Help - adding 217P/Linear to Stellarium

[erick]

I followed some instructions I found in the Stellarium Wiki, downloaded some data from JPL Horizons, added the following to ssystem.ini, but I think I have goofed somewhere. I think I'm way out. Would some kind soul help, please.

[217P/Linear]
name = 217P/Linear
parent = Sun
radius = 100
oblateness = 0.0
halo = true
color = 1.0,1.0,1.0
tex_halo = star16x16.png
tex_map = nomap.png
coord_func = comet_orbit
orbit_TimeAtPericenter = 2455083.464856713079
orbit_PericenterDistance = 1.223978928422585
orbit_Eccentricity = 0.6896209257527544
orbit_ArgOfPericenter = 246.7441163591271
orbit_AscendingNode = 125.6219868819636
orbit_Inclination = 12.88151928157801
lighting = false
albedo = 1
orbit_visualization_period = 10000000000

[mithrandir]

As far as I can work out, you use "orbit_visualization_period = 10000000000" for non-periodics and the value of PR for periodics. The wiki doesn't seem up to date with 0.10.2.

After an hour puzzling out the entry for mcnaught, this at least loads. There is little point in more decimals.

[c217plinear]
name = C/217P LINEAR
parent = Sun
radius = 10
oblateness = 0.0
halo = true
color = 1.0,1.0,1.0
tex_halo = star16x16.png
tex_map = nomap.png
coord_func = comet_orbit
orbit_TimeAtPericenter = 2455083.465071
orbit_PericenterDistance = 1.223979
orbit_Eccentricity = 0.689612
orbit_ArgOfPericenter = 246.744342
orbit_AscendingNode = 125.62193
orbit_Inclination = 12.88151
lighting = false
albedo = 1
orbit_visualization_period = 2860.232128

You might check the location for various times with the ephemeris from Horizons. If you have a private ssystem.ini it must be in %APPDATA%\Stellarium\data or ~/.stellarium/data (Tweak the value of radius to make it more noticable.)

[erick]

Great Andrew, I'll give this a go. I had little idea what I was doing and just wanted a result regardless (both unusual for me!)

EDIT:- OK, this gives me the attached locations for now and in a month's time. I cannot find a finder chart big enough to show me where it is headed so I don't know if this is right?? And the Northern Hemispherians always publish them upside down!

[avandonk]

Here you go Erick high res 1.2MB

http://d1355990.i49.quadrahosting.com.au/2009_08/STARPRO.jpg

OR this one 1.3MB

http://d1355990.i49.quadrahosting.com.au/2009_08/STARPRO2.jpg



Bert

[mithrandir]

Get yourself a copy of Comet http://www.aerith.net/project/comet.html

Ignore anything your virus/spyware scanner says about it. There is a piece of junk with the same name.

Download the "Observable comets" list from http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/iau/Ephemerides/Soft00.html and import it into the "Comet" group. If you were interested you could follow the "Bright minor planets at opposition" link, choose the "MPC format" and import that into a new group - say "Minors"

Select "Chart" from the "Menu" menu

From the "Settings" menu
Select the comets you want to graph
The dates you want to see
Your location

From the "View" menu
Which catalog you want to use as the background. BSC5 will probably do. You'll need to download whichever ones you want. http://www.aerith.net/project/comet/tutorial/FAQ.html#catalog has some links.
"View" then lets you select the FOV

At this point you should "Save Setting". There is no warning if you quit without saving. You can save multiple settings.

Clicking on objects on the chart gives you the location, and distance from the previous point.

The image is for here and shows 217P against the BSC5 from Aug 24 to Sep 24 with 45deg FOV and two popups overlaid.

You can generate an ephemeris too. Select "Menu"->"Ephemeris". You have to fill in everything again - it does not carry over from the settings you used for the chart. You can save those settings too. You need to read the view "settings" and "restrict output" pages carefully or you'll never make sense out of them.

[erick]

Great, thanks Gentlemen. Looks like the code is working in Stellarium.

I'll look at putting that comet software on my lappie, thanks Andrew.

Should be a few mornings in Sep with Moon having set when it can be picked up going through the "Saucepan".

[Rob_K]

Mmmm, waiting for this one! :)

Cheers -