account for +their distances and assign Absolute magnitudes +which would reflect their true, intrinsic brightness. The absolute +magnitude is defined as the apparent magnitude the star would have if +observed from a distance of 10 parsecs (1 parsec is 3.26 light-years, +or 3.1 x 10^18 cm). The absolute magnitude (M) can be determined +from the apparent magnitude (m) and the distance in parsecs (d) +using the formula: + +M = m + 5 - 5 * log(d) (note that M=m when d=10). + +The modern magnitude scale is no longer based on the +human eye; it is based on photographic plates and photoelectric +photometers. With telescopes, we can see objects much fainter than +Hipparchus could see with his unaided eyes, so the magnitude scale has +been extended beyond 6th magnitude. In fact, the Hubble Space Telescope +can image stars nearly as faint as 30th magnitude, which is one +trillion times fainter than Vega. + +A final note: the magnitude is usually measured through a color filter +of some kind, and these magnitudes are denoted by a subscript +describing the filter (&ie;, m_V is the magnitude through a visual +filter, which is greenish; m_B is the magnitude through a blue filter; +m_pg is the photographic plate magnitude, &etc;). + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-celestrongps.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-celestrongps.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a362a549 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-celestrongps.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,84 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +celestrongps +1 + + + +celestrongps +Celestrong GPS driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +celestrongps + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +celestrongps is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +celestrongps was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-fliccd.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-fliccd.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..de6f7550 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-fliccd.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,86 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +fliccd +1 + + + +fliccd +Finger Lakes Instruments CCD driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +fliccd + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +fliccd is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +fliccd was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-indiserver.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-indiserver.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..8e54ceb4 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-indiserver.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,136 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +indiserver +1 + + + +indiserver +INDI server for telescope control by KStars + + + + +indiserver + + + + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +indiserver is a server that sits between the &kstars; +user interface and the low-level hardware drivers. +The INDI server is a network server, int hat either +local or remote clients may connect to it to control astronomical +instruments. The INDI server must be running on the +machine that is physically connected to the astronomical instruments. +There is usually no need to run the INDI +server directly. Using the &kstars; device manager, you can set up +astronomical instruments and start or stop the INDI +server all from within &kstars; +Much more detailed information is available in the &kstars; handbook, +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde;, and forms part +of the &kde; edutainment module. + + + + +Options + + + +Alternate IP port. The default is 7624. + + + + +Maximum attempts to restart, in case of a problem. The +default is 2. + + + + +Be more verbose with output to stderr. + + + + +The names of the INDI drivers to +run. +Currently available are: + +celestrongps (Celestron +GPS) +fliccd (Finger Lakes Instruments +CCD) +lx200_16 (LX200 16") + +lx200autostar (LX200 Autostar) + +lx200classic (LX200 Classic) + +lx200generic (LX200 Generic) + +lx200gps (LX200 GPS) + +temma (Temma Takahashi) + +v4ldriver (Video4Linux +Generic) + +v4lphilips (Philips Webcam) + + + + + + + + + +See Also + +celestrongps(1), fliccd(1), lx200_16(1), lx200autostar(1), lx200classic(1), lx200generic(1), lx200gps(1), kstars(1), temma(1), v4ldriver(1), v4lphilips(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available in the &kstars; +handbook, which you can reach from help:/kstars (either enter this +URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter help:/kstars). + + + +Examples +To start an INDI server running an LX200 GPS +driver, and listening to connections on port 8000: +indiserver 8000 lx200gps + + +Authors + +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-lx200_16.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-lx200_16.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..453d519b --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-lx200_16.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +lx200_16 +1 + + + +lx200_16 +LX200 16" driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +lx200_16 + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +lx200_16 is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +lx200_16 was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-lx200autostar.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-lx200autostar.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..394aaf9c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-lx200autostar.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +lx200autostar +1 + + + +lx200autostar +LX200 Autostar driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +lx200autostar + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +lx200autostar is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +lx200autostar was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-lx200classic.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-lx200classic.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..ca7fb7ee --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-lx200classic.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +lx200classic +1 + + + +lx200classic +LX200 Classic driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +lx200classic + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +lx200classic is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +lx200classic was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-lx200generic.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-lx200generic.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a501500a --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-lx200generic.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +lx200gps +1 + + + +lx200gps +LX200 GPS driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +lx200gps + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +lx200gps is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +lx200gps was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-temma.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-temma.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..fd6e2e23 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-temma.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +temma +1 + + + +temma +Temma Takahashi driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +temma + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +temma is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +temma was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-v4ldriver.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-v4ldriver.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..42bfaf43 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-v4ldriver.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +v4ldriver +1 + + + +v4ldriver +Video4Linux Generic driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +v4ldriver + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +v4ldriver is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +v4ldriver was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/man-v4lphilips.1.docbook b/doc/kstars/man-v4lphilips.1.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..302fbd19 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/man-v4lphilips.1.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,85 @@ + + +]> + + + +KDE User's Manual + +Ben +Burton + +bab@debian.org +May 25, 2005 +K Desktop Environment + + + +v4lphilips +1 + + + +v4lphilips +Video4Linux Philips Webcam driver for INDI telescope control + + + + +v4lphilips + + + + + +Description +&kstars; allows you to configure and control astronomical instruments +such as telescopes and focusers via the INDI protocol. +v4lphilips is a device driver for supporting particular +types of external hardware. +This driver is not intended to be run directly. Instead you should +use &kstars; to configure and operate your astronomical instruments. Most +operations can be found under the Devices menu in +&kstars;. +&kstars; will start the INDI server internally, and +the INDI server will in turn start this device +driver. +Much more detailed information can be found in the &kstars; handbook +as described below. +&kstars; is a graphical desktop planetarium for &kde; and forms part +of the official &kde; edutainment module. + + + +Options + + +Write more verbose output to stderr + + + + + + +See Also +indiserver(1), kstars(1) + +More detailed user documentation is available from help:/kstars +(either enter this URL into &konqueror;, or run +khelpcenter +help:/kstars). + +There is also further information available at the &kde; Edutainment +website. + + + +Authors +v4lphilips was written by &Jasem.Mutlaq; +This man page based on the one written for Debian by BenBurton bab@debian.org + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/meridian.docbook b/doc/kstars/meridian.