AstroGrav 4.2 Released for Windows and Mac

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

21st August 2020 - AstroGrav 4.2 includes a completely redesigned object editor that provides numerous improvements when compared to its predecessor. Options for importing asteroids into solar system simulations have been upgraded, and enhancements to the accuracy and performance of simulation evolution are among the many other improvements in this version. Full details are available from:

Editing Objects

The new object editor is smaller, easier to understand, and easier to use, with the units of fields changed from labels to popup menus so that units can now be adjusted while editing fields. The absolute magnitude of an asteroid or comet can be specified in a solar system simulation, with this being used to automatically calculate an appropriate mass and radius. Other fields that have been added include pericenter distance, descending node, and pericenter / perihelion time. There's also the choice a choice of reference frames to use when adding an object in orbit around the Earth, which is very useful when adding artificial satellites to a simulation. Finally, there's also the opportunity to specify the epoch at which a new object is to be added.

Other Improvements

A 'Lowell Asteroids' option has been added to the object importer, which gives access to about 1,000,000 asteroids in the Lowell Asteroid Orbital Elements Database. There are several improvements to the accuracy of simulation evolution, with the handling of general relativity being much improved, and the oblateness of solar system planets being taken into consideration, which dramatically improves the accuracy of the simulation of the major planets' inner moons. There are improvements to ephemeris generation, and a new 'Barycentric Dynamical Time' (TDB) unit has been added to the date units. 'Light-Time Correction' labels have been changed to 'Planetary Aberration' labels to reflect the fact that stellar aberration and diurnal aberration are taken into account in addition to light-time correction. Background stars are now adjusted for stellar aberration and diurnal aberration - something that was missing from earlier versions, resulting in errors in positions of up to 21 arcseconds. Many other improvements and bug fixes complete this major upgrade.

Upgrade

The AstroGrav 4.2 update is free of charge to all AstroGrav 4 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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