Celestia 1.7.0 Development Thread

[Janus]

Does it compile in straight windows yet?

I ask because I am only setup to deal with static linking via VS.
I do not currently have QT installed, though I could I guess.

Which QT version are you using, exactly which version, x.y.z.??, even tiny differences cause problems with QT.
And I cannot run cmake, it is incompatible with my system setup, so I would need a set of pro files to pull cmake recursiveness out of.

Janus.

EDIT: Clarity and spilling.

[pirogronian]

@Janus

As appveyor didn't compile my branch due to conflicts, I don't know how about Windows compatibility.

My Qt version is 5.12.3.

[Janus]

Okay, I got the QT version of the astrodb branch to compile and run for me.
Grabbed a fresh install to redo my efforts cleanly without all messes I made, and it works now.
All libraries static, except QT of course, so it needs the VS2015 redists.

I am having no problems with stars blinking at all.

Compiled VS2015 QT 5.10,1 to match the version in the bin releases.
I am also avoiding 5.12 because it only supports VS2017 in x86, VS2015 is x64 only, which is annoying.


Janus.

[pirogronian]

@Janus
Yesterday I fixed with some trials and errors, the blinking problem. If You used last snapshot, it should contain my fix.

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Janus

It somehow does not work on my Celestia 1.7.0 with the May 5 Update. This is the warning that comes out:

Added after 41 seconds:

@Janus
Yesterday I fixed with some trials and errors, the blinking problem. If You used last snapshot, it should contain my fix.

Good Job! Well, what's the next thing that you're going to do? Just curious

[pirogronian]

Well, what's the next thing that you're going to do? Just curious

Find out why database cannot find several stars with "HIP xxx" and "TYC xxx" names, what cause several exoplanets fails to load.

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Ahhh. So there are still some problems regarding star identity? Got it. Happy bug hunting, man
As such, does this problem affect starnames.dat as a whole?

[pirogronian]

@Lafuente_Astronomy
I think it may be related with cross index.

[Janus]

@Lafuente_Astronomy

Your issue is one of those reasons I personally dislike/{stronger words}, QT as a whole.
Error 7B is a generic mismatch designation, that provides no further details.
QT makes no naming distinctions between any files in the same series, all QT5 releases have identical names.
This holds true for all QT5.x.y releases, whether x86 or x64, all the names are the same.
QT5.10.2 may or may not work a program compiled for QT5.10.1, or any other QT5.10.y release.
There is also no way from the names or properties displayed, to tell x86 from x64.

So here is a quick recompile.
In it is QT5.10.1 in x86 & x64 both.
I also included a QT5.12.3 compile, but only in x64, since there is no x86 release for that version.

I will be working on the generic VS release, and will post it here when I get it done.
I need a break from writing what feels like a toddlers guide to grounding.

Anyway, I hope one of these works for you.


Janus.

[pirogronian]

So there are still some problems regarding star identity? Got it. Happy bug hunting, man

Thank You Already fixed. It's happy time for me

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Thank You Already fixed. It's happy time for me

That that's really a great day for you! With regards to astrodb, can starnames.dat allow identifiers other than HIP and TYC or is that still in development?

Added after 4 minutes 28 seconds:
Also, in the "New Celestia catalog data specification - request for opinion" post: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=19521&start=80, I made a suggestion for a more comprehensive and detailed Star Information list, which should only be present when one selects "Verbose" in the "Information Text" in the "View Options" part. I'll just quote it here for easier reference:

Looks great. It's specific enough to include information from other catalogs. But I'm certain Celestia's catalog will be a larger and more ambitious version of that. That being said, the way the catalog orders the information is good. But because this is Celestia, it has some fields that already measure the stars themselves. However, in light of more specific updates and new catalogs providing newer, more accurate and more specific data than ever before, I suggest that for an upgrade to Celestia's Star information text field, it should go like this:

