2022-04-24, 04:29 AM
Hello Dennis,
Give me a day or so on this to look into how accurate SkyTools is plotting Iapetus.
I know that in the past SkyTools has always been rock solid on these things, and I would usually suggest an error, perhaps having to do with time zones. That said, Iapetus is one of the satellites that uses an older mathematical model, and it may be that it has lost accuracy in the last few years. I did test all of the satellites in ST4 against JPL horizons in ST4, but that was several years ago now. Maybe its time to check all of the ones that use the older methods.
Man, I really need to fix Saturn's rings too. I spent so much time on that, and had it working perfectly, and then one day they were suddenly broken. I suspect a change or bug in the (Windows) graphics library. I've been loathe to go back into that code because I might not come out for weeks!
Give me a day or so on this to look into how accurate SkyTools is plotting Iapetus.
I know that in the past SkyTools has always been rock solid on these things, and I would usually suggest an error, perhaps having to do with time zones. That said, Iapetus is one of the satellites that uses an older mathematical model, and it may be that it has lost accuracy in the last few years. I did test all of the satellites in ST4 against JPL horizons in ST4, but that was several years ago now. Maybe its time to check all of the ones that use the older methods.
Man, I really need to fix Saturn's rings too. I spent so much time on that, and had it working perfectly, and then one day they were suddenly broken. I suspect a change or bug in the (Windows) graphics library. I've been loathe to go back into that code because I might not come out for weeks!
Clear skies,
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound