URANUS - new and original astronomical program
for
computer
PsionPAGE Psion
URANUS - new and original
astronomical program
forcomputer
Psion
Name :
URANUS
Version : 1.3 for PC Psion S5mx
Source : Freeware
Date : 23.12.2003
Author :
Josef Ladra and
Zdeněk Řehoř
E-mail : Josef LADRA and
Zdeněk
ŘEHOŘ
INTRODUCTION
* * I would like to introduce our new and original FREEWARE program URANUS v. 1.3 which
may become a useful assistant of every amateur astronomer. The program is
designed for pocket microcomputers like PSION S5mx, Ericsson MC 218, REVO, MAKO, netBook and it is possible to download it in compressed form
(193,944 B) here:
uranus.zip. This document
(135 kB - 5 pages) you can load from this adress
uranus_v13_a.pdf.
* After downloading and unpacking, you will learn that the program (569,854
B) is in the format Uranos.sis which is an installation file for the PSION computer. If somebody wants to participate in improvement of the program in the
future and would be interested in the source code in the programming language
OPL, we will provide necessary documentation in return for a guarantee that no
unauthorized versions with possible faults will circulate on the Internet and
the authorized version numbering will be observed.
* URANUS is a program which enables quick and easy navigation
of telescopes using
mechanical scale, or, with higher accuracy, encoders – incremental position sensors operating together
with the module NAVIGATOR
1, developed by our
colleagues Ján Grečner (HW electronics) and
Luděk Kejzlar
(SW).
* URANUS enables communication with interface, reading values
from encoders, assembly adjustment to two stars, pointing of celestial bodies,
provides data on 4500 celestial bodies, calculates local star times and
positions of bodies in the sky in alt-azimuthal and equatorial coordinates and
performs number of further astronomical calculations.
DESCRIPTION OF USAGE OF THE PROGRAM
Set the alt-azimuthal assembly of the telescope preferably to the correct
position (at least approximately). In case you will use encoders, decline the
telescope so that it would be in horizontal position – elevation 0°. You
don’t have to orientate the azimuthal scale of the telescope in any way but in
order to secure better orientation, you can set the azimuthal scale to 0° -north.
After starting the program, you will select whether you you want to operate in
manual mode without encoders or with encoders (Figure 2).
The program is preset to operation without encoders. This can be
changed by a click in the menu Setup-Without Encoders.
Then, in the menu Pointation, you will make initial setting of the telescope to two objects. Now the
telescope is set up for the local coordinate system. (Figure 1)
Figure 1
DISPLAY
Description of particular functions:
Impulses
number of impulses generated by the encoders (per individual encoder) is
displayed on the screen.
Pointation
to 0
is a function which enables initial setting of the telescope, and during
observation also aiming of the telescope to a target object whose coordinates we
know. We keep moving the telescope towards the target until zeros appear at both
coordinates on the display under the writing Setup.
Azi
and Alt
this function allows us to learn equatorial coordinates of the observed
object resulting from the entered altazimuthal coordinates read from the
telescope placed e.g. on the DOBSON assembly.
displays coordinates of the selected celestial body in respective
coordinates – i.e. alt-azimuthal ones. All you have to do is enter coordinates
of the desired object or choose an object from the respective catalogue, and the
program will display the coordinates we need in order to set the telescope.
Figure 2.
Diary
Every astronomer needs space for his notes.
The function Diary enables to create a record in a data file for every currently pointed
object which will be automatically created or opened when you select this
function. If you want to open a file without making pointation, a dialog box
will appear after selecting this function where you pick the desired file in a
drop-down menu. All files are stored in the directory AstroDiary
and it is, of course, possible to edit them
also outside of the program Uranus.
Picture
The function Picture creates a picture of the currenty pointed Messier or NGC object which
shows how the object really looks like in a telescope with diameter of 200mm and
description of the object. If you don’t point any object, a menu will appear
in which you will choose an object to be displayed (Figure 3).
Figure 3
Other functions:
Esc
If you press the button Esc at any time, a date, time, local star time,
azimuth and elevation of the currently selected object will appear.
Ctrl
+ c
You can display catalogues of objects you want to observe at any time by
pressing [Ctrl + c].
Spc
By pressing the spacebar, you can display a picture of the currently
pointed object of the Messier or
NGC catalogue (see Diary menu). The size
of the pictures is 200x200 dpi of the MBM formate, named Mxx or NGCxxxx , so you
can also create your own pictures.
DATABASE
The program contains databases of approximately 4500 objects stored in
four databases Messier, NGC, Star and
User. The last one is designed for the user who may create his own
observation program here (Figure 4)
Searching in the databases, it is possible to use a star-symbol “ * “
at the beginning or at the end in order to find a part of the chain. The Messier
and NGC catalogues prefer searching by catalogue number but we can search e.g.
by name of constellation or by magnitude. The Star database prefers searching by
name (Figure 5).
Figure 4
Figure 5
CALCULATIONS
The
program OURANOS contains number of useful calculations from the sphere of optics
and astrophotography which will make it easier for you to learn information
about your telescope or correct setup of the camera (Figure 6).
Figure
6
CONCLUSION
The
above-mentioned basic functions of the program will be extended in the future,
the program will be improved and we will provide information about its new
versions.
If
anybody decides to purchase the computer Psion or would like to mount the
NAVIGATOR 1 module HW cooperating with PC Psion, I am willing to give advice.
The
program URANUS whose authors are Josef Ladra and Zdeněk
Řehoř,
is designed for free usage for amateur purposes.Eventual commercial utilization
of the program URANUS, professional application of the program or its
modifications must be discussed in advance with the authors and approved by them.
Personal: Josef
Ladra and Zdeněk
Řehoř
E-mail : Josef LADRA and
Zdeněk
ŘEHOŘ
