SEEK: Astro freeware to show sun's path throughout the year

[Mel]

I am looking for some advice on what astronomical is available for my
needs. It needs to be free!

I'm looking for a basic package to show the predicted path of the
main celestial bodies (sun and moon and the biggest stars) throughout
any day of the year.

I also need to be able to read off azimuth and elevation for a given
day so that I can then work out which hours of that day I'll be able
to see the sun.

Also useful are times of civil and astronomical twilight.

========================================================================
Plots a graph showing the variations in day length through the year,
Sunrise and Sunset times, Longest and Shortest days etc for any latitude
and longitude. It includes facilities to save configurations for
different locations.

http://www.gwnt00030.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/uklife/gdys.htm

Download:

http://www.gwnt00030.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/uklife/sun32.zip

========================================================================
This program calculates sunrise, sunset and twilight times for locations
worldwide. Once you set your location, you can hover your mouse over the
sun icon in the taskbar to get some basic sunrise and sunset information
or you can click on the icon to get more detailed information. The
program uses formulas which are accurate year-round to within a few
minutes for all states except Alaska. Even in Alaska it is generally
accurate to within five minutes.

In addition to calculating sunrise and sunset times, the program
calculates three different twilight times: civil, nautical and
astronomical. Also calculated is how much daylight and total usable
light there will be for the current day.

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/sun.html

Download:

http://www.sunrisesunset.com/download/sun.zip

========================================================================

 

[Llanzlan Klazmon]

I am looking for some advice on what astronomical is available for my
needs. It needs to be free!

I'm looking for a basic package to show the predicted path of the
main celestial bodies (sun and moon and the biggest stars) throughout
any day of the year.

I also need to be able to read off azimuth and elevation for a given
day so that I can then work out which hours of that day I'll be able
to see the sun.

Also useful are times of civil and astronomical twilight.


http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

Klazmon

 

[Franklin]

I am looking for some advice on what astronomical is available for my
needs. It needs to be free!

I'm looking for a basic package to show the predicted path of the
main celestial bodies (sun and moon and the biggest stars) throughout
any day of the year.

I also need to be able to read off azimuth and elevation for a given
day so that I can then work out which hours of that day I'll be able
to see the sun.

Also useful are times of civil and astronomical twilight.

 

[A. Peter Hayes]

204.153.244.156:




http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

Klazmon

Freeware but tables only not pretty graphics
http://www.aphayes.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/ephemeris/index.html
or for sun and moon only
http://www.aphayes.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/sun_moon.html


Peter H

 

[Frank Bohan]

Have a look at Skyglobe 3.6: It's an excellent program which was issued as
shareware. The software company seems to be defunct so I think it can be
classified as abandonware. Although it's a DOS program it runs OK (without
registration) on Windows. I have it on W95 and XP so I think it will run on
most Windows systems. It's by far the best astronomical program I've seen.
There are several download sites:

http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/docs/skyglobe_course.html
http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/software/ (there are some other
programs here)
http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/40379.html
http://www.sidewalkastronomy.com/skyglobe.html

You might also find Sun Clock interesting:
http://www.mapmaker.com/shadowfacts/index.htm

These sites may also be useful:
http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog.htm (Ephemerides for thousand of years are
available)
http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp
http://www.ephemeris.com/ephemeris.php

"Keep watching the skies"

===

Frank Bohan
¶ It's hard to be humble when you're perfect.

 

[tasty]

Have a look at Skyglobe 3.6: It's an excellent program which was issued as
shareware. The software company seems to be defunct so I think it can be
classified as abandonware. Although it's a DOS program it runs OK (without
registration) on Windows. I have it on W95 and XP so I think it will run on
most Windows systems. It's by far the best astronomical program I've seen.
There are several download sites:

Do you mean it's the best you have ever used period, or the best free
program?

I have Skyglobe. It was the second planetarium program I ever used. The
first one was one that ran on my Commodore 64.

Now I use TheSky6. It's not free (far from it), but in my book it ranks as
the best planetarium software out there.

-jato
http://jatobservatory.org
-JATO
http://jatobservatory.org

 

[Odysseus]

Have a look at Skyglobe 3.6:

http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/docs/skyglobe_course.html
http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/software/ (there are some other
programs here)
http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/40379.html
http://www.sidewalkastronomy.com/skyglobe.html

You might also find Sun Clock interesting:
http://www.mapmaker.com/shadowfacts/index.htm

These sites may also be useful:
http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog.htm (Ephemerides for thousand of years are
available)
http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp
http://www.ephemeris.com/ephemeris.php

It may not be exactly what the OP's after, but I can't resist
mentioning SunGraph, from Bob Urschel's excellent Analemma website:

<http://www.analemma.com/SunGraph/index.html>

 

[Father Guido]

