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Version 8947
November 19, 1989
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page i
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.........................................1
INTRODUCTION.............................................2
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS....................................7
PROGRAM OPERATION........................................10
Required ASTROCLK Files...............................10
Starting Program ASTROCLK.............................12
Running Program ASTROCLK..............................13
FUNCTION KEYS AND HELP...................................18
F1 Display HELP Screens...............................18
F2 Display Target Object EPHEMERIS....................18
F3 Set Time and/or Date...............................18
Read Hardware Clock................................19
Set ALARM or INTERVAL TIMER Time...................19
F4 Toggle Clocks ON or OFF............................19
Enable Simulated Real Time.........................19
F5 Set Target Coordinates.............................20
Enter USNO Star Name or Number.....................20
Search for Nearest USNO Star.......................20
Search EXTERNAL STAR CATALOG by Name or ID.........20
Search EXTERNAL STAR CATALOG by RA and DEC.........21
Search EXTERNAL STAR CATALOG for Nearest Star......21
Manual Target Data Entry...........................21
Set Polaris Coordinates............................22
F6 Set Local Coordinates..............................23
Set Destination Coordinates........................23
Set Local Conditions...............................23
F7 Set Display Format.................................23
Change Target Display Coordinates..................24
F8 Precess Internal Star Database.....................24
F9 DOS Shell..........................................25
Execute Preset DOS Command.........................25
Execute USNO Ephemeris (ICE or FA).................25
F10 Celestial Navigation...............................26
Setting Program Options............................26
0-9 Select Display Window Mode.........................26
SETTING PROGRAM OPTIONS..................................28
Setting the DAYLIGHT FLAG.............................28
Setting the ZONE CORRECTION...........................29
Setting the COLOR FLAG................................29
Setting the ICE/FA FLAG...............................30
Setting the CALENDAR FLAG.............................30
Setting the FILE NAMES and PATHS......................31
Setting the PRESET DOS COMMAND........................33
SETTING LOCAL/UT/TDT TIME AND DATE.......................34
Setting the LOCAL/UT/TDT Time.........................36
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
November, 1989
INTRODUCTION
HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
8825 8826A
MODEL CLOCK CPU COPRO TIME TIME** SI
---------------------------------------------------------
Z-386 16.00 80386 ----- 0.88 0.07
Z-248 8.00 80286 80287 0.38* 9.0
Z-248 8.00 80286 80287 0.27 0.015 9.0
Z-248 8.00 80286 ----- 1.65 9.0
Z-183 4.77 80C88 ----- 9.35 0.87 1.0
Z-183 8.00 80C88 ----- 6.59 0.60 1.6
Z-151 4.77 V-20 8087 0.60 0.03 1.8
Z-148 4.77 8088 ----- 9.35 0.85 1.0
Z-148 8.00 8088 ----- 5.48 0.51 1.7
PROGRAM OPERATION
bc astroclk/e/x/o/t/c:512;
bc astrosb1/o/t/c:512;
bc astrosb2/o/t/c:512;
bc astrosb3/o/t/c:512;
link /ex astroclk+astrosb1+astrosb2+astrosb3,astroclk.exe;
Note that the compile and link commands may be particular to the
versions of BC and LINK being used, Version 4.50 and Version 3.69
respectively in this case. See A BRIEF EDITORIAL near the end of
this document for information on how to obtain the most recent
version of all ASTROCLK files.
Users who require minimum size run files because of memory
constraints may choose to compile and link ASTROCLK to use
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 12
followed by RETURN (or ENTER, which I will call RETURN) and the
program will begin execution. The descriptions and examples in
this documentation assume you are using a color monitor; if you
are using a monochrome monitor, ignore all references to colors.
However, all users should note that negative years, described as
RED in this documentation, will BLINK in the program's date
windows when the "/M" option is used or when either of the single
color program modes is set; the UTC Julian Date window, of
course, will show the correct number for all dates.
