AstroGrav 3.4 Released for Windows and Mac

AstroGrav adds many new features and major enhancements to its precision solar system simulator

16th December 2016 - New features in AstroGrav 3.4 include the display of angles between objects, light-time correction of views, and the text export of a window's contents. It also has a greatly expanded range of object types, improved ephemeris generation, and the display of celestial coordinates that update continuously as a simulation evolves. Full details are available from:

New Features

New commands have been added for showing the angles between objects, taking into account the finite speed of light in simulation views, and exporting the contents of any window in a textual form that is ideal for use in text editor, word processor, or spreadsheet application. The choice of object types has been greatly expanded from 8 to 50 with the inclusion of many useful subtypes. This simplifies the process of creating simulations since appropriate choices of color, luminosity, mass, and radius are automatically inserted, saving the trouble of adding these manually. Information about individual objects can now be displayed continuously while a simulation evolves, and this includes the addition of ecliptic, equatorial, and horizontal coordinates.

Ephemeris Generation

The columns of ephemeris tables have been reorganized and simplified to make the ordering more logical, and azimuth and altitude motion have been added. The table header popups have been improved to refer to the target object by name instead of generically. The location editor and ephemeris preferences now both allow the explicit specification of a default 'home location' for the generation of ephemerides.

Other Improvements

The simulation of rubble piles has been significantly speeded up, and the mouse wheel sensitivity on view windows has been adjusted so that it is now consistent for all magnifications and fields of view. Information on background stars in solar system simulations includes the addition of Tycho designations, improved Flamsteed and Bayer designations, and it is now possible to view from background stars. There are changes to the terminology that makes AstroGrav more user-friendly, along with several enhancements to the sample simulations. There are also many other minor improvements and bug fixes.

Upgrade

The AstroGrav 3.4 update is free of charge to all AstroGrav 3 license holders. They may download and install the update immediately from:

About AstroGrav Astronomy Software

AstroGrav Astronomy Software produces astronomical and gravity simulation software for astronomers, researchers, educationalists, and students. For more information, visit the company's website:

Press Contact:
Russell Calvert
AstroGrav Astronomy Software
russcalvert@astrograv.co.uk

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