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..e6859127 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/meridian.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,28 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Local Meridian +Local Meridian +Hour Angle +Celestial Sphere + + +The Local Meridian is an imaginary Great Circle +on the Celestial Sphere that is perpendicular +to the local Horizon. It passes through the +North point on the Horizon, through the Celestial +Pole, up to the Zenith, and through the +South point on the Horizon. + +Because it is fixed to the local Horizon, stars will appear to drift past +the Local Meridian as the Earth spins. You can use an object's Right Ascension and the Local Sidereal Time to determine when it will +cross your Local Meridian (see Hour Angle). + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/newfov.png b/doc/kstars/newfov.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..37264dbd Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/newfov.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/observinglist.docbook b/doc/kstars/observinglist.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..7a39610d --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/observinglist.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,99 @@ + +Observing List Tool +Tools +Observing List Tool + + + + +The Observing List Tool + + + + + + + Observing List Tool + + + + + +The purpose of the Observing List Tool is to provide convenient +access to some common functions for a list of objects chosen by +you. Objects are added to the list by using the Add to +List action in the popup +menu, or by simply pressing the O key +to add the currently-selected object. + + +Objects in the list can be sorted by any of the data columns +(Name, Right Ascension, Declination, Magnitude, and Type). +To perform an action on an object, highlight it in the list, +and then press one of the Action buttons at the top of the +window. Some actions can be performed while multiple objects +are selected; others only operate when one object is selected. +The available actions are: + + + +Center + + +Center the display on the selected object, and begin Tracking +it. + + + + + +Scope + + +Point your telescope at the +selected object. + + + + + +Alt vs. Time + + +Open the Altitude vs. Time +Tool, with the selected object(s) preloaded + + + + + +Details + + +Open the Detailed Information +Window for the selected object. + + + + + +Remove + + +Remove the selected object(s) from the observing list. + + + + + + + + + +The Observing List tool is a new feature and is still under +development. We are planning to add more features, such as +adding objects to the list by selecting a region in the sky, and +the ability to save observing lists to disk. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/observinglist.png b/doc/kstars/observinglist.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3e14772d Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/observinglist.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/parallax.docbook b/doc/kstars/parallax.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..688dd334 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/parallax.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,65 @@ + + + +James Lindenschmidt + + +Parallax +Parallax +Astronomical UnitParallax +ParsecParallax + + Parallax is the apparent change of an observed + object's position caused by a shift in the observer's position. As an + example, hold your hand in front of you at arm's length, and observe + an object on the other side of the room behind your hand. Now tilt + your head to your right shoulder, and your hand will appear on the + left side of the distant object. Tilt your head to your left + shoulder, and your hand will appear to shift to the right side of the + distant object. + + + Because the Earth is in orbit around the Sun, we observe the sky from + a constantly moving position in space. Therefore, we should expect + to see an annual parallax effect, in which the + positions of nearby objects appear to wobble back and forth in + response to our motion around the Sun. This does in fact happen, but + the distances to even the nearest stars are so great that you need to + make careful observations with a telescope to detect + itThe ancient Greek astronomers knew about parallax; + because they could not observe an annual parallax in the positions of + stars, they concluded that the Earth could not be in motion around + the Sun. What they did not realize was that the stars are millions of + times further away than the Sun, so the parallax effect is impossible + to see with the unaided eye.. + + + Modern telescopes allow astronomers to use the annual parallax to + measure the distance to nearby stars, using triangulation. The + astronomer carefully measures the position of the star on two dates, + spaced six months apart. The nearer the star is to the Sun, the +larger + the apparent shift in its position will be between the two dates. + + + Over the six-month period, the Earth has moved through half its orbit + around the Sun; in this time its position has changed by 2 + Astronomical Units (abbreviated AU; 1 AU is + the distance from the Earth to the Sun, or about 150 million + kilometers). This sounds like a really long distance, but even the + nearest star to the Sun (alpha Centauri) is about 40 + trillion kilometers away. Therefore, the annual + parallax is very small, typically smaller than one + arcsecond, which is only 1/3600 of one degree. + A convenient distance unit for nearby stars is the + parsec, which is short for "parallax + arcsecond". One parsec is the distance a star would have if its + observed parallax angle was one arcsecond. It is equal to 3.26 + light-years, or 31 trillion kilometersAstronomers + like this unit so much that they now use kiloparsecs to measure + galaxy-scale distances, and Megaparsecs to measure intergalactic + distances, even though these distances are much too large to have an + actual, observable parallax. Other methods are required to determine + these distances. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/popup.png b/doc/kstars/popup.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..d3741c08 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/popup.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/precession.docbook b/doc/kstars/precession.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2e092263 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/precession.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,54 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Precession +Precession + + +Precession is the gradual change in the direction of the +Earth's spin axis. The spin axis traces a cone, completing a full circuit in +26,000 years. If you have ever spun a top or a dreidel, the +wobbling rotation of the top as it spins is precession. + +Because the direction of the Earth's spin axis changes, so does the location of +the Celestial Poles. + +The reason for the Earth's precession is complicated. The Earth is not a +perfect sphere, it is a bit flattened, meaning the +Great Circle of the equator is longer +than a meridonal great circle that +passes through the poles. Also, the Moon and Sun lie outside the Earth's +Equatorial plane. As a result, the gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun on +the oblate Earth induces a slight torque in addition to a +linear force. This torque on the spinning body of the Earth leads to the +precessional motion. + + +Exercise: + +Precession is easiest to see by observing the Celestial Pole. To find the pole, first switch to +Equatorial Coordinates in the Configure &kstars; window, and +then hold down the Up arrow key until the display stops +scrolling. The declination displayed in the center of the +Info Panel should be +90 degrees, and the bright star +Polaris should be nearly at the center of the screen. Try slewing with the left +and right arrow keys. Notice that the sky appears to rotate around the Pole. + +We will now demonstrate Precession by changing the Date to a very remote year, +and observing that the location of the Celestial Pole is no longer near Polaris. +Open the Set Time window +(&Ctrl;S), and set the date +to the year 8000 (currently, &kstars; cannot handle dates much more remote than +this, but this date is sufficient for our purposes). Notice that the sky +display is now centered at a point between the constellations Cygnus and +Cepheus. Verify that this is actually the pole by slewing left and right: the +sky rotates about this point; in the year 8000, the North celestial pole will no +longer be near Polaris. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook b/doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..551eedb6 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,376 @@ + +A Quick Tour of &kstars; + + +This chapter presents a guided tour of &kstars;, introducing +many of its important features. + + + + +Here is a screenshot of the &kstars; main window: + + + + + + + Main Window + + + + + +The above screenshot shows a typical view of the KStars program. You +can see the sky display centered on Betelgeuse, the brightest star in +the constellation Orion. Orion has just risen above the eastern horizon. +Stars are displayed with realistic +colors and relative brightnesses. If you look closely, you can +also see the Moon near the left edge of the window. In three corners +of the sky display, there are on-screen text labels displaying data on +the current time (LT: 16:41:39 22 Jan 2005), the current +Geographic Location (Tucson, Arizona, USA), and the +current object in the center of the display (Focused on: Betelgeuse +(alpha Orionis)). Above the sky display, there are two toolbars. +The main toolbar contains shortcuts for +menu functions, as well as a +time-step widget which controls how fast the simulation clock runs. +The view toolbar contains buttons that toggle the display of different +kinds of objects in the sky. At the bottom of the window, there is a +status bar which displays the name of any object you click on, and the +sky coordinates (both +Right Ascension/Declination and Azimuth/Altitude) of the mouse cursor. + + + +The Setup Wizard + +Setup Wizard +The first time you run KStars, you will be presented with a Setup Wizard, +which allows you to easily set your geographic location and download some +extra data files. You can press the Finish button +at any time to exit the Setup Wizard. + + + +The first page of the Setup Wizard allows you to choose the starting +geographic location, by selecting from the list of the 2500+ known +locations on the right side of the window. The list of locations can be +filtered to match the text you enter in the City, +Province, and Country edit +boxes. If your desired location is not present in the list, you can +select a nearby city instead for now. Later on, you can add your +precise location manually using the Set Geographic +Location tool. Once you have selected a starting location, press +the Next button. + + + +The second page of the Setup Wizard allows you to download extra data +that are not included with the standard distribution of &kstars;. +Simply press the Download Extra Data button to open +the Get New Stuff tool. When you are all done, +press the Finish button in the Setup Wizard to +start exploring &kstars;. + + + + +The Download Extra Data tool is only available if you have KDE 3.3.x +installed. + + + + + +Have a Look Around + +Navigation Controls +Basics +Now that we have the time and location set, let us have a look around. +You can pan the display using the arrow keys. If you hold down the +&Shift; key before panning, the scrolling speed is increased. The +display can also be panned by clicking and dragging with the mouse. +Note that while the display is scrolling, not all objects are +displayed. This is done to cut down on the CPU load +of recomputing object positions, which makes the scrolling smoother +(you can configure what gets hidden while scrolling in the Configure &kstars; window). + +There are seven ways to change the magnification (or +Zoom level) of the display: + + + + Use the + and + - keys + + + Press the Zoom In/Zoom Out buttons in the toolbar + + + Select + Zoom In/Zoom Out + from the View menu + + + Select Zoom to Angular Size... from + the View menu. This allows you to specify the + the field-of-view angle for the display, in degrees. + + + Use the scroll wheel on your mouse + + + Drag the mouse up and down with the &MMB; pressed. + + + Hold down &Ctrl; while dragging the mouse. This + will allow you to define a rectangle in the map. When you release the mouse + button, the display will zoom to match the rectangle. + + + +Notice that as you zoom in, you can see fainter stars than at +lower zoom settings. + + +Zoom out until you can see a green curve; this represents your local +horizon. If you have not adjusted +the default &kstars; configuration, the display will be solid green +below the horizon, representing the solid ground of the Earth. There +is also a white curve, which represents the celestial equator, and a tan curve, which +represents the Ecliptic, the path +that the Sun appears to follow across the sky over the course of a +year. The Sun is always found somewhere along the Ecliptic, and the +planets are never far from it. + + + + +Objects in the Sky + +Objects in the Sky +Overview +&kstars; displays thousands of celestial objects: stars, planets, +comets, asteroids, clusters, nebulae and galaxies. You can interact +with displayed objects to perform actions on them or obtain more +information about them. Clicking on an object will identify it in the +status bar, and simply hovering the mouse cursor on an object will label +it temporarily in the map. Double-clicking will recenter the display on +the object and begin tracking it (so that it will remain centered as +time passes). Right clicking an object opens +the object's popup menu, which provides more options. + + + +The Popup Menu +Popup MenuExample + + +Here is an example of the right click popup +menu, for the Orion Nebula: + + + +Popup Menu for M 42 + + + + + + Popup Menu for M 42 + + + + + +The appearance of the popup menu depends somewhat on the kind of +object you right-click on, but the basic +structure is listed below. You can get +more detailed information about the popup +menu. + + + +The top section contains information labels (which are not selectable). +The top one to three labels display the object's name(s) and object +type. The next three labels show the object's rise, transit, and +set times. If the rise and set times say "circumpolar", it means that +the object is always above the horizon for the present location. + + +The middle section contains items for performing actions on the +object, such as Center and Track, +Details..., and +Attach Label. See the popup menu description for a full list +and description of each action. + + +Objects in the Sky +Internet Links +Popup Menu +The bottom section contains links to images and/or informative webpages +about the selected object. If you know of an additional &URL; with +information or an image of the object, you can add a custom link to the +object's popup menu using the Add Link... +item. + + + + +Finding Objects +Find Object Tool +Objects in the Sky +Finding by Name + +You can search for named objects using the Find +Object tool, which can be opened by clicking on the +search icon in the toolbar, by selecting +Find Object... from the +Pointing menu, or by pressing +&Ctrl;F. +The Find Object window is shown below: + + +Find Object Window + + + + + + Find Object Window + + + + + + +The window contains a list of all the named objects that &kstars; is +aware of. Many of the objects only have a numeric catalog name (for +example, NGC 3077), but some objects have a common name as well (for +example, Whirlpool Galaxy). You can filter the list by name and +by object type. To filter by name, enter a string in the edit box +at the top of the window; the list will then only contain names +which start with that string. To filter by type, select a type +from the combo box at the bottom of the window. + +To center the display on an object, highlight the desired object in +the list, and press Ok. Note that if the +object is below the horizon, the program will warn you that you may +not see anything except the ground (you can make the ground invisible +in the Display Options window, or by pressing the +Ground button in the View toolbar). + + + + +Centering and Tracking +Objects in the Sky +Tracking + +&kstars; will automatically begin tracking on an object whenever one +is centered in the display, either by using the Find +Object window, by double-clicking on it, or by +selecting Center and Track from its +right-click popup menu. You can disengage +tracking by panning the display, pressing the Lock +icon in the Main toolbar, or selecting Track +Object from the Pointing menu. + + + + +Orbit Trails +Attached to centered object + +When tracking on a Solar System body, &kstars; will automatically +attach an orbit trail, showing the path of the body +across the sky. You will likely need to change the clock's timestep +to a large value (such as 1 day) to see the trail. + + + + + +Keyboard Actions +Objects in the Sky +Keyboard Actions + + +When you click on an object in the map, it becomes the +selected object, and its name is identified in +the statusbar. There are a number of quick key commands available +which act on the selected object: + + + +C + +Center and Track on the selected object + + + + +D + +Show the Details window +for the selected object + + + + +L + +Toggle a visible name label on the selected object + + + + +O + +Add the selected object to the +Observing List + + + + +T + +Toggle a visible curve on the sky, showing the path of the +object across the sky (only applicable to Solar System bodies) + + + + + + + + + +By holding down the Alt key, you can perform +these actions on the centered object, rather than the selected +object. + + + + + + +End of the Tour + +This concludes the tour of &kstars;, although we have only scratched +the surface of the available features. &kstars; includes many useful +astronomy tools, it can directly +control your telescope, and it offers a +wide variety of configuration and +customization options. In addition, this Handbook includes the +AstroInfo Project, a series of short, +interlinked articles explaining some of the celestial and astrophysical +concepts behind &kstars;. + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/retrograde.docbook b/doc/kstars/retrograde.