AstroInfo - Data for Sun, Moon, Planets
With AstroInfo you calculate high accuracy data for the Sun, Moon and all the planets for any location and for any date. Most results for Sun, Moon and planetary positions are accurate to within seconds of arc (for recent dates). Select any date from 999BC to 4000AD and any latitude and longitude.
The program provides the position in sky (right ascension/declination and longitude/latitude), brightness, rise/set times, elongation from Sun, diameter of object (seconds of arc) and more. This fundamental data can be used for planning observations, confirming sky configurations for a given date, archeoastronomy, etc.
Besides one day's data, you can also generate an ephemeris, or sky position data, for a series of days. Just select a starting date and then a time increment and how many increments to use. Then AstroInfo will output the data to screen, printer or ASCII disk file. Handy way to generate massive amounts of data if needed.
Another convenient feature is the ability to do searches for conjunctions of objects (Sun, Moon or planets), distances (of an object from Earth), and locations (Sun, Moon or planets) in the sky. For each of these searches you input criteria to search, such as angular separation (say Moon and Mars) or right ascension/declination range, and the starting date. AstroInfo then calculates and identifies all dates that correspond to search criteria. For instance find all dates when the Moon was within 3 degrees of Jupiter from 999BC to 4000AD or when Mars was within 10 to 12 hrs RA and 10 to 15 deg. Dec. For distance and angular separation you can get graphical output to watch the trends.
There are other capabilities for astronomical computing. You can do precession of RA/Dec forward and backward in time and convert RA and Dec into altitude and azimuth for any date and time. In addition AstroInfo does date and time conversions, Julian to Gregorian dates (and vice-versa), convert local, UT, local sidereal and Greenwich sidereal time. You can also add magnitudes, find Julian day numbers, interpolate values and find angular separations given positions and use the perpetual calendar.
With AstroInfo you get lots of astronomical information, accurately, easily and quickly. And it's outstanding for searching for astronomical configurations. Includes comprehensive user's manual.
IBM & compatibles, DOS or Windows (using DOS prompt). $29.95
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