Using one of the command line color options forces the
program to that color mode immediately and overrides any prior
color mode. When a color option is NOT used, ASTROCLK will
initially display its signon screen in full color (for color
monitors); using the "/R" or "/G" color option will use the
selected color for the signon screen as well as all subsequent
operations. This is particularly useful with the RED option to
protect night vision when alternating between ASTROCLK and other
programs. ASTROCLK may also be switched between the monochrome,
color, red, and green modes during execution using Function Key
ALT-F10. See the section SETTING PROGRAM OPTIONS for further
information.
As initially configured, ASTROCLK assumes that the all data
files are in the current drive and directory. If this is not the
case, you may include the drive and path for the various ASTROCLK
data files using the following command pattern (note space after
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 13
ASTROCLK):
ASTROCLK [drive:][\path][coloroption]
ASTROCLK B:\ASTROCLK/M
********************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
********************
Once ASTROCLK has been executed the first time, the drive
and path information are saved in the program initialization
file ASTROCLK.INI. Thereafter, ASTROCLK uses the information
in ASTROCLK.INI and overrides any drive or path specification
entered on the command line. However, the command line color
options (/M, /R, or /G), if present, will take precedence over
the previous color saved in the file. Use Function Key ALT-F10 to
change the drive and/or subdirectory from within ASTROCLK, or
delete file ASTROCLK.INI at the DOS prompt to start over. See the
section SETTING PROGRAM OPTIONS for additional information.
* * * * *
80386, and laptop computers), you may use ALT-F3 to set the
system clock from the internal hardware clock. If the program to
read your hardware clock has a different name, create a batch
file named RTCLOCK.BAT which includes the required command(s),
make sure it can be located via the PATH command, and then you
may use ALT-F3 to update the software clock.
For example, my Zenith Z-151 includes a special (non-Zenith)
hardware clock which requires a program called RDCLOCK to set the
software clock from the hardware clock. I reset the software
clock using the following command in a batch file called
RTCLOCK.BAT:
RDCLOCK >NUL
This reads the hardware clock, sets the software clock, and sends
its screen output to the "bit bucket" (throws it away to a
special DOS device called "NUL") so that it does not disturb my
ASTROCLK display.
I have also noticed that for some systems the software clock
is not set properly when the system boots but is slow by some
five or ten seconds. This may be a peculiarity of the Zenith MS-
DOS 3.2x software being used on the system in question, but
apparently the computer reads the hardware clock at some point
during the boot process, then does something which suspends the
clock before it turns the system over to me. I have solved the
problem by inserting the RTCLOCK command near the end of my
AUTOEXEC.BAT file. Now the software clock is set again after all
of the odds and ends have been gotten out of the way.
If you do not have a program which reads your hardware clock,
or if you do not have a hardware clock, you can exit temporarily
back to DOS using Function Key F9 to set or reset the time and/or
date with the DOS TIME and DATE commands. Then enter EXIT to
return to ASTROCLK.
It is also possible to "fool" ASTROCLK by setting the DOS
system clock to any desired date and time. However, because of an
internal DOS software limitation, the DOS clock may only be set
for years from 1980 through 2199; in general, I recommend that
you use ASTROCLK's SIMULATION mode of operation for non-current
dates.
*************
* CAUTION *
*************
Beginning with DOS Version 3.3, the DOS DATE and TIME
commands may set BOTH the software AND the hardware
clocks for most AT-class and 386-class computers as
well as some others. Therefore, do NOT use the DOS DATE
and TIME commands with DOS Version 3.3 and higher if
you wish to preserve the setting of the hardware clock.
* * * * *
fragment. C'est usage commun ici aux Etats Unis. Domage, mais il
faut que les Americains utilizent les dats comme les Europeennes
(jour, mois, ans). C'est dificile pour tous le monde! [Traduction
grace a Dictionnaire Larousse, moins les accents.]
* * * * *
Function Key F1 gives quick help for the function keys, but
should not be considered a substitute for this documentation.
Using Function Key F7, the information displayed on the
Target Tracking Display at the left of the screen can be switched
between several formats including whole units (hours or degrees
as the case may be) plus decimal units, or a more conventional
display (hours, minutes, seconds or degrees, minutes, seconds).
Pressing ALT-F7 will change the Target Tracking Display
coordinates from Right Ascension (hours) to Sidereal Hour Angle
(degrees) and Hour Angle (hours) to Greenwich Hour Angle
(degrees), forms preferred by navigators.