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..00f200ab --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/retrograde.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,44 @@ + + + +John +Cirillo + + +Retrograde Motion +Retrograde Motion + + + +Retrograde Motion is the orbital motion of a body in a +direction opposite that which is normal to spatial bodies within a given system. + +When we observe the sky, we expect most objects to appear to move in a +particular direction with the passing of time. The apparent motion of +most bodies in the sky is from east to west. However it is possible to +observe a body moving west to east, such as an artificial satellite or +space shuttle that is orbiting eastward. This orbit is +considered Retrograde Motion. + +Retrograde Motion is most often used in reference to the +motion of the outer planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and so forth). +Though these planets appear to move from east to west on a nightly +basis in response to the spin of the Earth, they are actually drifting +slowly eastward with respect to the stationary stars, which can be +observed by noting the position of these planets for several nights in a +row. This motion is normal for these planets, however, and not +considered Retrograde Motion. However, since the Earth completes its +orbit in a shorter period of time than these outer planets, we +occasionally overtake an outer planet, like a faster car on a +multiple-lane highway. When this occurs, the planet we are passing will +first appear to stop its eastward drift, and it will then +appear to drift back toward the west. This is Retrograde Motion, since +it is in a direction opposite that which is typical for planets. Finally, +as the Earth swings past the the planet in its orbit, they appear to +resume their normal west-to-east drift on successive nights. + +This Retrograde Motion of the planets puzzled ancient Greek +astronomers, and was one reason why they named these bodies planets +which in Greek means wanderers. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/screen1.png b/doc/kstars/screen1.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..da20c085 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/screen1.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/scriptbuilder.docbook b/doc/kstars/scriptbuilder.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3a2f57ce --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/scriptbuilder.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,300 @@ + +The Script Builder Tool +Tools +Script Builder + + + +KDE applications can be controlled externally from another program, +from a console prompt, or from a shell script using the Desktop +COmmunication Protocol (DCOP). KStars takes +advantage of this feature to allow rather complex behaviors to be +scripted and played back at any time. This can be used, for example, +to create a classroom demo to illustrate an astronomical concept. + + +The problem with DCOP scripts is, writing them is a bit like +programming, and can seem a daunting task to those who do not have +programming experience. The Script Builder Tool provides a +GUI point-and-click interface for constructing +KStars DCOP scripts, making it very easy to create complex scripts. + + + +Introduction to the Script Builder + + +Before explaining how to use the Script Builder, I provide a very +brief introduction to all of the GUI components; +for more infomation, use the "What's This?" function. + + + + +The Script Builder Tool + + + + + + + Script Builder Tool + + + + + +The Script Builder is shown in the above screenshot. The box on the +left is the Current Script box; it shows the +list of commands that comprise the current working script. The box +on the right is the Function Browser; it +displays the list of all available script functions. Below the +Function Browser, there is a small panel which will display short +documentation about the script function highlighted in the Function +Browser. The panel below the Current Script box is the +Function Arguments panel; when a function is +highlighted in the Current Script box, this panel will contain items +for specifying values for any arguments that the highlighted function +requires. + +Along the top of the window, there is a row of buttons which operate +on the script as a whole. From left to right, they are: +New Script, Open Script, +Save Script, Save Script +As..., and Test Script. The +function of these buttons should be obvious, except perhaps the last +button. Pressing Test Script will attempt to +run the current script in the main KStars window. You should move +the Script Builder window out of the way before pressing this, so you +can see the results. + +In the center of the window, there is a column of buttons which operate +on individual script functions. From top to bottom, they are: +Add Function, Remove +Function, Copy Function, +Move Up, and Move Down. +Add Function adds the currently-highlighted +function in the Function Browser to the Current Script box (you can +also add a function by double-clicking on it). The rest of the +buttons operate on the function highlighted in the Current Script box, +either removing it, duplicating it, or changing its position in the +current script. + + + + +Using the Script Builder + +In order to illustrate using the Script Builder, we present a small +tutorial example where we make a script that tracks the Moon while +the clock runs at an accelerated rate. + +If we are going to track the Moon, we will need to point the display +at it first. The lookToward function +is used to do this. Highlight this function in the Function Browser, +and note the documentation displayed in the panel below the Browser. +Press the Add Function button to add this +function to the Current Script box. The Function Arguments panel +will now contain a combobox labeled dir, short for +direction. This is the direction in which the display should +be pointed. The combobox contains only the cardinal compass points, +not the Moon or any other objects. You can either enter +Moon in the box manually, or press the +Object button to use the Find +Object window to select the Moon from the list of named +objects. Note that, as usual, centering on an object automatically +engages object-tracking mode, so there is no need to add the +setTracking function after lookToward. + +Now that we have taken care of pointing at the Moon, we next want to +make time pass at an accelerated rate. Use the +setClockScale function for this. Add it to +the script by double-clicking on it in the Function Browser. The +Function Arguments panel contains a timestep spinbox for setting the +desired time step for the simulation clock. Change the timestep to +3 hours. + +OK, we have pointed at the Moon and accelerated the clock. Now we just +want the script to wait for several seconds while the display tracks +on the Moon. Add the waitFor function to the +script, and use the Function Arguments panel to specify that it should +wait for 20 seconds before continuing. + +To finish up, let us reset the clock's timestep to the normal value +of 1 second. Add another instance of setClockScale, and set its value +to 1 sec. + +Actually, we are not quite done yet. We should probably make sure that +the display is using Equatorial coordinates before the script tracks +the Moon with an accelerated time step. Otherwise, if the display is +using Horizontal coordinates, it will rotate very quickly through +large angles as the Moon rises and sets. This can be very confusing, +and is avoided by setting the View Option +UseAltAz to false. To change +any View Option, use the changeViewOption +function. Add this function to the script, and examine the Function +Arguments panel. There is a combobox which contains the list of all +options which can be adjusted by changeViewOption. Since we know +we want the UseAltAz option, we could simply select it from the +combobox. However, the list is quite long, and there is no +explanation of what each item is for. It therefore may be easier to +press the Browse Tree button, which will open +a window containing a tree view of the available options, organized by +topic. In addition, each item has a short explanation of what the +option does, and the data type of the option's value. We find +UseAltAz under the Skymap options category. +Just highlight this item and press OK, and it +will be selected in the combobox of the Function Arguments panel. +Finally, make its value false or 0. + +One more step: changing UseAltAz at the end of the script does us no +good; we need this to be changed before anything else happens. So, +make sure this function is highlighted in the Current Script box, +and press the Move Up button until it is the +first function. + +Now that we have finished the script, we should save it to disk. +Press the Save Script button. This will first +open a window in which you can provide a name for the script, and fill +in your name as the author. Enter Tracking the Moon +for a name, and your name as the author, and press +OK. Next, you will see the standard &kde; Save +File dialog. Specify a filename for the script and press +OK to save the script. Note that if your +filename does not end with .kstars, this suffix +will be automatically attached. If you are curious, you can examine the +script file with any text editor. + +Now that we have a completed script, we can run it in a couple of ways. +From a console prompt, you can simply execute the script as long as an +instance of KStars is