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- 1 -
THE MOON 2.03
Astronomical software by Renzo Del Rosso, Marco Menichelli
and Alessandro Pieri (Associazione Astrofili Valdinievole).
This is a Shareware program and can freely be copied and
distributed. Registration is the only requirement, so that
it is possible to evaluate the program diffusion.
It is strongly forbidden to use the program or part of it for
commercial purposes without the preventive written
authorization of the authors. The non-integral diffusion of
the software is forbidden.
The program is written in Microsoft Quick Basic 4.5 language.
Runtime Microsoft Brun45 module is required for the correct
operation.
Microsoft is a registered trademark of "Microsoft Corporation"
THE MOON is composed of various modules linked together; this
modules can be used either by beginners or by advanced
amateur astronomers. It is possible to visualize the moon
surface with the option of zooming in minor details; it is
furthermore possible to obtain information about the main
lunar seas, mountains, craters.
Another part of the program provides information about the
lunar motion, the main historical events, the most important
phenomena. The third part, the most complex, is devoted to
advanced amateur astronomers: precise data for lunar
ephemeris can be obtained, it is possible to compute
eclipses, the terminator position and retrieve all the
information needed for the preparation of a good lunar
observation.
The last part includes some utilities that could be useful to
the amateur astronomers and to the normal user.
It is possible, in fact, to transform from equatorial to
horizontal coordinates and vice versa, to calculate the
Calendar Date from the Julian Day and vice versa, the
difference between two date and the date of Easter.
- 2 -
INDEX
Introduction....................................... Page 3
Main menu.......................................... Page 4
Graphics........................................... Page 6
Information........................................ Page 7
The instantaneous ephemeris computation............ Page 8
The lunar phases................................... Page 8
The terminator..................................... Page 9
The visibility of the moon......................... Page 10
The solar and lunar eclipses....................... Page 11
Various utilities.................................. Page 12
- 3 -
INTRODUCTION
The whole package is composed of 7 archives, compressed with
ARJ 2.30 packer. The archives are called: MOON203A.ARJ,
MOON203B.ARJ, MOON203C.ARJ, MOON203D.ARJ, MOON203E.ARJ,
MOON203F.ARJ, MOON203G.ARJ. Contents of the archives are:
MOON203A.ARJ: LUNA.HLP, DATI.LUN, MOTI.LUN, MARIMONT.LUN,
CRATERI.LUN, INIZIO.LUN, COORDGEO, LUNA.DOC,
HISTORY.LUN (only in Italian), ELENCO.MAR,
ELENCO.CRA, POSIZ.LUN, LOCALITA.ITA.
MOON203B.ARJ: BRUN45.EXE, ECLIPSE.EXE, ECLISS.EXE, FASE.EXE,
FENOMENI.EXE, LUNA.EXE, LUNACFG.EXE, ZOOM.EXE,
ALTAZ.EXE.
MOON203C.ARJ: MAPPA.EXE, MAPPA2.EXE, MOTI.EXE, TERMINAR.EXE,
NOTIZIE.EXE, SIMUL.EXE, MENU.EXE, SOLLUNA.EXE,
TERMINA.EXE, VISIBILI.EXE.
MOON203D.ARJ: MOON00.EXE, MOON__01.EXE, MOON__02.EXE,
MOON__03.EXE, MOON__04.EXE, MOON__05.EXE,
MOON__06.EXE, MOON__07.EXE, MOON__08.EXE,
MAPCGA.EXE, MAPVGA1.AAV, MAPVGA2.AAV,
MAPVGA3.AAV.
MOON203E.ARJ: MOON__09.EXE, MOON__10.EXE, MOON__11.EXE,
MOON__12.EXE, MOON__13.EXE, MOON__14.EXE.
MOON203F.ARJ: MOON__15.EXE, MOON__16.EXE, MOON__17.EXE,
MOON__18.EXE, MOON__19.EXE, MOON__20.EXE.
MOON203G.ARJ: MOON__21.EXE, MOON__22.EXE, MOON__23.EXE,
MOON__24.EXE, MOON__25.EXE, LUNAVGA1.AAV,
LUNAVGA2.AAV, LUNAVGA3.AAV, ECLISSI1.AAV,
ECLISSI2.AAV, ECLISSI3.AAV.
