Description

The program also gives:

• The altitude and azimuth angles of the Sun/Moon at the current time or at another user specified time.
• The date and time of the next Moon phase.
• Lunar or solar eclipse information a few days in advance of the event.

Installation

This archive file includes:

risest13.prc

The executable file

mathlib.prc

The required mathematics library

riseset.html

This file

RSmenu1.gif, RSmenu2.gif, RSmenu3.gif, RSmoon.gif, RSsun.gif

Images for riseset.html

Note: If your PalmPilot is using OS3.5 be aware that there is a bug in OS3.5 such that it will not remember the category of any re-installed application. Thus for both new or re-installation will have to move RiseSet out of 'unfiled'.

Many thanks to Rick Huebner, the author of MathLib, for his excellent routines and making them freely available.

Using the Program

altitude is angle of the Sun/Moon relative to the horizon. When it is positive the Sun/Moon is visible. You will note that at Sunrise/Sunset the altitude may actually be negative when the Sun is visible on the horizon. This is due to the atmosphere distorting the Sun's image.
(The altitude angle is sometimes called height angle.)

azimuth is the horizontal angle to the Sun/Moon. North is 0° while south is 180°.

transit is the time at which the Sun/Moon is directly south in the northern hemisphere, or north in the southern hemisphere.

When getting times at latitudes near the poles, it is possible that the Sun/Moon does not rise or set. In that case the time output will be displayed as: 0:00:00. It is also possible that the rise time occurs on the previous day, or the set time occurs on the next day. V1.3 improves this display over previous versions.

Program usage should be obvious once you have examined the various menus.

All menus are accessed by pressing the menu icon at the bottom left of the Graffiti writing area. In addition the select menu can be accessed by pressing the current location name in the title bar, and the time menu by pressing the time in the title bar. The menus are:

Location

This menu allows you to specify the active location. The input for latitude and longitude may be in any of the following formats:

1. Degrees -- e.g. 44.6427
2. Degrees:Minutes -- e.g. 44:38.562
3. Degrees:Minutes:Seconds -- e.g. 44:38:33.72
   The only allowable input characters are: digit, '.' and ':'. That is, digit, period, and colon.

The input for the GMT Offset normally will be whole numbers. E.g. 5, 10, etc. indicating the correct time zone for the location. The East coast of the US is 5 West, central Europe is 1 East. If daylight savings time is in effect at the location, check the DayLight Savings box. In all cases be sure to specify north or south of the equator, and east or west of Greenwich by checking (or not checking) the S (for south), or W (for west) checkboxes.

Select

This menu is used to select the active location. You should change the names of the locations as desired. Then select the one you wish to be active.

Time

This menu allows you to set the time for which the Sun/Moon is calculated. The standard PalmPilot Time dialog box is used for this setting. Only the Start Time is used by RiseSet. To return to current time calculation, set the No Time box.

Info

This menu displays a subset of the information on this page.

About

This menu tells about RiseSet.

Pilot Clock

One of these two menus (DLST No, or DLST Yes) must be selected so that RiseSet will know if your PalmPilot Clock is or is not set for DayLight Savings Time. Note the reminder message about this clock configuration in the location menu above.
This setting only effects the altitude/azimuth angles.

Finding the Azimuth angle at Sun/Moon Rise/Set

^*Changes in Version 1.3

1. The length of the day was added to Sun information display. (V1.1)
2. A DayLight Savings checkbox was added. Using the GMT Offset to compensate for daylight savings introduces a small error in the rise/set times. Since the accuracy of RiseSet is high a DayLight Savings checkbox is better and more convenient. (V1.1)
3. A menu was added to tell RiseSet that the PalmPilot clock is (or is not) set to Daylight Savings time, to give correct real-time altitude/azimuth. (V1.2)
4. Better display formatting provides an easier to read screen. (V1.2)
5. The date box shows the date in the format selected by the user in the system/prefs/formats. (V1.2a)
6. The date of the next lunar phase is in a more universal date format. (V1.2a)
7. The time and select menus can be accessed via the title bar time and location name respectively. (V1.2a)
8. A reminder message was added to the Location menu about the clock DayLight Savings configuration. (V1.3)
9. Latitudes near the poles show more time values, rather than 0:00. (V1.3)
10. The lunar phase and eclipse times are correct for both standard and daylight time. (V1.3)
11. The location database and RiseSet itself is backed up when synchronized. (V1.3)

Contact Information

An interactive version of RiseSet can be found at: http://www.40-below.com/sunmoon/

The Bray PalmPilot Page can be found at: http://www.40-below.com/palm/

Registering

This archive may be freely redistributed, provided it is made available only in its complete, unmodified form with no additional files and for noncommercial purposes only. Any other use must have prior written authorization from David W. Bray at bray@clarkson.edu.

Unauthorized commercial use includes, but is not limited to:

• RiseSet itself as a product for sale.
• Accompanying a product for sale.
• Accompanying a magazine, book or other publication for sale.
• Distribution with 'Media', 'Copying' or other incidental costs.
• Available for download with access or download fees.

Disclaimer

Foot Note