Planet 2000 - The program Planet 2000 allows to calculate the position of the solar system bodies, from Mercury up to Saturn. It also calculates the Sun and the Moon position. The program gives the celestial coordinates (Right ascension and Declination) and the coordinates of the celestial body respect on the observer (topocentric coordinates Azimuth and Altitude).
Moreover it gives the time of the rise, set and transit. For the planet it also gives the distance from the Sun; for the Moon the distance from the Earth and its phases.
The program displays the heavenly vault; the celestial objects are displayed using two systems:
1) altazimuth system coordinates: the abscissa and the ordinate indicating the azimuth (angle from the Northern point of the horizon eastward) and the altitude of the object from the observer's horizon, respectively;
2) spherical zenithal system: the center of the circle is the observer's zenith; circumference is the observer's horizon.
It is possible to display stars all in one go. The user can tap on star to obtain its name and its constellation.
The program uses grid to display results.
It is possible to use the Palm like a real Compass. Put yourself in front to any celestial object: the program calculates its position and then it will display a Compass. You will be able to find any correct geographical direction: North, East, South, West.
Also it is possible to obtain the dates of the Equinoxes and Solstices for any year from 1000 up to 3000 (see the role of the Precession of the equinoxes!) and the conjunctions and oppositions, respect to Sun, of the planets from Mercury to Saturn.
Total-annular solar eclipses processed by the program are comprised between 1900 and 2100 (exactly 287 eclipses from May 28th, 1900 to September 4th, 2100).
The program also allows to observe Partial Solar Eclipses that will happen from 2000 up to 2019.
The program generates animation of each total and partial solar eclipse: the user can change geographical coordinates and observe it (if possible) from any site.
Function Astro Clocks allows to display 3 clocks: Local Time, Universal Time (time on Greenwich meridian), Sidereal Time (Right Ascension that transits across observer's celestial meridian).
It is possible to choose starting date and starting time. The three times will be updated every second.
It displays Equation of Time for any date. When the Sun crosses the meridian of the Time Zone it is solar noon there. But for our clock noon can fall before or after the Sun transit.
The Earth's Surface function allows to calculate the distance between two points on the Earth's surface. Moreover the program allows to know a lot of other geographical information about the parallel of any latitude.
The program gives information about all Lunar eclipses from 1999 up to 2030. For each eclipse we have: type of eclipse, date and instants, magnitude, zenith coordinates, graphical representation.
Astronomical Almanac option gives the dates of the most important astronomical phenomena: more than 80 astronomical events for every year from 2000 up to 2030.
From version 2.3 the program uses colours.
The program "Solar and Lunar Eclipses", included in Planet 2000, is also sold separately: who buys "Planet 2000" does not have to purchase "Eclipses".
Supported operating systems:
Palm OS 3.x, Palm OS 4.x, Palm OS 5.x
Other Software by developer «Piero Massimino»:
Sundials Sundials - This program allows to build a sundial; it gives all necessary data to draw hour lines, solstices lines, equinoxes line and analemna line
Astro Compass (Palm OS) Astro Compass (Palm OS) - The program allows to use the Palm like a real Compass.
Put yourself in front to any celestial object of solar system (Sun, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) or 28 bright stars (Sirius, Vega and so on): the program calculates its position on heavenly vault and then it will display a Compass
Solar and Lunar Eclipses Solar and Lunar Eclipses - Solar Eclipses
Total-annular solar eclipses processed by the program are comprised between 1900 and 2100 (exactly 287 eclipses from May 28th, 1900 to September 4th, 2100).
The program gives the times of the phases (initial, central and final) and the geographical coordinates where it is possible to observe those circumstances of the eclipse
