Hi Akarsh,<br><br>it is indeed a good idea to promote kstars to the pro's because, there isn't any good all-in-one prgramm on Linux. On Windows plattforms you have Guide 8.0, Eye & Telescope ante The Sky which help you planning and doing observations.<br>
What pro's need are automated tools like the 'height and time', unlimited magnitudes in object catalogs, easy to include catalogs and a good documentation for converting catalogs into kstars-files.<br>The possibility to generate x-ray or magnetic overlays to included dss, usno or just fits images is essential, too.<br>
I would be helpful to ease up the 'Calculator' to use it more automaticly. It would be very nice to have a good documentation about how the input files for the batch processing for coordinate conversion have to look like. This tool will be one of the most helpful because it supports the observation planning a lot. Due to observing objects at the highest of their airmasses you need to know their height above horizont.<br>
<br>The use of <a href="http://astrometry.net">astrometry.net</a> ist a good idea!<br><br>If I can get an example for the calcutlator input file, I'll get you the documentation and the automation tool.<br><br>regards,<br>
<br>Christian<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Sun, Feb 13, 2011 at 12:00 PM, <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:kstars-devel-request@kde.org">kstars-devel-request@kde.org</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); padding-left: 1ex;">
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Today's Topics:<br>
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1. GSoC 4: Make KStars more usable for the<br>
scientifically-inclined user (Akarsh Simha)<br>
<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------------------------------------<br>
<br>
Message: 1<br>
Date: Sun, 13 Feb 2011 02:59:06 -0600<br>
From: Akarsh Simha <<a href="mailto:akarshsimha@gmail.com">akarshsimha@gmail.com</a>><br>
Subject: [Kstars-devel] GSoC 4: Make KStars more usable for the<br>
scientifically-inclined user<br>
To: KStars Development Mailing List <<a href="mailto:kstars-devel@kde.org">kstars-devel@kde.org</a>><br>
Message-ID: <20110213085906.GA12590@ThinK9><br>
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<br>
Now, here's where I need Med's help.<br>
<br>
I think this project is going to be about:<br>
1) Plate-solving<br>
2) Displaying solved (FITS or non-FITS) images on the skymap.<br>
3) Fetching data from various sources and visualizing it<br>
<br>
===========================================================================<br>
*** KStars: Make KStars more usable to the scientifically-inclined user ***<br>
<br>
Brief explanation: KStars is currently good for education and for the<br>
hobby sky-observer. For those interested in more scientific<br>
aspects of astronomy, KStars does not have features to offer,<br>
but definitely does have the right existing framework to support<br>
these. The aim of this project is to write those lacking<br>
features, such as:<br>
<br>
1. Plate solving and mapping of images: Look up<br>
<a href="http://astrometry.net" target="_blank">astrometry.net</a>. They have a library that can identify and<br>
produce the celestial coordinates of all objects in any given<br>
photograph of the sky. Use KStars to provide an interface to<br>
<a href="http://astrometry.net" target="_blank">astrometry.net</a>, and display plate-solved images on the<br>
sky-map. Use texture mapping to do this in OpenGL mode.<br>
<br>
2. Retrieving scientific data: Make retrieval and visualization<br>
of data such as spectra of stars, variable star light curves<br>
etc. easy through KStars, via some simple GUI tools that<br>
initiate queries on various websites.<br>
<br>
3. Astronomy updates: Monitor websites for updates such as<br>
comet, asteroid and supernova discoveries and alert the user<br>
about such events. (Maybe) keep updated catalogs of currently<br>
observable comets, asteroids and supernovae.<br>
<br>
<br>
Expected results: KStars is more usable for the scientifically<br>
inclined user.<br>
<br>
Knowledge Prerequisite: C++, Qt, Ability to quickly learn KDE's HTTP<br>
API, UI design with Qt<br>
===========================================================================<br>
<br>
My TODO list for this:<br>
1. See if the <a href="http://astrometry.net" target="_blank">astrometry.net</a> library is a good idea<br>
2. What do we do about <a href="http://astrometry.net" target="_blank">astrometry.net</a>'s catalogs? We're forcing the<br>
user to install redundant copies of catalogs. (Can't help?)<br>
3. See why AAVSO light curves stuff in KStars is broken.<br>
4. Collect URLs of queriable data from professional astronomers<br>
<br>
Finally, I can go to bed :-D<br>
<br>
Regards<br>
Akarsh<br>
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