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 04:21:01 GMT, Odysseus

~Frank Bohan wrote:
~>
~>
~> Have a look at Skyglobe 3.6:
~
~<snip>
~>
~> http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/docs/skyglobe_course.html
~> http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/software/ (there are some
other
~> programs here)
~> http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/40379.html
~> http://www.sidewalkastronomy.com/skyglobe.html
~>
~> You might also find Sun Clock interesting:
~> http://www.mapmaker.com/shadowfacts/index.htm
~>
~> These sites may also be useful:
~> http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog.htm (Ephemerides for thousand of
years are
~> available)
~> http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp
~> http://www.ephemeris.com/ephemeris.php
~>
~
~It may not be exactly what the OP's after, but I can't resist
~mentioning SunGraph, from Bob Urschel's excellent Analemma website:
~
~<http://www.analemma.com/SunGraph/index.html>

A cool day/night world globe that shows the sun and moon positions and
allows you to set the time etc. is available at
http://www.geoclock.com/ It has a freeware version IIRC. I have a paid
version and love it, but I'll check out the ones posted here as well.

 

[Daniel Mandic]

News, last versions of StarCalc and Plugins for it can be found on
the StarCalc Home page mirrors:

http://www.relex.ru/~zalex/main.htm
http://m31.spb.ru/StarCalc/main.htm
http://www.intercon.ru/~zalex/main.htm






Best Regards,

Daniel Mandic

 

[Frank Bohan]

Do you mean it's the best you have ever used period, or the best free
program?

Both

===

Frank Bohan
¶ Pangram: Freight to me sixty dozen quart jars and twelve black pans.

 

[Franklin]

On Thu 07 Jul 2005 07:00:19, Father Guido wrote:

On Thu, 07 Jul 2005 04:21:01 GMT, Odysseus

~Frank Bohan wrote:
~>
~>
~> Have a look at Skyglobe 3.6:
~
~<snip>
~>
~>
http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/docs/skyglobe_course.html
~> http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/software/ (there are
some other
~> programs here)
~> http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/40379.html
~> http://www.sidewalkastronomy.com/skyglobe.html
~>
~> You might also find Sun Clock interesting:
~> http://www.mapmaker.com/shadowfacts/index.htm
~>
~> These sites may also be useful:
~> http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog.htm (Ephemerides for
thousand of years are
~> available)
~> http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp
~> http://www.ephemeris.com/ephemeris.php
~>
~
~It may not be exactly what the OP's after, but I can't resist
~mentioning SunGraph, from Bob Urschel's excellent Analemma
website: ~
~<http://www.analemma.com/SunGraph/index.html>

A cool day/night world globe that shows the sun and moon
positions and allows you to set the time etc. is available at
http://www.geoclock.com/ It has a freeware version IIRC. I have
a paid version and love it, but I'll check out the ones posted
here as well.

Looks very nice. This page shows its capabilities.
http://geoclock.home.att.net/tour.htm

However all I can find about pricing suggests there is no free
version available. Unless someone know of where it might be
tucked away?

http://home.att.net/~geoclock/pricing.htm

 

[Franklin]

On Wed 06 Jul 2005 04:43:16, Llanzlan Klazmon wrote:

http://www.stargazing.net/astropc/

Cartes du Ciel seems much too heavyweight for me! Am sure it does
everything but just setting it up looks tricky!

 

[Franklin]

On Thu 07 Jul 2005 01:16:53, Frank Bohan wrote:

Have a look at Skyglobe 3.6: It's an excellent program which was
issued as shareware. The software company seems to be defunct so
I think it can be classified as abandonware. Although it's a DOS
program it runs OK (without registration) on Windows. I have it
on W95 and XP so I think it will run on most Windows systems.
It's by far the best astronomical program I've seen. There are
several download sites:

http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/docs/skyglobe_course.html
http://astrosoc.soc.ru.ac.za/archive/software/ (there are some
other programs here)
http://www.simtel.net/pub/pd/40379.html
http://www.sidewalkastronomy.com/skyglobe.html

Skyglobe sure looks thorough

Can you tell me if it provides a "horizon view" which shows me the
sun's predicted path across the sky as seen by me when I look out of
my window?

You might also find Sun Clock interesting:
http://www.mapmaker.com/shadowfacts/index.htm

These sites may also be useful:
http://www.astrolog.org/astrolog.htm (Ephemerides for thousand
of years are available)
http://www.heavens-above.com/countries.asp
http://www.ephemeris.com/ephemeris.php

Thanks for the links. Not sure about the astrology one though!

 

[Franklin]

On Thu 07 Jul 2005 09:50:09, Daniel Mandic wrote:

News, last versions of StarCalc and Plugins for it can be found on
the StarCalc Home page mirrors:

http://www.relex.ru/~zalex/main.htm
http://m31.spb.ru/StarCalc/main.htm
http://www.intercon.ru/~zalex/main.htm

StarCalc is getting closer to what I am looking for. I can see on
the first link ("program window with large part of sky image") on the
following page a horizon view.

http://www.relex.ru/~zalex/sampl_eng.htm

Unfortunately this has a curved horizon and will distort the angles I
need to know about whether I can or can not see the sun at a given
time.

