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| 03:24 AM | ||
| Users Online Now: 1,458 (Who's On?) | Visitors Today: 214,623 | |
| Pageviews Today: 355,017 | Threads Today: 112 | Posts Today: 2,400 |
| 03:24 AM | ||
Calculating the Position and Orientation of the Moon | |
| Dr. Astro Not to be confused with Phil Plait  User ID: 33360181  United States02/15/2013 11:57 PM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I have successfully implemented Michelle Chapront-Touze and Jean Chapront's "Lunar Tables and Programs" (taken straight from their book published in 1991) as an excel spreadsheet. It will give you the apparent position and orientation of the moon for any given date and time. Most moon phase calendars you can find online don't take into account field rotation, which requires knowing your location and the exact time. This spreadsheet does. [link to www.filedropper.com] Patched version (fixes quadrant disambiguation bug for azimuth, also better link): [link to dropcanvas.com] You can see that thing like the "Cheshire moon" are completely phenomena and indeed photographs like 108-KSC-71P-74 look exactly as they should. [link to i319.photobucket.com] This isn't based on some "black box calculation" being done in a program like Stellarium or Celestia, it's right there in the spreadsheet and it's quite normal. Last Edited by Dr. Astro on 02/25/2013 09:16 PM  |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 33360181 United States02/16/2013 12:07 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 4211721 United States02/16/2013 12:44 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 8434843 United States02/16/2013 12:45 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| BoxerLvr User ID: 883595 United States02/16/2013 12:49 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Cool. pinned it for ya. It is precisely because it is fashionable for Americans to know no science, even though they may be well educated otherwise, that they so easily fall prey to nonsense. They thus become part of the armies of the night, the purveyors of nitwittery, the retailers of intellectual junk food, the feeders on mental cardboard, for their ignorance keeps them from distinguishing nectar from sewage. — Isaac Asimov |
| Organic Light User ID: 8545334 United States02/16/2013 12:53 AM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Harbinger Of Truth User ID: 26244997 United States02/16/2013 12:54 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | What is a shill? Thread: WARNING: LIFE or DEATH! Most who think they believe - in - jesus do not. Have millions been deceived by the Great Whore and the Beast Kingdom? Dream: In the wilderness a young man cries. Who will heed his warning? Stars begin to dance across the skies. The earth goes into mourning. WARNING: Angel and demon like creatures seem to have appeared in the skies. Pictures are on this blog for everyone who would like to see them. Everyone deserves to know what is going on. Some need proof, others have faith. Grace be with you. [link to www.air-ninjas.tumblr.com] |
| Shakespeare User ID: 13616808 United States02/16/2013 12:55 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Cool thread! I also just wanted to point out that the Aurora 'shooting' occured on July 20th which was the anniversary of the first 'manned moon landing'. That was July 20, 1969. And the Newtown 'shooting' occured on December 14th which was the anniversary of the final 'manned moon landing' that was on Dec. 14, 1972. |
| 2be0rnot2be User ID: 34506644 United States02/16/2013 12:55 AM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| BoxerLvr User ID: 883595 United States02/16/2013 12:56 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Someone who uses facts and logic. It is precisely because it is fashionable for Americans to know no science, even though they may be well educated otherwise, that they so easily fall prey to nonsense. They thus become part of the armies of the night, the purveyors of nitwittery, the retailers of intellectual junk food, the feeders on mental cardboard, for their ignorance keeps them from distinguishing nectar from sewage. — Isaac Asimov |
| #Geomagnetic_Storm# "Official SunTard" User ID: 32917391 United States02/16/2013 01:00 AM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Hugh M Eye User ID: 31662450 United States02/16/2013 01:04 AM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Thanks for the info, Doc. Next you'll be telling us that Jupiter didn't flip upside-down and 'Planet X' isn't real, haha.  "There is more stupidity than hydrogen in the universe, and it has a longer shelf life." Frank Zappa "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the the universe."-Albert Einstein |
| zenobiaphobia Dancing to the beat of a skinless drum User ID: 29114716 United States02/16/2013 01:09 AM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | I just wish we could adjust it so its the same size it is over Skyrim. That is much more attractive. Tides would be a little off... Last Edited by zenobiaphobia on 02/16/2013 01:09 AM Books relevant to our current situation will appear here at random: [link to www.gutenberg.org] |
| Children of the Atom User ID: 20257839 United States02/16/2013 01:10 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Pinocchia User ID: 34507000 United States02/16/2013 01:15 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Dear Doctor Astrotard, I'm sorry, but I don't believe you ... not a word. I'm a digital imaging tech (former Xerox corp Trainer) and the (ten thousand) digital images I have worked on from NASA and astronomers for the past eight years, full-time, reveal ... nothing, nothing, nothing LIKE what you guys SAY. No, the Moon is not 2100 miles in diameter, 226K miles out. No, simulations aren't the real thing, don't show the real thing. No, Mars is not half the size of Earth; it's not much larger than our Moon. No, et cetera and so forth. So, call me names if that makes you feel good. But I take every single word you say, with a pound of salt. Have a nice weekend. :) Chai |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 24583650 United States02/16/2013 01:30 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| mr.goodbytes User ID: 2087886 United States02/16/2013 01:31 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | So wait...does this mean you trust in him a great deal? I'm confused? Dear Doctor Astrotard, Quoting: Pinocchia 34507000 I'm sorry, but I don't believe you ... not a word. I'm a digital imaging tech (former Xerox corp Trainer) and the (ten thousand) digital images I have worked on from NASA and astronomers for the past eight years, full-time, reveal ... nothing, nothing, nothing LIKE what you guys SAY. No, the Moon is not 2100 miles in diameter, 226K miles out. No, simulations aren't the real thing, don't show the real thing. No, Mars is not half the size of Earth; it's not much larger than our Moon. No, et cetera and so forth. So, call me names if that makes you feel good. But I take every single word you say, with a pound of salt. Have a nice weekend. :) Chai EndFed.org |
