Sun and moon rise and set times, moon phases and Galilean moon events are calculated using my software that is based on algorithms from the book “Astronomical Algorithms” by Jean Meeus, 1991. This includes Bretagnon’s and Francou’s VSOP87 (the 1987 version of Variations Seculaires des Orbites Planetaires) planetary theory, the Chapront ELP-2000/82 (ELP means Ephemerides Lunaires Parisiennes, although this work is not an ephemeris (a list of calculated positions) but rather an analytic theory (a series of periodic terms)) lunar theory and Lieske’s theory E2 and E2x3 of Jupiter’s satellites. Are you impressed?
ISS predictions are made using my software that is based on the SEESAT satellite tracking program by Paul S. Hirose, 1992 and the report format of OrbiTrack by Bill Bard, 1994. This software uses the SGP4 orbit prediction model, which is the primary NORAD model for near earth satellites.
Iridium predictions are generated at http://www.heavens-above.com and converted by my software to a format that I like better.
The Preliminary NOVAC Observing Reports are created using my software, some of the algorithms listed above and the following as noted.
- from Espenak: Fred Espenak’s Twelve Year Planetary Ephemeris: 1995 – 2006 (NASA Reference Publication 1349, available at http://www-lep.gsfc.nasa.gov/code693/TYPE/TYPE.html)
- from S&T: Sky & Telescope’s Evening and Morning Highlights for Skygazers (available at http://www.skypub.com)
- from IMO: the International Meteor Organization calendar (http://www.imo.net/calendar)
- from AM: Astronomy Magazine’s Highlights of the Night Sky (http://www.kalmbach.com/astro/astronomy.html)