 

[Franklin]

On Thu 07 Jul 2005 05:21:01, Odysseus wrote:

It may not be exactly what the OP's after, but I can't resist
mentioning SunGraph, from Bob Urschel's excellent Analemma
website:

<http://www.analemma.com/SunGraph/index.html>

I agree that it's very nice. I like it.

 

[mike ring]

Skyglobe sure looks thorough

Can you tell me if it provides a "horizon view" which shows me the
sun's predicted path across the sky as seen by me when I look out of
my window?

It can Skyglobe's a lovely little prog - my first shareware, registered in
1992.

If you get the horizon line horizontal across the middle of the circle;(up
or down arrow), look to the South (left or right arrow), zoom in or out to
suit (Z or shiftZ).

Space bar (turbo) feeds continual keypresses, T is one minute advance
(shift T is one minute back)

use system time, or shift time (H 1 hour forward, shift H one hour back) to
find dawn (sun crossing East horizon)

Space then T will run time forward in minutes (you can adjust the speed of
turbo with < or >).

Bea aware this time of year you can't do it in one view as the sun rises in
the NE and sets in the NW, you will need to pan to get a full day.

HTH

mike

 

[mike ring]

It can Skyglobe's a lovely little prog - my first shareware,
registered in 1992.

If you get the horizon line horizontal across the middle of the
circle;(up or down arrow), look to the South (left or right arrow),
zoom in or out to suit (Z or shiftZ).

Space bar (turbo) feeds continual keypresses, T is one minute advance
(shift T is one minute back)

use system time, or shift time (H 1 hour forward, shift H one hour
back) to find dawn (sun crossing East horizon)

Space then T will run time forward in minutes (you can adjust the
speed of turbo with < or >).

Bea aware this time of year you can't do it in one view as the sun
rises in the NE and sets in the NW, you will need to pan to get a full
day.

HTH

mike

I've just found my reply to this on uk.sci.astronomy, and realise you
cross-posted; I wish you wouldn't - I like to know which group I'm posting
on.

 

[Franklin]

On Thu 07 Jul 2005 20:21:44, mike ring wrote:

I've just found my reply to this on uk.sci.astronomy, and
realise you cross-posted; I wish you wouldn't - I like to know
which group I'm posting on.

Mike thanks for the info.

My apologies if your are seeing your own posts coming back at you!

You should be able to set up Xnews to do crosspost killing as
Individual.net supports Xref. Are you exiting a group (Group >
Catchup) in a way to permit crosspost killing such as "Mark As Read"

 

[Franklin]

I'm looking for a basic package to show the predicted path of
the main celestial bodies (sun and moon and the biggest stars)
throughout any day of the year.

I also need to be able to read off azimuth and elevation for a
given day so that I can then work out which hours of that day
I'll be able to see the sun.

Replying to everyone (by replying to myself) ....

Now why is it so hard for me to locate some freeware which shows a
horizon view of what the sun's path will be on different days of the
year? I would have thought it would be very useful for people like
planners and architects to see if the sun will be blocked during the
year by various buildings.

A chart would not have a lot more than a series of curves, say one
per month with each one showing the ecliptic. There might be one or
two additional charts for the horizon view when facing in different
directions.

If it showed shadow angles too then that would be great!

In fact I saw this really grpahical package but its not free.
http://www.visualsunchart.com/

----

Is there perhaps a website I can enter this data and see the horizon
views? This is my data:

51.64 N, 0.03 E (near London). Altitude 55m.
Interested in seeing view facing SW.
Also valuable would be the view facing NE. Then SE.

If there no such website then maybe I have to resort to a different
approach and ask any kind soul reading this who has a decent
astronomy program to run one off for me (beg beg!) and if possible
kindly post it somewhere so it can be downloaded! Any good
samaritans?

 

[mike ring]

Mike thanks for the info.

My apologies if your are seeing your own posts coming back at you!

You should be able to set up Xnews to do crosspost killing as
Individual.net supports Xref. Are you exiting a group (Group >
Catchup) in a way to permit crosspost killing such as "Mark As Read"

I don't really understand crossposting - your original post has not shown
on uk.sci astronomy, or if it has, I missed it.

So my reply has appeared there out of the blue, and I've had to post
again to apologise.

I could have checked in my reply to see if it was crosspoated, and
deleted the other groups, but I'm not aware enough to keep a watch out
for that.

I exit a group with shiftF8/F8, which does appear to be mark all as
read/catchup, but I don't know what that's got to do with crosspost
killing.

I've never found anything good about crossposting, I'm not too idle to
copy separate posts to several groups who might be able to help me, and
often it seems to introduce flaming morons to an otherwise peaceful group
- many times IME.

Whatever the advantages to them as understands it, I prefer to stay away.

And I should send an apology to the thirds group for wandering in, or
maybe they'll come after me if I've managed to upset them....

But ICBA, I'd have to find them, subscibe, post an apology, unsubscribe

That's my 2pennorth, even if it's the view of an ignoramus

mike