currently running. Alternatively, you can execute +the script from within KStars using the Run +Script item in the File menu. + + + + + Device Automation with INDI + + Device scheduling and automation is supported for all INDI-compliant devices. You can coordinate any number of devices to perform complex operations using &kstars; Script Builder. This can be accomplished by using &kstars; INDI DCOP interface, which provides different classes of functions to suit your tasks. The INDI DCOP functions can be decomposed into five different classes. The following is a review of the functions and their arguments as supported in KStars. It it highly recommended to read the INDI Concepts section as we will employ key INDI concepts throughout this tutorial. + + Generic Device Functions: Functions to establish/shutdown devices..etc. + + startINDI (QString deviceName, bool useLocal) : Establish an INDI service either as local or server. + shutdownINDI (QString deviceName) : Shutdown the INDI service. + switchINDI(QString deviceName, bool turnOn) : Connect or Disconnect an INDI device. + setINDIPort(QString deviceName, QString port) : Set the device's connection port. + setINDIAction(QString deviceName, QString action) : Activate an INDI action. The action can be any element of a switch property + waitForINDIAction(QString deviceName, QString action) : Pause script execution until the specified action property returns with OK status. + + + Telescope Functions: Functions to control the telescope motion and status. + + setINDIScopeAction(QString deviceName, QString action) : Set the telescope mode or action. Available options are SLEW, TRACK, SYNC, PARK, and ABORT. + setINDITargetCoord(QString deviceName, double RA, double DEC) : Set the telescope JNow target coordinates to RA and DEC. + setINDITargetName(QString deviceName, QString objectName) : Set the telescope JNow target coordinates to the coordinates of objectName. KStars will lookup the object name in its database and will fetch RA and Dec once found. + setINDIGeoLocation(QString deviceName, double +longitude, double latitude) : Set the telescope geographical +location to the longitude and latitude as specified. The longitude is measured +from Greenwich, UK, to the East. However, while it is common to use negative +longitudes for the Western hemisphere, INDI requires longitude values between +0 and 360 degrees. So if you have a negative longitude, simply add 360 +degrees to get the value that INDI expects. For example, Calgary, Canada +coordinates in &kstars; are longitude: -114 04 58; latitude: 51 02 58. So +INDI's would need longitude = 360 - 114.083 = 245.917 +degrees. + setINDIUTC(QString ddeviceName, QString UTCDateTime) : Set the telescope UTC Date and Time in ISO 8601 format. The format is YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS (e.g. 2004-07-12T22:05:32). + + + Camera/CCD Functions: Functions to control the camera/CCD properties and status. + + setINDICCDTemp(QString deviceName, int temp) : Set the CCD chip target temperature in degrees celsius. + setINDIFrameType(QString deviceName, QString type) : Set the CCD frame type. Available options are FRAME_LIGHT, FRAME_BIAS, FRAME_DARK, and FRAME_FLAT. + startINDIExposure(QString deviceName, int timeout) : Start the CCD/Camera exposure for the duration specified by timeout in seconds. + + + Focuser Functions: Functions to control the focuser motion and status. + + setINDIFocusSpeed(QString deviceName, QString action) : Set the focuser speed. Available options are FOCUS_HALT, FOCUS_SLOW, FOCUS_MEDIUM, and FOCUS_FAST. + setINDIFocusTimeout(QString deviceName, int timeout) : Set the duration in seconds for any subsequent startINDIFocus operations. + startINDIFocus(QString deviceName, int focusDir) : Move the focuser either inward (focusDir = 0) or outward (focusDir = 1). The speed and duration of this operation is set by the setINDIFocusSpeed() and setINDIFocusTimeout() functions. + + + Filter Functions: Functions to control the filter position. + + setINDIFilterNum(QString deviceName, int filter_num) : Change the filter position to filter_num. The user can assign aliases to filter numbers in the Configure INDI dialog box under the Devices menu (e.g. Filter 1 = Red, Filter 2 = Green..etc). + + + + + + +Note that the device name is the first argument of all INDI functions. This permits different commands that are sent to different INDI devices to be intermixed together in one script. The Script Builder tool provides two options to facilitate the creation and editing of INDI scripts: + + : When checked, the Script Builder tool will automatically add waitForINDIAction() after any action it recognizes. For example, If you add switchINDI() function to the script and this option was checked, the Script Builder will add "waitForINDIAction CONNECTION" in the script file just after switchINDI(). This will cause the script to pause after it issues switchINDI() until switchINDI() returns with OK status (&ie; device connection was successful). It is critically important to know that the Script Builder cannot automatically add waitForINDIAction() for generic actions added using the setINDIAction() function. This is because KStars cannot determine the parent property of generic actions. Therefore, you must manually add waitForINDIAction() after generic actions when desired. + + : When checked, the device name field of all subsequent functions is automatically filled with the last device name. The last device name is set every time startINDI() function is added to the current script. When working with multiple devices, it is recommended to have this option off. + + + +Now we are ready to create a demo script that controls LX200 GPS telescope, in addition to Finger Lakes CCD camera. Our task is simple. We will ask the telescope to slew and track Mars, then we will ask the camera to take three shots 10 seconds each separated by 20 seconds. +Since there is no direct feedback from the INDI DCOP interface about the progress, value, or status of the device operations and parameters (except for waitForINDIAction()), device automation in KStars is similar to an open-loop control system. In such a system, there is usually no direct feedback to measure the progress of the system and to correct for errors. Consequently, you must design your device automation scripts with careful consideration. All automation scripts must be subjected to rigorous testing before deployment. + + + + The Script Builder Tool + + + + + + + Script Builder Tool + + + + +The demo script is shown in the above screenshot. Note that we checked and unchecked . The first function to add is startINDI() as shown above. We want to run our devices as local, so we will not change the service mode provided in the function arguments window. We type in our device name, starting with the telescope "LX200 GPS". We repeat the same operation again for "FLI CCD". There is a waitFor() function after that. It is generally recommended to use waitFor() function immediately after startINDI() to pause the script for 1-5 seconds. This will ensure that all properties are built and are ready to receive command. It is also useful for controlling remote devices because retrieving and building properties might take some time. In the next function, switchINDI(), we connect to each device. + +Since is checked, we do not need to add waitForINDIAction() after switchINDI() to insure that we only continue executing the script after we successfully connect. This is because the Script Builder tool will do this automatically for us when we save the script. Now let us set the telescope mode to tracking, click on the setINDIScopeAction() function and select TRACK. Note that we need to set the telescope to tracking before issuing the coordinates it needs to track. The setINDIScopeAction() function is provided for convenience; since in this example, it simply issues a generic setINDIAction() function followed by the keyword TRACK. However, the benefit of using setINDIScopeAction() is that KStars can automatically append waitForINDIAction() after it when required. This facility is not automatically available to generic actions as we discussed before. + +Next we use the setINDITargetName() function and set it to Mars. Finally, the last few steps involve capturing an image for 10 seconds which can be done by using startINDIExposure() function, and waiting for 20 seconds in between which can be done by using waitFor() function with a value of 20. + +We can now save our script and execute it at any time. The saved script will be similar to this: +
+ #!/bin/bash + #KStars DCOP script: Demo Script + #by Jasem Mutlaq + #last modified: Thu Jan 6 2005 09:58:26 + # + KSTARS=`dcopfind -a 'kstars*'` + MAIN=KStarsInterface + CLOCK=clock#1 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN startINDI "LX200 GPS" true + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN startINDI "FLI CCD" true + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitFor 3 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN switchINDI "LX200 GPS" true + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "LX200 GPS" CONNECTION + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN switchINDI "FLI CCD" true + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "FLI CCD" CONNECTION + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN setINDIScopeAction "LX200 GPS" TRACK + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "LX200 GPS" ON_COORD_SET + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN setINDITargetName "LX200 GPS" Mars + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "LX200 GPS" EQUATORIAL_EOD_COORD + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN startINDIExposure "FLI CCD" 10 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "FLI CCD" EXPOSE_DURATION + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitFor 20 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN startINDIExposure "FLI CCD" 10 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "FLI CCD" EXPOSE_DURATION + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitFor 20 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN startINDIExposure "FLI CCD" 10 + dcop $KSTARS $MAIN waitForINDIAction "FLI CCD" EXPOSE_DURATION + +
