Adding SDP4 to Guide
R. Mark Elowitz Jun 18, 2001
I have some suggestions for possible improvements to Guide:
The present version of Guide uses the SGP4 propagator
to compute the position of artificial satellites with
periods less than 225 minutes. How soon will the SDP4
algorithm be added to Guide so that satellites with
periods greater than 225 minutes can be computed
accurately?
Also, the program "Skychart" by Patrick Chevalley can
display the PGC2001 that contains about 1 million
galaxies. I think it would be nice to allow Guide
to display this catalog. This would greatly expand the
number of galaxies Guide could display.
Finally, for those who want to locate their observatories
with extreme precision, would it be possible to develop
an "add-on" to Guide that would allow one to connect
a GPS receiver to the computer running Guide and set the
observer's location via the GPS receiver?