With the exception of the Julian Date (which is displayed to
six decimal places), the running clocks are displayed to the
nearest second. Other data are displayed to 0.000001 degrees or
hours, 0.0001 minutes of time or arc, or to 0.01 seconds of time
or arc, depending upon the display format selected with Function
Key F7. The Precision Time Display (Display Mode 8) gives various
time information to a precision (and approximate accuracy) of
0.0001 seconds. Most internal calculations are made in
QuickBASIC's DOUBLE PRECISION data format to yield maximum
accuracy and precision, but not all data are necessarily accurate
to the precision displayed. See the section PRECISION AND
ACCURACY TESTS for additional information.
When the clocks are ON, ASTROCLK checks the system time and
attempts to begin a new set of calculations each second. Since
these calculations tend to be complex and time consuming, some
slower computers may not finish the task within the allotted
time. My Zenith Z-183 laptop, running at 8 MHz but with no math
coprocessor, skips every third or fourth second when operating in
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 17
the Target Tracking Mode and the Precision Time and Data
Displays. This does not affect the accuracy of the displayed
data, only the frequency with which it is updated. For
comparison, my old Zenith Z-151 running at 4.77 MHz but with an
8087 math coprocessor, manages to keep up just fine. Regardless
of the computer type, a math coprocessor will substantially
decrease computation times. See the performance comparisons in
the section HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS. Version 4.50 of Microsoft's
QuickBASIC, the programming language used for ASTROCLK,
automatically senses the presence of a math coprocessor and uses
it if it is available.
To exit ASTROCLK, press ESC and you will return to the DOS
prompt. ASTROCLK always rewrites the file ASTROCLK.INI prior to
exit in order to reflect the current coordinates, flags, display
modes and other information. Each time ASTROCLK is started it
checks for file ASTROCLK.INI and reads its contents if present.
If you change the coordinates, the new coordinates will be used
the next time you run ASTROCLK.
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 18
F7 Set DISPLAY FORMAT for the main display window and Local
Coordinates window. When the program is started, all
angles and times on the main display window (other than
large character times) and in the Local Coordinates
window are shown in Degrees/Hours-Minutes-Seconds
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 24
ANGLES TIMES
------------ -----------
DDD MM SS.SS HH:MM:SS.SS
DDD MM.MMMM HH:MM.MMMM
DDD.DDDDDD HH.HHHHHH
0-9 Select Display Window Mode. The system starts out with
LOCAL STANDARD/DAYLIGHT TIME displayed in large
characters. In the United States, the correct time zone
name (i.e. "PACIFIC") replaces the word "LOCAL". Press
the number key associated with each display mode to
change to that mode. (Use the numbers at the top of the
keyboard rather than the number keys on the keypad at
the right unless NUMLOCK is ON.) The available numeric
modes and alphabetic commands are:
A Alarm Countdown *
S Start/Stop Interval Timer *
T Interval Timer *
Z Stop and Reset Interval Timer *
the ZONE CORRECTION (see the following item) for that purpose.
You may, if you prefer, leave your computer clock always set to
local STANDARD time and the DAYLIGHT FLAG always off. However,
you may NOT set your computer clock to UTC (unless you are in
that time zone); set the computer clock correctly and use display
mode 2 to view UTC instead.
a modern date with the CLOCKS OFF will leave the Julian Date
unchanged but will change the calendar date to a new value,
correct for the strict Julian Calendar. However, if the clocks
are ON, they will automatically be set to OFF and a warning
message will be displayed. If you wish to use the program with
the Julian Calendar and the clocks running, use the SIMULATION
mode.
There is a different file for each year for the USNO Floppy
Almanac. All files required by ICE or FA must be located in the
same directory as the .EXE file. A common drive and path may be
specified in the command line when starting ASTROCLK for the
first time.
********************
* IMPORTANT NOTE *
********************
Once ASTROCLK has been executed the first time, the drive
and path information are saved in the program initialization
file ASTROCLK.INI. Thereafter, ASTROCLK uses the information
in ASTROCLK.INI and overrides any drive or path specification
entered on the command line. You may use ALT-F10 and then F6 to
change the drive and/or subdirectory from within ASTROCLK, or you
may delete file ASTROCLK.INI at the DOS prompt to start over.
