stars.dat, data purity, accuracy
Posted: 28.04.2005, 21:29
Here's a question about stars.dat - what is the current policy regarding corrections?
For example, take Capella... Hipparcos seems to be using the spectral type of the distant red dwarf binary companions rather than the bright yellow giant components, thus if you select it in Celestia you end up with an M class star, and there may be other points, (for example IOT Hor, listed by Simbad as a G0V, and by Hipparcos as G3IV).
If we are going to go for data purity rather than accuracy in stars.dat, then perhaps there should be a .stc file containing corrections, so that in a sense both accuracy and purity are in some way preserved.
Just a few ideas to throw around.
For example, take Capella... Hipparcos seems to be using the spectral type of the distant red dwarf binary companions rather than the bright yellow giant components, thus if you select it in Celestia you end up with an M class star, and there may be other points, (for example IOT Hor, listed by Simbad as a G0V, and by Hipparcos as G3IV).
If we are going to go for data purity rather than accuracy in stars.dat, then perhaps there should be a .stc file containing corrections, so that in a sense both accuracy and purity are in some way preserved.
Just a few ideas to throw around.