+ + +The INDI Library provides robust scripting tools that enable developers to orchestrate very complex scripts. For more details, refer to the INDI Developer Manual. + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/scriptbuilder.png b/doc/kstars/scriptbuilder.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..2ada4982 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/scriptbuilder.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/sidereal.docbook b/doc/kstars/sidereal.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a60ab44d --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/sidereal.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,80 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Sidereal Time +Sidereal Time +Hour Angle + + +Sidereal Time literally means star time. +The time we are used to using in our everyday lives is Solar Time. The +fundamental unit of Solar Time is a Day: the time it +takes the Sun to travel 360 degrees around the sky, due to the rotation of the +Earth. Smaller units of Solar Time are just divisions of a Day: + + +1/24 Day = 1 Hour +1/60 Hour = 1 Minute +1/60 Minute = 1 Second + + +However, there is a problem with Solar Time. The Earth does not actually +spin around 360 degrees in one Solar Day. The Earth is in orbit around the +Sun, and over the course of one day, it moves about one Degree along its +orbit (360 degrees/365.25 Days for a full orbit = about one Degree per +Day). So, in 24 hours, the direction toward the Sun changes by about a +Degree. Therefore, the Earth has to spin 361 degrees to make +the Sun look like it has traveled 360 degrees around the Sky. + +In astronomy, we are concerned with how long it takes the Earth to spin +with respect to the fixed stars, not the Sun. So, we would like a +timescale that removes the complication of Earth's orbit around the Sun, +and just focuses on how long it takes the Earth to spin 360 degrees with +respect to the stars. This rotational period is called a Sidereal +Day. On average, it is 4 minutes shorter than a Solar Day, because +of the extra 1 degree the Earth spins in a Solar Day. +Rather than defining a Sidereal Day to be 23 hours, 56 minutes, we define +Sidereal Hours, Minutes and Seconds that are the same fraction of a Day as +their Solar counterparts. Therefore, one Solar Second = 1.00278 Sidereal +Seconds. + +The Sidereal Time is useful for determining where the stars are at any +given time. Sidereal Time divides one full spin of the Earth into 24 +Sidereal Hours; similarly, the map of the sky is divided into 24 Hours +of Right Ascension. This is no +coincidence; Local Sidereal Time (LST) indicates the Right +Ascension on the sky that is currently crossing the Local Meridian. So, if a star has a Right +Ascension of 05h 32m 24s, it will be on your meridian at LST=05:32:24. More +generally, the difference between an object's RA and the Local +Sidereal Time tells you how far from the Meridian the object is. For example, +the same object at LST=06:32:24 (one Sidereal Hour later), will be one Hour of +Right Ascension west of your meridian, which is 15 degrees. This angular +distance from the meridian is called the object's Hour Angle. + + + +The Local Sidereal Time is displayed by &kstars; in the Time Info +Box, with the label ST (you have to +unshade the box by double-clicking it in order to see the +sidereal time). Note that the changing sidereal seconds are not synchronized +with the changing Local Time and Universal Time seconds. In fact, if you watch +the clocks for a while, you will notice that the Sidereal seconds really are +slightly shorter than the LT and UT seconds. + +Point to the Zenith (press Z +or select Zenith from the +Pointing +menu). The Zenith is the point on the sky where you are looking straight +up from the ground, and it is a point on your Local Meridian. Note the Right Ascension of the +Zenith: it is exactly the same as your Local Sidereal Time. + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/skycoords.docbook b/doc/kstars/skycoords.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..1017be06 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/skycoords.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,152 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Celestial Coordinate Systems + +Celestial Coordinate Systems +Overview +A basic requirement for studying the heavens is determining where in the +sky things are. To specify sky positions, astronomers have developed +several coordinate systems. Each uses a coordinate grid +projected on the Celestial Sphere, in +analogy to the Geographic coordinate +system used on the surface of the Earth. The coordinate systems +differ only in their choice of the fundamental plane, +which divides the sky into two equal hemispheres along a great circle. (the fundamental plane of the +geographic system is the Earth's equator). Each coordinate system is named for +its choice of fundamental plane. + + + +The Equatorial Coordinate System +Celestial Coordinate Systems +Equatorial Coordinates +Celestial Equator +Celestial Poles +Geographic Coordinate System + +Right AscensionEquatorial Coordinates +DeclinationEquatorial Coordinates + + +The Equatorial coordinate system is probably the most +widely used celestial coordinate system. It is also the most closely related +to the Geographic coordinate system, because +they use the same fundamental plane, and the same poles. The projection of the +Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere is called the +Celestial Equator. +Similarly, projecting the geographic Poles onto the celestial sphere defines the +North and South Celestial Poles. + +However, there is an important difference between the equatorial and +geographic coordinate systems: the geographic system is fixed to the +Earth; it rotates as the Earth does. The Equatorial system is +fixed to the starsactually, the equatorial +coordinates are not quite fixed to the stars. See precession. Also, if Hour Angle is used in place of Right +Ascension, then the Equatorial system is fixed to the Earth, not to the +stars., so it appears to rotate across the sky with the stars, +but of course it is really the Earth rotating under the fixed sky. + +The latitudinal (latitude-like) angle of the Equatorial +system is called Declination (Dec for short). It +measures the angle of an object above or below the Celestial Equator. The +longitudinal angle is called the Right +Ascension (RA for short). It measures the angle of an object East +of the Vernal Equinox. Unlike longitude, +Right Ascension is usually measured in hours instead of degrees, because the +apparent rotation of the Equatorial coordinate system is closely related to +Sidereal Time and Hour Angle. Since a full rotation of the sky +takes 24 hours to complete, there are (360 degrees / 24 hours) = 15 degrees in +one Hour of Right Ascension. + + + + +The Horizontal Coordinate System + +Celestial Coordinate Systems +Horizontal Coordinates +Horizon +Zenith + +AzimuthHorizontal Coordinates +AltitudeHorizontal Coordinates + +The Horizontal coordinate system uses the observer's local horizon as the Fundamental Plane. This conveniently +divides the sky into the upper hemisphere that you can see, and the lower +hemisphere that you can't (because the Earth is in the way). The pole of the +upper hemisphere is called the Zenith. The +pole of the lower hemisphere is called the nadir. The +angle of an object above or below the horizon is called the +Altitude (Alt for short). The angle of an object around +the horizon (measured from the North point, toward the East) is called the +Azimuth. The Horizontal Coordinate System is sometimes +also called the Alt/Az Coordinate System. + +The Horizontal Coordinate System is fixed to the Earth, not the Stars. +Therefore, the Altitude and Azimuth of an object changes with time, as the +object appears to drift across the sky. In addition, because the Horizontal +system is defined by your local horizon, the same object viewed from different +locations on Earth at the same time will have different values of Altitude and +Azimuth. + +Horizontal coordinates are very useful for determining the Rise and Set times of +an object in the sky. When an object has Altitude=0 degrees, it is either +Rising (if its Azimuth is < 180 degrees) or Setting (if its Azimuth is > +180 degrees). + + + + +The Ecliptic Coordinate System + +Celestial Coordinate Systems +Ecliptic Coordinates +Ecliptic + + +The Ecliptic coordinate system uses the Ecliptic for its Fundamental Plane. The +Ecliptic is the path that the Sun appears to follow across the sky over +the course of a year. It is also the projection of the Earth's +orbital plane onto the Celestial Sphere. The latitudinal angle is +called the Ecliptic Latitude, and the longitudinal angle +is called the Ecliptic Longitude. Like Right Ascension +in the Equatorial system, the zeropoint of the Ecliptic Longitude is the Vernal Equinox. + +What do you think such a coordinate system would be useful for? If you +guessed charting solar system objects, you are right! Each of the +planets (except Pluto) orbits the Sun in roughly the same plane, so they always +appear to be somewhere near the Ecliptic (&ie;, they always have small ecliptic +latitudes). + + + + +The Galactic Coordinate System + +Celestial Coordinate Systems +Galactic Coordinates + + +Milky Way +The Galactic coordinate system uses the Milky Way as its +Fundamental Plane. The latitudinal angle is called the Galactic +Latitude, and the longitudinal angle is called the +Galactic Longitude. This coordinate system is useful for +studying the Galaxy itself. For example, you might want to know how the density +of stars changes as a function of Galactic Latitude, to how much the disk of the +Milky Way is flattened. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/skymapdevice.png b/doc/kstars/skymapdevice.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b4a2f661 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/skymapdevice.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/solarsys.docbook b/doc/kstars/solarsys.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..b3a5a07b --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/solarsys.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,53 @@ + +Solar System Viewer +Tools +Solar System Viewer + + + + +The Solar System Viewer + + + + + + + Solar System Viewer + + + + + +This tool displays a model of our solar system as seen from +above. The Sun is drawn as a yellow dot in the center of the +plot, and the orbits of the planets are drawn as ellipses with +the correct shapes and orientations. The current position +of each planet along its orbit is drawn as a colored dot, along +with a name label. The display can be zoomed in and out with +the + and - keys, and the +display can be recentered with the arrow keys, or by +double-clicking anywhere in the window with the mouse. You can +also center on a planet with the 0–9 keys +(0 is the Sun; 9 is Pluto). +If you center on a planet, it will be tracked as time passes in +the tool. + + +The Solar System Viewer has its own clock, independent of the +clock in the main &kstars; window. There is a timestep control +widget here, similar to the one in the main window's toolbar. +However, this control defaults to a timestep of 1 day (so that +the motions of the planets can be seen), and it starts out with +the clock paused when the tool is opened. + + + +The current model used for Pluto's orbit is only good for dates +within about 100 years of the present date. If you let the Solar +System clock advance beyond this range, you will see Pluto behave +very strangely! We are aware of this issue, and will try to +improve Pluto's orbit model soon. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/solarsystem.png b/doc/kstars/solarsystem.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..3b4d37cb Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/solarsystem.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/spiralgalaxies.docbook b/doc/kstars/spiralgalaxies.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..01bcf1a8 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/spiralgalaxies.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,91 @@ + + + + +Mike +Choatie + + + +Spiral Galaxies +Spiral Galaxies + + + +Spiral galaxies are huge collections of billions of stars, most of +which are flattened into a disk shape, with a bright, spherical bulge +of stars at its center. Within the disk, there are +typically bright arms where the youngest, brightest stars are +found. These arms wind out from the center in a spiral pattern, giving +the galaxies their name. Spiral galaxies look a bit like hurricanes, +or like water flowing down a drain. They are some of the most beautiful +objects in the sky. + + +Galaxies are classified using a tuning fork diagram. +The end of the fork classifies elliptical +galaxies on a scale from the roundest, which is an E0, to +those that appear most flattened, which is rated as E7. The +tines of the tuning fork are where the two types of +spiral galaxies are classified: normal spirals, and +barred spirals. A barred spiral is one whose nuclear +bulge is stretched out into a line, so it literally looks like it has +a bar of stars in its center. + +Both types of spiral galaxies are sub-classified according to the +prominence of their central bulge of stars, their overall +surface brightness, and how tightly their spiral arms are wound. These +characteristics are related, so that an Sa galaxy has a large central bulge, +a high surface brightness, and tightly-wound spiral arms. An Sb galaxy +has a smaller bulge, a dimmer disk, and looser arms than an Sa, and so on +through Sc and Sd. Barred galaxies use the same classification scheme, +indicated by types SBa, SBb, SBc, and SBd. + +There is another class of galaxy called S0, which is morphologically a +transitional type between true spirals and ellipticals. Its spiral arms are +so tightly wound as to be indistinguishable; S0 galaxies have disks with a +uniform brightness. They also have an extremely dominant bulge. + +The Milky Way galaxy, which is home to earth and all of the stars in our +sky, is a Spiral Galaxy, and is believed to be a barred spiral. The name +Milky Way refers to a band of very faint stars in the sky. +This band is the result of looking in the plane of our galaxy's disk from +our perspective inside it. + +Spiral galaxies are very dynamic entities. They are hotbeds of star +formation, and contain many young stars in their disks. Their central +bulges tend to be made of older stars, and their diffuse halos are +made of the very oldest stars in the Universe. Star formation is active +in the disks because that is where the gas and dust are most concentrated; +gas and dust are the building blocks of star formation. + +Modern telescopes have revealed that many Spiral galaxies harbor +supermassive black holes at their centers, with masses that can exceed +that of a billion Suns. Both elliptical and spiral galaxies are known +to contain these exotic objects; in fact many astronomers now believe +that all large galaxies contain a supermassive +black hole in their nucleus. Our own Milky Way is known to harbor +a black hole in its core with a mass millions of times bigger than a +star's mass. + + + + +There are many fine examples of spiral galaxies to be found in +&kstars;, and many have beautiful images available in their +popup menu. You can find them +by using the Find Object window. +Here is a list of some spiral galaxies with nice images available: + +M 64, the Black-Eye Galaxy (type Sa) +M 31, the Andromeda Galaxy (type Sb) +M 81, Bode's Galaxy (type Sb) +M 51, the Whirlpool Galaxy (type Sc) +NGC 300 (type Sd) [use DSS image link] +M 83 (type SBa) +NGC 1530 (type SBb) +NGC 1073 (type SBc) + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/star_colors.png b/doc/kstars/star_colors.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f017e3ed Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/star_colors.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/stars.docbook b/doc/kstars/stars.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..777a636c --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/stars.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,134 @@ + + + +Jason Harris + + +Stars: An Introductory <acronym>FAQ</acronym> +Stars + + + + + +What are the stars? + + + +Stars are gigantic, self-gravitating spheres +of (mostly) Hydrogen gas. Stars are also thermonuclear engines; +nuclear fusion takes place deep in the cores of stars, where the +density is extreme and the temperature reaches tens of millions +of degrees Celsius. + + + + + + +Is the Sun a star? + + + +Yes, the Sun is a star. It is the dominant centerpiece of our +solar system. Compared to other stars, our Sun is rather ordinary; +it appears to be so much bigger and brighter to us +because it is millions of times closer than any other star. + + + + + + +Why do stars shine? + + + +The short answer is: star shine because they are very hot. It is +really no more complicated than that. Any object heated to +thousands of degrees will radiate light, just like stars do. + + + + + + +The obvious next question is: why are stars so hot? + + + +This is a tougher question. The usual answer is that stars get +their heat from the thermonuclear fusion reactions in their cores. +However, this cannot be the ultimate cause for the stars' heat, +because a star must be hot in the first place for nuclear fusion to be +triggered. Fusion can only sustain the hot temperature; it cannot +make a star hot. A more correct answer is that stars are hot because +they have collapsed. Stars form from diffuse gaseous nebulae; as the +nebulous gas condenses to form a star, the gravitational potential +energy of the material is released, first as kinetic energy, and +ultimately as heat as the density increases. + + + + + + +Are stars all the same? + + + +Stars have many things in common: they are all collapsed spheres of +hot, dense gas (mostly Hydrogen), and nuclear fusion reactions are +occurring at or near the centers of every star in the sky. + +However, stars also show a great diversity in some properties. +The brightest stars shine almost 100 million times as brightly as the +faintest stars. Stars range in surface temperature from only a few +thousand degrees to almost 50,000 degrees Celsius. These differences +are largely due to differences in mass: massive stars are both hotter +and brighter than lower-mass stars. The temperature and Luminosity +also +depend on the evolutionary state +of the star. + + + + + + +What is the Main Sequence? + + +Main sequence +The main sequence is the evolutionary state of a star when it is +fusing Hydrogen in its core. This is the first (and longest) stage +of a star's life (not including protostar phases). What happens to a +star after it runs out of core Hydrogen is addressed in the stellar +evolution article (coming soon). + + + + + + +How long do stars last? + + + +The lifetime of a star depends very much on its mass. More massive +stars are hotter and shine much more brightly, causing them to +consume their nuclear fuel much more rapidly. The largest +stars (roughly 100 times as massive as the Sun), will run out of +fuel in only a few million years; while the smallest stars (roughly +ten percent the mass of the Sun), with their much more frugal +consumption rate, will shine on (albeit dimly) for +trillions of years. Note that this is much +longer than the Universe has yet been in existence. + + + + + + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/timezones.docbook b/doc/kstars/timezones.