* * * * *
ASTROCLK C:\ASTROCLK
Press F9 to select this option and then enter the desired command
or the name of the batch file (without the .BAT portion of the
file name) which you wish to be executed. Press RETURN by itself
to clear the preset DOS command. NOTE: If you select this option
by mistake, you must re-enter the desired DOS command or it will
be cleared.
Once the desired DOS command has been entered, return to
ASTROCLK and test the command by pressing SHIFT-F9. Bear in mind
that very large programs may require more memory than is
available under the SHELL used by ASTROCLK to execute DOS
programs. Further, using TSR (Terminate and Stay Resident)
programs may leave insufficient memory to use this feature or may
cause programs to operate unpredictably.
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 34
windows with those in the Precision Time Display #1. Except for
some items in the Precision Time Displays, this additional
precision is usually not significant. See the section PRECISION
AND ACCURACY TESTS for additional comments.
HH Hours
HH.HHHHHH Hours + fractional hours
HH:MM Hours:Minutes
HH:MM.MMMM Hours:Minutes + frac mins
HH:MM:SS Hours:Minutes:Seconds
HH:MM:SS.SS Hours:Minutes:Seconds + frac
DD,MM,YYYY
DD.DDD,MM,YYYY
The first format specifies the date to be used with the existing
or just input time; unless the letter "U" or "T" has been
appended to the time input (see below), the date is the LOCAL
date. The second format, containing a fractional day (including
"." alone or ".0") specifies a UT date with the time implicit to
allow the astronomical convention where dates are often given in
the form "1988 JAN 1.5"; this would be entered as "1.5,1,1988".
The time input is ignored with this format (press RETURN). The
fractional part may have as many digits as desired, but more than
about six digits usually are not significant.
It is sometimes convenient to set the time and date using
UT (=UT1) data. This avoids having to make the conversions
mentally. If you add the letter "U" at the end of the time or
date entry, ASTROCLK will perform the appropriate time or date
conversions automatically, based upon the current settings of the
DAYLIGHT FLAG and ZONE CORRECTION. If you add "U" to your time
input to enter UT time, ASTROCLK assumes that you are also
entering UT date. If you enter a fractional part of a day as part
of the date input, the time input is ignored and UT date is
assumed (see the preceeding paragraph).
As an example, to set the time and date to 9:44:30 UT on
November 13, 1978, use the following entries:
The date input routine will also permit the entry of the
Julian Date (JD), Dublin Julian Date (DJD), Modified Julian Date
(MJD), Truncated Julian Date (TJD), or Greenwich Sidereal Date
(GSD) by prefixing the date with the appropriate two or three
letters followed by the desired date. Whenever letters are used,
they may be input in upper or lower case. Note that when an
integer GSD is entered (no fraction to the right of the decimal
point), the resulting UT time is the Greenwich Transit of the
Mean Equinox at 0h GMST for that date. The following formats are
available:
+3 Current JD + 3 days
-10 Current JD - 10 days
+1.5 Current JD + 1.5 days
# Current JD @ 00:00:00 UT
* Current JD
When these special forms of date input are used, you may
press RETURN in response to the time prompt since UT time is
implicit in the date format; any time that is input will be
overridden and the implicit time associated with the date used
instead. All of these date formats are calculated in Display Mode
7, Julian Date Information, and that display may be used to
easily convert dates from one format to another; while in Display
Mode 7, use F3 to enter the date in one format and read the
desired conversion on the screen. For example, the following date
entries are equivalent to July 2, 1988 at 03:00:00 UT to within a
few seconds:
JD2447344.625
DJD32324.625
MJD47344.125
TJD7344.125
GSD2454045.903811
J1988.5
B1988.501032
When using SHIFT-F6, the display is the same except that the
title includes the word DESTINATION instead of LOCAL and you may
also enter the name as "*" to set the DESTINATION coordinates to
the current LOCAL coordinates. The file name shown in the example
is the standard city file supplied with ASTROCLK.