Create a directory on your Hard Disk (for example c:\moon);
go into this directory and insert the disk with the 7
archives in drive A:, the type ARJ E A:* <Enter>.
- 4 -
In this way you will copy in the new directory all the files
unpacked and ready to be executed; a backup copy of the
program will always be available on the diskette.
The minimal configuration required for using this program is:
2.5 Mbytes of free space on HD; MCGA or higher graphics card;
640 KB RAM. The program was written and tested using the
3.30 DOS. It support also the 4.01 and 5.00 DOS versions, but
operation with versions earlier than 3.30 is not guaranteed.
First of all configure the program by running the LUNACFG
module. After entering the observation site, choose the
graphic card (VGA or MCGA) and whether or not the mouse is
going to be used.
The program starts when you type LUNA followed by the <Enter>
key. The LUNA module will be started by any other command
relative to the other modules. The first screen is an image
of the Moon with the program logo. Pressing any key, a window
is opened in which some recommendations are given; press
<PgDn> to continue to the second window; once you have read
its contents press the <ESC> key. If the program is correctly
registered, the identification of the user appears and it is
possible to start working freely. Otherwise the program
informs you that the registration is not correct and some
routines are not fully functional. If you do not have a VGA
card or if you declared during the configuration that you are
using an MCGA card, the images appear only in the zooming
program, in the terminator visualization and in the section
relative to the internal structure of the Moon. The
explanations given in this document will be relative to the
VGA card but they will also be, in general, applicable to the
minimal configuration.
At the beginning, two function keys will be active: the <F1>
key, to obtain help about the usage of the program, and the
<F2> key that will immediately get you back to the main menu.
Other function keys will be used later for specific program
functions.
- 5 -
THE MAIN MENU
The main menu is a made up of pulldown menus that can be
opened by pressing any key or the left mouse button. All the
functions, except for very few special cases, are accessible
via <Hot Keys>: it is not necessary to press <Enter> to
confirm the choice. This makes the program faster to use.
When a pulldown menu is opened the available keys are
indicated in white, while the unavailable choiches appear in
color.
If you press any key, the pulldown menu relative to the
various computational procedures, the most commonly used,
will appear.
At this point we can move with the arrow keys to the other
menus: these are (from the left to the right):
The "EXIT" menu, which allows the quitting from the program,
to access the on-line Help and to exit to the Dos shell.
The "Graphics" menu, giving access to the graphic features,
with the opportunity of zooming on the lunar surface, of
obtaining data on seas, mountains and craters.
The "Data" menu, allowing access to the reference section
of the program, with the data on the lunar motions and on the
main phenomena, in addition to historical information and
trivia.
The "Calculation" menu, giving access to the main computation
program. Such program is divided into several modules among
which are the eclipses computation, the ephemeris computation
and the calculation of the terminator line position.
Normally, with the exception of few special cases, the mouse
left button, will correspond to the <Enter> key , while the
right button has the same function as the <ESC> key.
- 6 -
GRAPHICS
After choosing the <G> pulldown menu from the main menu and
after confirming the <ZOOM> option, you enter the module
dedicated to graphics. The Moon appears now divided into 25
sectors: the sector in the top-left corner is colored in red.
With the cursor keys is it possible to choose one square and
confirm the choice with <Enter>. An enlarged view of the
sector will then be shown. The available Hot Keys are
displayed.
Besides the arrow keys to move the cursor, and the enter key
to zoom, the <F1> key is available for the on-line help, the
<ESC> key to go back to the previous menu, the <F9> to list
the lunar seas, mountains and valleys, the <F10> to list
craters and the <F2> key to go back to the main menu
immediately. This key is very important since it allows to
interrupt any computation at any moment. It is useful
especially with not so fast computers, to be able to abandon
calculations which might be taking too long.
With the <F9> and <F10> keys the lists of seas, mountains,
valley and craters are shown. If we select one of them with
the cursor key and we confirm it with <Enter>, or select with
the arrow pointing to the desired zone and confirm with the
left mouse button, the lunar sector with the chosen feature
is immediately displayed. As explained before, from the
graphic menu it is possibile to zoom in one of the 25 sectors
into which the Moon is divided. In almost all
the sectors, various geological formations, worth of detailed
examination, can be found. When you select a sector and
confirm with the <Enter> key, an enlargement of that area
appears. In addition to the <F1> and <F2> keys, the usage of
which has already been discussed, and the <ESC> key to return
to the previous menu, another key is available: the <F10>
key. While pressing this key, a window is created in which
the main craters, seas and mountains appearing in the
enlarged image are listed.
Near each of these names you see a letter or a number. By
pressing the corresponding key (upper or lower case), a new
window will provide information about the crater, the sea or
the mountain chain that has been chosen. It is possible to
press the key corresponding to the letter or to the number of
the feature we are interesting in also from the zoom graphic
page. Another possibility consist in clicking with the mouse
on the letter or number from the zoom graphic page.
- 7 -
THE INFORMATION MENU
It is possible to enter this menu after opening the DATA
pulldown menu from the main menu. When you make this choice,
the available functions are:
<M> - for displaying information about lunar mountains and
technical data about the Moon.
<I> - for displaying historical information, trivia and other
details about the Moon.
<P> - for displaying explanations of the main phenomena
occurring on the Moon.
If you think of some useful addition to this module, please
send us a short note; we shall consider its inclusion in the
next release of the program.
- 8 -
THE INSTANTANEOUS EPHEMERIS CALCULATION
From the main menu, after entering the "Calculation" pulldown
menu, you have the following options:
<E> - for the calculation and visualization of eclipses.
<P> - for the calculation lunar phases and for the
calculation of the monthly apogee and perigee
distances.
<I> - for calculation of present solar and lunar ephemerides.
<S> - for the simulation of eclipses.
<T> - for the calculation and visualization of the lunar
terminator.
<V> - for the calculation of the monthly ephemerides, both
for the Sun and for the Moon.
By pressing the <I> key, you are prompted to enter the date,
the time and the coordinates of the observing site. This is
necessary for the calculation of the apparent equatorial
coordinates, of the distances (in A.U.), of the Sun and Moon
apparent semidiameter, of the illuminated fraction, of the
phase angle of the Moon and of the local sidereal time. The
range of validity of the calculations is from 4713 BC to 6500
AD.
THE LUNAR PHASES
The program can perform the calculation of the lunar phases
and of the perigee and apogee distances during a month
included in the period between January 1900 and December
2200. After a few seconds, the program will show the minimum
Earth-Moon distance and the day, hours and minute in which
this occurs. The same is possible for the maximum distance.
The lunar phases and the time in which they occur will be
shown. All the times are computed in UT.
- 9 -
THE TERMINATOR
This module performs the calculation of the terminator
position on the lunar disc, taking into considering also the
inclination of the solar rays due to the inclination of the
lunar rotational axis and of its orbital plane. To enter this
module, just press the <T> key from the pulldown menu opened
pressing of <C> key in the main menu. It is sufficient to
confirm or modify the day, time and the observation site
coordinates. The program takes a few seconds for the
calculations. Now, the image of the Moon will appear: the
terminator will be drawn and the dark zone will be cancelled.
- 10 -
THE MONTHLY VISIBILITY
From the "Calculation" pulldown menu it is possible to enter
the environment for the computation of the visibility table
of the Sun and the Moon for the whole month. For this purpose
press the <V> key. The program will prompt for choosing
between the Sun and the Moon, for the month and the year of
interest, for the coordinates of the observation site and, if
the output is to be sent to a file, for the name of such
file. After a few seconds (the time necessary for computing
the data for the whole month), a table will appear, in which
the following information is contained:
- for the Sun: the time of rise, the azimuth, the time of
meridian transit, the time of sunset, the azimuth, the
beginning of the astronomical twilight in the morning, the
end of the astronomical twilight in the evening and their
duration.
- for the Moon: the time and azimuth of rise, the time of
meridian transit, the time and azimuth of setting, the
illuminated fraction of the lunar disc.
With the <PgUp> and <PgDn> keys and cursor keys it is
possible to control the data scrolling within the window.
