[Kstars-devel] GSoC 4: Make KStars more usable for the scientifically-inclined user

[Akarsh Simha]

Now, here's where I need Med's help.

I think this project is going to be about:
1) Plate-solving
2) Displaying solved (FITS or non-FITS) images on the skymap.
3) Fetching data from various sources and visualizing it

===========================================================================
*** KStars: Make KStars more usable to the scientifically-inclined user ***

Brief explanation: KStars is currently good for education and for the
      hobby sky-observer. For those interested in more scientific
      aspects of astronomy, KStars does not have features to offer,
      but definitely does have the right existing framework to support
      these. The aim of this project is to write those lacking
      features, such as:

      1. Plate solving and mapping of images: Look up
      	 astrometry.net. They have a library that can identify and
      	 produce the celestial coordinates of all objects in any given
      	 photograph of the sky. Use KStars to provide an interface to
      	 astrometry.net, and display plate-solved images on the
      	 sky-map. Use texture mapping to do this in OpenGL mode.

      2. Retrieving scientific data: Make retrieval and visualization
	 of data such as spectra of stars, variable star light curves
	 etc. easy through KStars, via some simple GUI tools that
	 initiate queries on various websites.

      3. Astronomy updates: Monitor websites for updates such as
      	 comet, asteroid and supernova discoveries and alert the user
      	 about such events. (Maybe) keep updated catalogs of currently
      	 observable comets, asteroids and supernovae.


Expected results: KStars is more usable for the scientifically
	 inclined user.

Knowledge Prerequisite: C++, Qt, Ability to quickly learn KDE's HTTP
	  API, UI design with Qt
===========================================================================

My TODO list for this:
1. See if the astrometry.net library is a good idea
2. What do we do about astrometry.net's catalogs? We're forcing the
   user to install redundant copies of catalogs. (Can't help?)
3. See why AAVSO light curves stuff in KStars is broken.
4. Collect URLs of queriable data from professional astronomers

Finally, I can go to bed :-D

Regards
Akarsh
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