Using file ASTROCLK.CTY, you may automatically enter the
data for any of the cities included in that file. Other "city
files" may be available or may be created as required. Enter the
name or first part of the name of the desired city. Only letters
sufficient to unambiguously select the city are required, either
upper or lower case may be used, and spaces are significant. For
example, "k" is sufficient for "Kansas City" since there is
currently only one city beginning with the letter K, but "san f"
is required to distinguish "San Francisco" from "San Antonio",
"San Diego", etc. The search stops at the first match, so "san"
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 40
would first match "San Antonio" and you would have to press the
space bar several times before you reached "San Francisco".
Alternatively, you may prefix the name you enter with the
"/" character (without the quotation marks) and ASTROCLK will
attempt to match your input anywhere within the file's city
names. For example, a special navigation city file of VOR's,
USWEST.VOR, includes the three letter code designation for each
VOR in addition to the full name; the code for the Los Angeles
VOR is "LAX". To select Los Angeles by the code designation, you
may enter "/lax" (again without the quotation marks and in either
upper or lower case). Using this method with too short or simple
a designation may find many qualifying matches.
For each qualifying match found, ASTROCLK presents the data
read from the file and awaits your choice: press RETURN to ACCEPT
the data shown, or press the SPACE BAR to look for the next
match. If in doubt, consult the list below or print the file
ASTROCLK.CTY to obtain the current list of cities. ASTROCLK.CTY
is an ASCII file and may be edited to modify the data; use non-
document mode and observe the comma-delimited format when making
additions or changes.
Three geographical locations are "hard coded" (for my own
personal convenience) and may be selected by entering the
following abbreviations for the local name (upper or lower case):
Elevation: 0 meters/feet
Temperature: 20 degrees Centigrade
68 degrees Farenheit
Pressure: 1010 millibars
29.83 inches of Mercury
For each item, press RETURN to leave that item unchanged or enter
the new information. Elevation assumes the entry in meters unless
you add the letter "F" to specify FEET, Pressure assumes degrees
Centigrage unless you add the letter "F" to specify degrees
Farenheit, and Pressure assumes millibars unless you enter a
number less than 32.00 or add the letters "IN". Note that in the
United States and for air traffic control, pressures are often
given in hundreths of an inch, as in "2983"; this must be entered
as "29.83".
When all three items have been entered or accepted as is,
the following prompt will appear:
DUAL-TIME DISPLAYS
NOTE: The PgUp and PgDn keys are only active when the
interval timer is displayed in the main display window
using the "T" command.
HA = LMST - RA
SHA = 360 - RA * 15
ANGLES TIME
------------ -----------
DDD MM SS.SS HH:MM:SS.SS
DDD MM.MMMM HH:MM.MMMM
DDD.DDDDDD HH.HHHHHH
The default units for the interval are DAYS; simply enter
the number of days between steps and press RETURN. If you wish
other units, 365-day years, hours, or minutes, add the letter Y,
H, or M (upper or lower case) respectively following the number.
NOTES: For the period 1958 through 1971, A.1 USNO Atomic Time
will be shown in place of TAI International Time. Prior to 1984,
ET Ephemeris Time will be shown in place of TDT Terrestrial
Dynamical Time.
PLANET SELECTION
----------------
Once the initial selection has been made or at any time from
another display mode, pressing "P" will allow you to select a
planet or minor planet and will automatically select Display Mode
9 unless you are in the Tracking Display, Display Mode 0. While
displaying planetary data in Display Mode 9, pressing the UP
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 61
arrow will cycle through the planets (but not the minor planets!)
moving outward from the Sun and pressing the DOWN arrow will
cycle through the planets moving inward toward the Sun.
The position of the selected planet is calculated in several
stages using the current time. First, current position data for
the Sun are calculated (as in the Precision Data Display), then
the orbital elements for all planets are determined for the
instant of interest. Next, the heliocentric (Sun-centered) and
geocentric (Earth-centered) ecliptic coordinates for the
requested planet are found and corrected for perturbations of the
other planets. Finally, the geocentric ecliptic coordinates are
converted to equatorial coordinates, the more familiar Right
Ascension and Declination. All data to this point are calculated
for the mean equinox of date, which appears as the Julian Epoch
at the right side of the window border for Display Mode 9 in the
form "[J1988.9]".