-Universal Object Identifier Designation (If the developers will put a universal database catalog in Celestia)
-Main proper name (If it has one)
-Secondary proper names (If the star has any secondary proper names)
-Bayer Designation (If it has one)
-Flamsteed Designation (If it has one)
-GCVS Designation (If it has one, and if it's a variable star)
-Astronomical Catalog Identifiers/Designations (If the star is a member of numerous catalogs)
-Constellation which contains it
-Distance from The User
-Distance from Earth
-Estimated Age of the Star
-Absolute(Apparent) Magnitude
-Star Type
-Star Class Spectrum Type
-Star Class Color Index
-Apparent Diameter
-Surface Temperature
-Solar Radius/Diameter
-Rotation Period
-Number of Planetary Bodies
-Number of Natural Satellites and Artificial Satellites (Natural Satellites/Artificial Satellites)
-Number of Minor Planets, Asteroids, Planetoids and Comets (Minor Planets/Asteroids/Planetoids/Comets)
-Number of Other SSO (Solar System Objects)
-Right Ascension (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Declination (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Star Coordinates (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Stellar Parallax (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Proper Motion By Axes (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Proper Motion Position Angle (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Proper Motion Speed (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Mean Sidereal Time (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Apparent Sidereal Time (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Time of Rise (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Time of Transit (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Time of Set (Equatorial, Ecliptic, Azimuthal/Based on The User's Location, Galactic, Supergalactic/Universal)
-Short Description on the Star (Optional, could only be activated if "Verbose" is clicked)


I based this on some of the fields in the Database found on the Astro Nexus HYG Catalog, as well as a few specific fields from Stellarium. To the developers, you are free to include this or not. In fact, I think you guys absolutely have better judgment than me on what fields to include in the star information text field, and information text fields in general of future Celestia updates. In short, I only suggested this. The action to include all these, some of these or not is entirely up to you.

You can add some or all of them, it entirely depends on you

[pirogronian]

With regards to astrodb, can starnames.dat allow identifiers other than HIP and TYC or is that still in development?

Yes, astrodb allows for any numeric id for astronomical object. But for backward compat there are two rules:
1. Id less than 999999 is interpreted as HIP nr.
2. Id between 999999 and 0xf0000000 is interpreted as TYC nr.

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Yes, astrodb allows for any numeric id for astronomical object. But for backward compat there are two rules:
1. Id less than 999999 is interpreted as HIP nr.
2. Id between 999999 and 0xf0000000 is interpreted as TYC nr.

Alright. How about beyond 0xf0000000? Just curious

[pirogronian]

How about beyond 0xf0000000?

Really nothing except pure abstract identification of object in external cross-indexes

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

So beyond that, theoretically, I can just create any number I want? Like since 999999 is HIP limit, 1000000 would be the number beyond 0xf0000000, therefore allowing me to include Gaia Numbers? If yes, then it could be awesome! No limits to identifiers!

Added after 3 minutes 43 seconds:
So, with regards to the astrodb, will there be a new compile for download in Bintray?

[pirogronian]

@Lafuente_Astronomy
More precisely, ids beyond 0xf0000000 may be bound to Gaia numbers via cross index.

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

@Lafuente_Astronomy
More precisely, ids beyond 0xf0000000 may be bound to Gaia numbers via cross index.

That's awesome! I've always wanted to do Gaia Identifiers but the Gaia Archives are just too hard for my little and simple brain to understand. Perhaps there are members here who can understand and compile the Gaia Archives for us to utilize. After all, they have to be included for Celestia to make it keep up with the others, or perhaps surpass them

[onetwothree]

2. Id between 999999 and 0xf0000000 is interpreted as TYC nr.

Isn't it too wide?

[pirogronian]

Isn't it too wide?

Maybe. I only adopted already existing code.

[Lafuente_Astronomy]

Maybe. I only adopted already existing code.

In relation to the numbers beyond 0xf0000000, where does it start? Which number or value begins after 0xf0000000?