Visual
SAT-Flare Tracker 3D
1.0 MENU DRAW
This menu contains several controls that can be used to select the objects to be plotted and some draw options.The menu is composed by the
following items:
- Run Time
- Auto Fine Plot
- 2D Rendering
- Mark Cities
- Sun Light
- Draw Sky
- Globe Grid
- Solid Globe
- Local Visibility Circle
- Satellite Visibility Circle
- Aries Line
- Astronomical Details
- Orbit Details
- Show Satellite Names
- Hide Countries
- Hide Earth
- Use Thin Lines
- Toggle Sky/Earth
1.1 Run Time
By
checking this item, the time will be increased automatically as in a
real clock. However, this does not mean that the program time (simulated time) will
correspond to the computer clock, since a time offset can also be set
by means of the Time Control frame in the control panel: to obtain a real-time simulation the Run Time
function has to be enabled and the time offset has to be cleared by
clicking on the "0" button of the Time Control Frame. Please see the Time Control frame help for more details on time management.
1.2 Auto Fine Plot
By checking this item more
segments will be automatically used to plot the selected objects. This
will produce a more accurate graphical representation, however, a
longer time will be required. The country borders are plotted only
when this function is active.
1.3 2D Rendering
By
checking this item all the selected objects will be plotted by using a
2D representation. This mode allows the user to see the whole globe by
means a single view.
1.4 Mark Cities
By
checking this item the cities that have been previously selected will
be highlighted on the globe. The number of plotted cities may depend on
the zoom factor. Please see the Cities menu in the Settings menu bar entry for more details about the city selection and management.
1.5 Sun Light
By
checking this item the program will show the sun light in order to
highlight the sun-lit objects from the earth-shadowed objects. This
function is necessary to highlight visible satellites.
1.6 Draw Sky
By
checking this item the program can show the celestial objects, such as
the stars, the constellations, and the satellite position in the sky.
Individual controls in the Sky
menu bar item will define which celestial objects have to be actually
represented. By clearing this option, all the celestial objects will be
hidden (the satellite orbit around the globe is not considered a
celestial object).
1.7 Globe Grid
By
checking this item a grid will be plotted on the earth globe.
1.8 Solid Globe
By
checking this item a color filling will be used to highlight the Earth soil from the seas.
1.9 Local Visibility Circle
By
checking this item two circles will be plotted centered on the observer
site. With respect to the working satellite, the smaller circle will
represent the 10-degree visibility circle, while the bigger circle the
0-degrees visibility circle. When the perpendicular projection of the
satellite position hits the smaller circle, the satellite can be seen
exactly at 10-degrees of elevation above the observer horizon. When the
perpendicular projection of the satellite position falls outside the
bigger circle, the satellite is under the observer horizon.
1.10 Satellite Visibility Circle
By
checking this item a circle will be plotted centered on the
perpendicular projection of the satellite position. Such a circle
corresponds to the 5-degrees visibility circle: an observer located on
the circle can see the satellite exactly 5 degrees above the horizon.
The visibility circle will be plotted for all the satellites whose plot orbit flag is active. Please see the Manage Satellite List menu in the Satellites menu bar item for more details on the satellite flag management.
1.11 Aries Line
By
checking this item a line will be plotted from the globe along the
celestial point of coordinates DEC 0, RA 0. This line can be useful to
highlight the right ascension of the ascending node of an orbit.
1.12 Astronomical Details
By
checking this item the coordinates of Sun and Moon will be printed in the main graphical Work Window.
1.13 Orbit Details
By
checking this item a few details on the working satellite orbit will be printed in the main graphical Work Window.
1.14 Show Satellite Names
By
checking this item the name of the satellites will be printed, when available, next to the satellite representation.
1.15 Hide Countries
By
checking this item no soil neither countries will be plotted on the
globe. This can be useful to obtain a generic representaion of the
earth globe that does not carry any particular longitude.
1.16 Hide Earth
By
checking this item the earth globe along with its orbiting satellites
will be hidden. This function is useful when the user wants to see only
the celestial objects.
1.17 Use Thin Lines
By
checking this item thin lines and small fonts will be employed to draw the graphical Work Window.
1.18 Toggle Sky/Earth
By clicking on this item, the Draw Sky and the Hide Earth
options will be toggled each other in order to switch from the Earth
globe to the celestial objects and vice-versa. This function is useful
to quickly switch from the Earth view to the Sky view (since the switch is often necessary, the [Q] key short-cut has been created).
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By
Simone Corbellini