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..6f20ef9d --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/timezones.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,44 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Time Zones +Time Zones + + +The Earth is round, and it is always half-illuminated by the Sun. However, +because the Earth is spinning, the half that is illuminated is always changing. +We experience this as the passing of days wherever we are on the Earth's +surface. At any given instant, there are places on the Earth passing from the +dark half into the illuminated half (which is seen as dawn +on the surface). At the same instant, on the opposite side of the Earth, points +are passing from the illuminated half into darkness (which is seen as +dusk at those locations). So, at any given time, different +places on Earth are experiencing different parts of the day. Thus, Solar time +is defined locally, so that the clock time at any location describes the part of +the day consistently. + +This localization of time is accomplished by dividing the globe into 24 vertical +slices called Time Zones. The Local Time is the same +within any given zone, but the time in each zone is one Hour +earlier than the time in the neighboring Zone to the East. +Actually, this is a idealized simplification; real Time Zone boundaries are not +straight vertical lines, because they often follow national boundaries and other +political considerations. + +Note that because the Local Time always increases by an hour when moving between +Zones to the East, by the time you move through all 24 Time Zones, you are a +full day ahead of where you started. We deal with this paradox by defining the +International Date Line, which is a Time Zone boundary in +the Pacific Ocean, between Asia and North America. Points just to the East of +this line are 24 hours behind the points just to the West of the line. This +leads to some interesting phenomena. A direct flight from Australia to +California arrives before it departs. Also, the islands of Fiji straddle the +International Date Line, so if you have a bad day on the West side of Fiji, you +can go over to the East side of Fiji and have a chance to live the same day all +over again. + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/tools.docbook b/doc/kstars/tools.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..ec4eda21 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/tools.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,33 @@ + +KStars Tools + +Tools +&kstars; comes with a number of tools that allow you to explore +some more advanced aspects of astronomy and the night sky. + + + +Object Details +Astrocalculator +AAVSO Lightcurves +Altitude vs. Time Plotter +What's Up Tonight? +Script Builder +Solar System Viewer +Jupiter Moons Tool +Observing List Tool +FITS Viewer + + +&tool-details; +&tool-calculator; +&tool-aavso; +&tool-altvstime; +&tool-whatsup; +&tool-scriptbuilder; +&tool-solarsys; +&tool-jmoons; +&tool-observinglist; +&tool-fitsviewer; + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/utime.docbook b/doc/kstars/utime.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..c8c47375 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/utime.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,49 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +Universal Time +Universal Time +Time Zones + + +The time on our clocks is essentially a measurement of the current position of +the Sun in the sky, which is different for places at different Longitudes +because the Earth is round (see Time Zones). + +However, it is sometimes necessary to define a global time, one that is the same +for all places on Earth. One way to do this is to pick a place on the Earth, +and adopt the Local Time at that place as the Universal +Time, abbreviated UT. (The name is a bit of a +misnomer, since Universal Time has little to do with the Universe. It would +perhaps be better to think of it as global time). + +The geographic location chosen to represent Universal Time is Greenwich, +England. The choice is arbitrary and historical. Universal Time became an +important concept when European ships began to sail the wide open seas, far from +any known landmarks. A navigator could reckon the ship's longitude by comparing +the Local Time (as measured from the Sun's position) to the time back at the +home port (as kept by an accurate clock on board the ship). Greenwich was home +to England's Royal Observatory, which was charged with keeping time +very accurately, so that ships in port could re-calibrate their clocks before +setting sail. + + +Exercise: + +Set the geographic location to Greenwich, England using the +Set Location window +(&Ctrl;G). Note that the +Local Time (LT)and the Universal Time (UT) are +now the same. + +Further Reading: The history behind the construction of the first clock +that was accurate and stable enough to be used on ships to keep Universal Time +is a fascinating tale, and one told expertly in the book +Longitude, by Dava Sobel. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/viewops.png b/doc/kstars/viewops.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..bfc6d375 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/viewops.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/wut.docbook b/doc/kstars/wut.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..90c03c60 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/wut.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,58 @@ + +What's Up Tonight? Tool +Tools +What's Up Tonight? Tool + + + + +The What's Up Tonight Tool + + + + + + + What's Up Tonight? + + + + + +The What's Up Tonight? (WUT) tool displays a list of +objects that will be visible at night from any location, on any date. +By default, the Date and Location are taken from the current settings +in the main window, but you can change either value using the +Change Date and Change +Location buttons at the top of the WUT window. + + +The WUT tool also displays a short almanac of data for the selected +date: the rise and set times for the Sun and moon, the duration of +the night, and the Moon's illumination fraction. + + +Below the almanac is where the object information is displayed. The +objects are organized into type categories. Select an object type +in the box labeled Choose a Category, and all +objects of that type which are above the horizon on the selected +night will be displayed in the box labeled Matching +Objects. For example, in the screenshot, the +Planets category has been selected, and four +planets which are up on the selected night are displayed (Mars, +Neptune, Pluto, and Uranus). When an object in the list is selected, +its rise, set and transit times are displayed in the lower-right +panel. In addition, you can press the Object +Details... button to open the Object Details window for that +object. + + +By default, the WUT will display objects which are above the horizon +between sunset and midnight (i.e., in the evening). +You can choose to show objects which are up between midnight and dawn +(in the morning), or between dusk and dawn (any +time tonight) using the combobox near the top of the window. + + + diff --git a/doc/kstars/wut.png b/doc/kstars/wut.png new file mode 100644 index 00000000..a65a10f2 Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/kstars/wut.png differ diff --git a/doc/kstars/zenith.docbook b/doc/kstars/zenith.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..f0d80ea2 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/zenith.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,31 @@ + + + +Jason +Harris + + +The Zenith +Zenith +Horizontal Coordinates + + +The Zenith is the point in the sky where you are looking when you look +straight up from the ground. More precisely, it is the point on +the sky with an Altitude of +90 Degrees; it is the Pole +of the Horizontal Coordinate +System. Geometrically, it is the point on the Celestial Sphere intersected by a line drawn from +the center of the Earth through your location on the Earth's surface. + +The Zenith is, by definition, a point along the Local Meridian. + + +Exercise: + +You can point to the Zenith by pressing Z or by selecting +Zenith from the Pointing menu. + + + -- cgit v1.2.1