home
***
CD-ROM
|
disk
|
FTP
|
other
***
search
/
Atari Mega Archive 1
/
Atari Mega Archive - Volume 1.iso
/
apps
/
astronmy
/
star2000.lzh
/
read_me.111
< prev
next >
Wrap
Text File
|
1991-11-06
|
11KB
|
265 lines
STAR 2000
=============
A freeware subset of Star Base from Debonair Software
Version 1.11
by J. Andrzej Wrotniak
Star 2000 is a simplified version of Star Base. The latter is
a commercial program, available from Debonair Software, while
Star 2000 can be distributed freely as long as all the
accompanying files (including this one) remain intact.
This is a new, updated version of our program, based on Star
Base 1.10. If you have used the previous release, you may want to
skip most of this document and jump directly to the last point in
the "Update History" section.
WHAT DOES THIS PROGRAM DO?
Star 2000 is a star database, browser and plotter, addressed
to those with interest in astronomy. It contains data on 2000
brightest stars from the Yale Bright Stars Catalogue and on 100
brightest deep sky objects from the RNGC, allows for accessing the
database in various modes, and for plotting sky maps in various
reference frames, projections and magnifications.
The program includes also Sun, Moon and the planets (but only
for 00:00 GMT of any day, which really is a limitation only for
Sun and Moon). The full implementation of planetary ephemerii is,
of course, available in Star Base.
Star 2000 uses the familiar GEM interface, is quite intuitive
in use (at least we hope so), and has on-line help. Therefore we
have decided not to include any detailed user instructions with it
-- just a few pieces of the most vital information.
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
Star 2000 will run on any Atari ST (TOS in ROM), STe or TT
with color or monochrome monitor (monochrome looks better!) and
any disk drive. It will also run on a 1280*960 (monochrome)
Moniterm display -- and the program looks goooood in this mode!
We were unable to test Star 2000 in the new TT resolutions,
but the program has been written with compatibility in mind, and
we hope it works just fine. If you try Star 2000 in one of the new
screen standards, please let us know the results!
Computers with 512k of RAM may require that most of the
desktop accessories and other memory-resident programs be removed.
This new version has quite a many new, memory-hungry features.
Star 2000 Page 1 Version 1.11
DISK FILES
The following files are required for proper functioning of
Star 2000, and should be placed in the same directory (root or
folder):
* STAR_2K.PRG - the program file,
* STAR_2K.RSC - the resource (monochrome or color),
* STAR_2K.HLP - the on-line help file (can be printed out),
* STAR_2K.VM - the data file with stars,
* STAR_2K.DSO - the data file with deep sky objects,
* PLAN.PER - data for the planets.
Really, only the .PRG and .RSC files are absolutely
necessary, if any of the remaining files are missing (or renamed),
just the corresponding features will be disabled.
STAR BASE: WHAT YOU ARE MISSING
Here is the list of differences between Star 2000 and
Star Base (at least the current version):
* Star Base contains data on all 9096 stars from the YBS
Catalogue (up to apparent magnitudes of about 6.5), while
Star 2000 is limited to the brightest 2000 stars.
* Star Base uses data od 333 brightest deep sky objects (down
to 9.0m) - not just 100 as in Star 2000.
* Star Base can also use additional data sets. The first of
those, the Big Sky, available from Debonair Software for a
mere $22, contains data from the SAO Catalogue on more than
40000 stars (down to 8.0m) and 1300 deep sky objects.
* Star Base allows for selective data input from disk: stars
and deep sky objects can be cut off at a given magnitude
value and/or limited to a given circular region of the sky.
This on one hand speeds up most of the operations, and on the
other -- allows for using the 1.3 Mb Big Sky data set on a
1Mb machine.
* Star Base accepts a configuration file with observer
location, time, GMT offset and data input limits. It will
also allow to update the time from the computer's clock.
* Star 2000 allows for plotting and co-ordinate display in the
equatorial, ecliptic and galactic reference frames. The
horizon frame is available only for 00:00 GMT (any date). In
Star Base the horizon frame can be set to any date, time and
location.
* Similarly, the positions of Sun, Moon and the planets are
limited in Star 2000 as above. Star Base is free of that
limitation.
Star 2000 Page 2 Version 1.11
* The Solar System data in Star Base includes also comets
(currently 14 of them, reaching the perihelium in 1992).
* Mapping is limited in Star 2000 to map ranges between down to
60 degrees. Star Base moves this limit down to 4 degrees.
* The spectrum and luminosity information (Harvard-Yerkes
classification) in Star 2000 is limited to the simple
spectral class and population (e.g. F8IV). Star Base provides
the full data here (up to 24 characters).
As you can see, there is just one really painful limitation
in Star 2000 (in addition to more limited data set): the
observation time, important for the skygazers. We have some
feeling of guilt about it, but we had to use this dirty trick in
order to sell some copies of the Star Base, which -- believe it or
not -- took us some time and effort to develop. (The previous
version was more limited here, freezing the date to January 1,
2000).
You have to be warned: Star Base requires 1Mbyte of memory
and a double-sided floppy drive, and the Big Sky runs much nicer
with more (and a hard disk).
HOW TO GET STAR BASE
If, after trying out Star 2000, you decide to buy Star Base,
send $43 (check or money order) to
Debonair Software
P.O.Box 521166
Salt Lake City, UT 84152-1166
The price includes shipping (Utah residents add 6% tax, and
foreign orders please add $5 US extra). You will be also entitled
to one update at no extra cost. A nice manual, of course, comes
with the package.
REMARKS, SUGGESTIONS, BUG REPORTS
Whether you buy Star Base, or decide that Star 2000 is all
you need at the moment, we would appreciate all remarks and
enhancement suggestions you may have on either program. You can
contact the program author on-line:
CompuServe: 70611,2552
GEnie: J.Wrotniak
If you do not subscribe to these services, just write us at
our Utah address shown above. We read all letters and even answer
them. More important, we take them into account during the program
enhancement process.
We are not aware of any bugs in Star 2000 (although we are
sure there must be some!). If you notice or suspect any
misbehavior, please let us know, enclosing as many relevant
details as possible. This will be most helpful in making the
program robust and clean. Thanks.
Star 2000 Page 3