[Kstars-devel] Predicting conjunctions

[Akarsh Simha]

Hi

> How about using KStars to march forward (and back) in time and write out
> the conjunctions to a file?   Even if it takes a few days (or weeks?), 
> it is done.  Distribute the data file as part of KStars.

That is a good idea too... but I was thinking on the lines of being
able to predict close approaches between any two objects - not
necessarily planets. For example, the user selects a comet and some
Messier galaxy and asks when they will be less than 1 degree apart,
and we compute the time of the next such occurance.

@Jason:
I don't know if there's a standard definition for "close
conjunction". I thought we could ask the user to input the minimum
separation he wants (for instance, if I want to see both of them
simultaneously in my telescope, I can use the FOV of my telescope)

Could you tell me where I can find this sinusoidal series expansion?
Does it work for any orbits? IMO, it would be very helpful if it could
be extended to comets as well. What are the .vsop files that we have
for planets?

I think my earlier approach is fundamentally wrong because I think it
is the geocentric longitude that needs to be equal and not the
heliocentric longitude. I tried to grossly approximate the former
condition with the latter.

Regards
Akarsh.
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 189 bytes
Desc: Digital signature
Url : http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/kstars-devel/attachments/20080312/e084b12f/attachment.pgp