Dr. Acula Forum Moderator User ID: 55721 United States02/16/2013 01:39 AM  Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation |    Last Edited by Dr. Acula on 02/16/2013 01:40 AM Check out this ---> [link to www.youtube.com] I am a HelpTard, need Help? Ask me! Peace Means Reloading Your Guns! Some of my custom graphics are featured in the Official GLP Store: [link to www.cafepress.com]  |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 4211721 United States02/16/2013 01:58 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Dear Doctor Astrotard, Quoting: Pinocchia 34507000 I'm sorry, but I don't believe you ... not a word. So, in other words you're all...  The calculations are all right there. When the weather clears up around here I'll take some fresh pictures to put this spreadsheet through its paces, but I can tell you right now I know from first hand experiencing bouncing radio waves off the moon (at my brother's ham radio club) that it's the distance "they" say it is. If you don't believe me I would encourage you to go find out for yourself by visiting a ham club that does EME bouncing. |
| Dr. Acula Forum Moderator User ID: 55721 United States02/16/2013 02:04 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Dear Doctor Astrotard, Quoting: Pinocchia 34507000 I'm sorry, but I don't believe you ... not a word. So, in other words you're all... The calculations are all right there. When the weather clears up around here I'll take some fresh pictures to put this spreadsheet through its paces, but I can tell you right now I know from first hand experiencing bouncing radio waves off the moon (at my brother's ham radio club) that it's the distance "they" say it is. If you don't believe me I would encourage you to go find out for yourself by visiting a ham club that does EME bouncing. Hill Billy's do it all the time  all about EME [link to www.dxmaps.com] Last Edited by Dr. Acula on 02/16/2013 02:06 AM Check out this ---> [link to www.youtube.com] I am a HelpTard, need Help? Ask me! Peace Means Reloading Your Guns! Some of my custom graphics are featured in the Official GLP Store: [link to www.cafepress.com] |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 34520000  Croatia02/16/2013 02:44 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 16439676 United States02/16/2013 02:44 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 4211721 United States02/16/2013 02:46 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | Here's a patched version, there was a problem with the quadrant disambiguation for azimuth which could lead to screwy values in some instances (>360 degrees azimuth!) [link to www.filedropper.com] |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 4211721 United States02/16/2013 03:04 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | They used a different method of determining the moon's position. It derived from the work of Ernest Brown ( [link to projecteuclid.org] ) which was further refined and fully implemented by Wallace Eckert in his "Improved Lunar Ephemeris." The book I used utilizes an analytical method which lends itself to spreadsheet implementation. Last Edited by Dr. Astro on 02/16/2013 03:04 AM |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 34520908  United Kingdom02/16/2013 03:06 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 4211721 United States02/16/2013 03:07 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 34493607  Australia02/16/2013 03:09 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 17743805 United Kingdom02/16/2013 03:13 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | OP. I've always loved your put downs of some of the weirdos that just refuse to believe you - whether you are right or wrong is not my point. One quetion I ask from you. Hand on heart IF there ever came a time when you knew for sure that something was not right, would you 'fess up and do your best to help spread the word? |
| Dr. Astro (OP) Not to be confused with Phil Plait User ID: 4211721 United States02/16/2013 03:17 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | OP. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 17743805 I've always loved your put downs of some of the weirdos that just refuse to believe you - whether you are right or wrong is not my point. One quetion I ask from you. Hand on heart IF there ever came a time when you knew for sure that something was not right, would you 'fess up and do your best to help spread the word? Absolutely! I always report my results honestly, even when they conflict with what I expect, even if I have good reason to suspect they're faulty (of course I report it as such). Thread: Axial rotation measurement anomaly *Update on pg 21 - Problem Solved* |
| Dr. Acula Forum Moderator User ID: 55721 United States02/16/2013 03:32 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | OP. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 17743805 I've always loved your put downs of some of the weirdos that just refuse to believe you - whether you are right or wrong is not my point. One quetion I ask from you. Hand on heart IF there ever came a time when you knew for sure that something was not right, would you 'fess up and do your best to help spread the word? Absolutely! I always report my results honestly, even when they conflict with what I expect, even if I have good reason to suspect they're faulty (of course I report it as such). Thread: Axial rotation measurement anomaly *Update on pg 21 - Problem Solved* I remember that thread. I remember watching it very closely with the look of  until page 21 lol Check out this ---> [link to www.youtube.com] I am a HelpTard, need Help? Ask me! Peace Means Reloading Your Guns! Some of my custom graphics are featured in the Official GLP Store: [link to www.cafepress.com] |
| Anonymous Coward User ID: 34519729  Canada02/16/2013 03:41 AM Report Abusive Post Report Copyright Violation | OP. Quoting: Anonymous Coward 17743805 I've always loved your put downs of some of the weirdos that just refuse to believe you - whether you are right or wrong is not my point. One quetion I ask from you. Hand on heart IF there ever came a time when you knew for sure that something was not right, would you 'fess up and do your best to help spread the word? AH. But there in lies the problem. You have questions. He has answers. Therefore you must ask the right question the right way for him to answer them honestly. Reason: Whatever anyone says it means, someone will argue it means somthing else. The one thing they will agree on is that reason is both central and essential to our civilization. Common sense, intuition, memory,creativity,and ethics. In such a generous context it would be easy to see that reason on its own is little more than a mechanism devoid of meaning, purpose and direction. Truth: A reassuring notion which, in practice, is difficult to identify. John Ralston Saul. |