- 11 -
ECLIPSES
Pressing the <E> key the eclipse menu will be activated: this
menu is easily recognizable because the graphic page shows a
solar eclipse. Pressing the <E> key one more time, the
program is started. It can compute the occurrence of any
solar or lunar eclipses for the years included between 4713
BC and 6500 AD. For each eclipse it provides the date of the
event, the time in E.T. of the central phase, the magnitude
and the emisphere from which the eclipse is observable. Those
who have a graphic card available can select the event to be
visualized directly on the screen. The graphic representation
of the eclipse visibility from a certain location can be
obtained by entering the observation time (hour, minutes of
civil time) in addition to the geographical coordinates and
the altitude above the sea level of the observation site. The
disks of the Sun and of the Moon will be drawn to scale, as
they appear in the sky for an observer. At the border of the
screen it is possible to read the horizontal coordinates of
the two bodies. It is then possible to change the visibility
of the event from different locations. For small corrections
the function keys can be used, from <F3> to <F8>, suitably
combined with <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys. By pressing the <Ctrl>
<F9> keys (only for solar eclipses) an automatic latitude
scan is performed on the given meridian, searching for a
location from which the eclipse is visible.
For lunar eclipses the center of the graphic screen is
occupied by two concentric shadow disks that are properly
scaled representations of the shadow and the twilight zones
due to the Earth.
With the <F1> key it is possible to obtain information about
the data input and the available choices.
In the case of total or annular solar eclipses occuring in
the period included between 1000 AD and 3000 AD, it is
possible to have the totality path of the eclipse on the
surface of the Earth drawn on a world map and to have all the
related information shown, simply by pressing the <T> key.
From the main menu it is also possible to access the eclipse
simulation environment. This module is similar to the
previously described one. It does not have temperature,
pressure and altitude values and the time step for the
simulation must be provided. The simulation can be suspended
by pressing any key, and restarted with the space bar.
- 12 -
The program for the simulations and the visualization of
eclipses may, in some cases, give inaccurate results, because
of the graphic routines they access.
Modifying the time of totality by fractions of a minute, a
Sun scythe may reappear and then disapper again.
VARIOUS UTILITIES
From the main menu, after opening the "Various" pulldown
menu, you have the following six options:
<H> - Transformation from equatorial coordinates to
horizontal ones.
<Q> - Transformation from horizontal coordinates to
equatorial ones.
<G> - Calculation of the day, month, year, and hour, minute
and second from the Julian Day.
<J> - Calculation of the Julian Day from the calendar date,
including hours, minutes and seconds.
<D> - Difference between two dates.
<E> - Calculation of the date of Easter.
* * * *
The program was written by:
RENZO DEL ROSSO: graphic section and windows management on
the screen.
MARCO MENICHELLI: section relative to all ephemeris, eclipses
and general calculations.
ALESSANDRO PIERI: text management, help menus, zoom and
visualization routine.
The authors are members of the "Associazione Astrofili
Valdinievole" (Valdinievole Amateur Astronomers Association)
that has its headquarters by the "Biblioteca Comunale" (Civic
Library), Piazza Martini, I-51015 Monsummano Terme Italy. The
phone number is +39 572 53663 and it is possible to contact
the authors on Friday evenings from 9.00 pm until 11.00 pm.
- 13 -
To register your copy, please follow the istructions in the
ORDER.FRM file. If necessary it is possible to communicate
with the authors at the e-mail address:
Renzo Delrosso @p116.f1.n332.z2.fidonet.org (2:332/1.116)
Marco Menichelli @p7.f102.n332.z2.fidonet.org (2:332/102.7)
Renzo Del Rosso - Marco Menichelli - Alessandro Pieri
Monsummano Terme (PT, Italy), June 20th, 1993
* * * *
Particular thanks to Maurizio Serrazanetti (Gruppo Astrofili
Persicetani), Mauro Zarroli (Circolo Culturale Astrofili
Trieste), Lorenzo Bechini and Massimo Giuntoli (Associazione
Astrofili Valdinievole) for their contribution to text
drafting. To Paolo Rovella for the image digitalization and
for the help given in image management. To Flavio Castellani,
Alberto Battarelli, Giuliano Pinazzi and Maurizio
Serrazanetti for the corrections they have proposed to
improve the program. To Alberto Battarelli for the
translation of this manual. To Massimo Macucci (Associazione
Astrofili Valdinievole) for the translation of all the other
files.
