Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 6/4/83; site PSUVM.BITNET Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!zehntel!hplabs!sdcrdcf!sdcsvax!akgua!psuvax1!psuvm!gms From: GMS@PSUVM.BITNET Newsgroups: net.astro Subject: Re: Re: Programs wanted Message-ID: <1521GMS@PSUVM> Date: Thu, 17-Jan-85 22:55:59 EST Article-I.D.: PSUVM.1521GMS Posted: Thu Jan 17 22:55:59 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 22-Jan-85 05:09:44 EST Lines: 40 I also have the 'Celestial Basic' book and think it is only really useful if you have an Apple II and are happy to type it in. Also you have to essentially decipher the code to figure the algorithms out. (No logic charts or heavy commenting) Still, it is a neat book in pointing out a number of applications. For the programmer of any language a better book (I think) would be "Practical Astronomy with your Calculator" by Peter Duffett-Smith I used the algorithms given in this book as the basics for writing a planetarium simulation program for my TRS-80 CoCo. (displays an alt- azmiuth plot from any point on Earth for any time within 1975-2000 (extendable) and plots sun, moon, planets, and as many stars as in database (about 350) The calculations are rough but not as rough as the resolution. If anyone is interested I will give a copy to anyone crazy enough to send a disk, disk mailer and postage to me. It requires 32k and extended color basic as well as (natch) a disk drive. The program is useful for predicting when the moon will rise and the morning/evening planet configurations. I expect to have an IBM-PC compatible version ready soon and will likewise distribute that to anyone interested. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Gerry Santoro Microcomputer Information and Support Center GMS @ PSUVM (bitnet) Penn State University !psuvax1!santoro (UUCP) 101 Computer Building santoro @ penn-state (CSNET) University Park, PA 16802 (814) 863-4356