Jupiter's moons phenomena

General discussion about Celestia that doesn't fit into other forums.
Topic author
flym
Posts: 27
Joined: 09.03.2002
With us: 22 years 8 months
Location: Italy

Jupiter's moons phenomena

Post #1by flym » 12.11.2002, 18:07

Since last october 28th a season of reciprocal eclipses and occultations of the Jupite's moon has began. I tried to see these phenomena with Celestia, but I can not replicate any of the coming eclipses.
E.g. try January 27th 2003, 19:50UT, Europa should cause an anular solar eclipse on Ganymede, but staying on the SUn you can see only a close (frew seconds) conjunction of the two moons, with no eclipse.
What's the problem?
Precision in computations? precision in orbital parameters?
Or Celestia does not simulate the shadow of a moon over another?

chris
Site Admin
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Location: Seattle, Washington, USA

Jupiter's moons phenomena

Post #2by chris » 12.11.2002, 18:13

flym wrote:Since last october 28th a season of reciprocal eclipses and occultations of the Jupite's moon has began. I tried to see these phenomena with Celestia, but I can not replicate any of the coming eclipses.
E.g. try January 27th 2003, 19:50UT, Europa should cause an anular solar eclipse on Ganymede, but staying on the SUn you can see only a close (frew seconds) conjunction of the two moons, with no eclipse.
What's the problem?
Precision in computations? precision in orbital parameters?
Or Celestia does not simulate the shadow of a moon over another?

Celestia does simulate the shadows cast from one moon onto another. Do you have eclipses turned on (Ctrl+E)? If so, it's probably an issue with the accuracy of Celestia's orbital calculations. I know Jupiter's position is accurate, but I think that Jupiter's equatorial plane (to which the positions of the satellites are referred) is off slightly. I'll be investigating further post-1.2.5. I want insane accuracy!

--Chris

Calculus
Posts: 216
Joined: 19.10.2002
With us: 22 years
Location: NY

Post #3by Calculus » 12.11.2002, 23:40

I've checked the mutual events of jupiter's moons and I can't see them with celestia 1.2.5pre7. The moons are very close but don't occult each other. (same with eclipses).
Not even speaking of the light time delay, there might be a glitch in the moons orbit computation.
---Paul
My Gallery of Celestial Phenomena:
http://www.celestiaproject.net/gallery/view_al ... e=Calculus


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