The internal star database is always referenced to a
particular epoch; the current star database epoch is always shown
in Display Mode 0. The default star database epoch is J2000.0 and
it may be changed using Function Key F8. For consistency,
therefore, the planetary equatorial coordinates are also
automatically precessed to the current star database epoch and
then preset as the current target for use in Display Mode 0, the
Tracking Display. Therefore, having determined the current
coordinates for the selected planet, the user may change to the
Tracking Display and monitor the planet's position in equatorial
and horizon (observer) coordinates. Selecting a planet from the
Tracking Display directly by pressing "P" bypasses the Planetary
Data Display and shows the tracking data immediately.
Once a planet has been selected by using "P" or Display Mode
9, the data is always available to the Tracking Display UNLESS
you select a star or other celestial object for display in the
meantime. If you have selected a star for display, you must again
select a planet with "P" before its data will be shown in the
Tracking Display.
Because of the additional computational delays for the
"average" micro-computer when processing a planet's equatorial
coordinates in the Tracking Display, Display Mode 0, the user may
notice a significant "slow down" in the Tracking Display as
compared to the performance when a star or other fixed celestial
object is being tracked. The additional calculations related to
planetary position are only performed when a planet is selected
for display.
Two display screens are available for the selected planet in
Display Mode 9: Planetary Data (default) and Orbital Data.
Pressing the PgUp, PgDn, or "9" keys will switch between the two
displays. The sample displays shown below were taken for MARS at
00:00 UT on 8 November 1988 and ASTROCLK's star epoch was
J2000.0. As with other ASTROCLK data, the reader is reminded that
the accuracy of the data is not necessarily as good as the
precision displayed; this is particularly true of the planetary
data, given the complexity of the calculations. See the section
PRECISION AND ACCURACY TESTS for additional discussion.
Because of the differences among printers, the degree symbol
(which appears on the displays) has been deleted from all sample
ASTROCLK Astronomical Clock and Celestial Tracking Program Page 62
displays, and the symbols omega and theta zero have been deleted
for the Longitude of the Ascending Node and the Angular Diameter
at 1 AU, respectively, in the Orbital Display.
P4 MARS (Automatic)
---------------------
Pressing "9" will display the orbital data. (NOTE: The pi and
omega symbols associated with Longitude of the Perihelion and
Longitude of the Ascending Node, as well as the degree symbol,
have been omitted from this text but appear on the display.)
Pressing "0" will select the Tracking Display, as usual, and the
data for the minor planet will have been automatically
transferred as with the major planets. The tracking data display
corresponding to the minor planet VICTORIA indicates the usual
data with the prefix "MP #nn", where "nn" is the Minor Planet
Number as read from the Minor Planet Catalog. A parenthetical
reminder that the data originated with the Minor Planet Catalog
is included. The following sample illustrates the data presented:
Object Name
Ecliptic Epoch
Elements Date (D,M,Y)
M Mean Anomaly
w Argument of Perihelion
Long of Ascending Node
i Inclination
e Eccentricity
a Semi-Major Axis
B Std Blue Mag @ 1AU
elements". To these are added the ecliptic date of the data (to
determine the coordinate system used) and the date of the
parameters. Since this function is patterned after the minor
planet function, the standard blue photographic magnitude
measured at one Astronomical Unit is also requested.
Each item shown in the list above will be requested in turn.
The Object Name may be entered in upper or lower case letters but
will be converted to all upper case letters by ASTROCLK. For most
minor planets and similar bodies, the Ecliptic Epoch is B1950;
enter the epoch as either Besselian or Julian, designated by the
letter prefix "B" or "J" (upper or lower case) respectively,
followed by the full epoch year and optional decimal fraction
(e.g. B1950.0). The Elements Date is the date for which the
orbital parameters are accurate; enter as day-month-year or by
any of the other date formats used with Function Key F3;
regardless of the input format used (calendar date, julian date,
epoch, etc.), ASTROCLK will convert the information to standard
calendar date. The position of an orbiting body may generally be
calculated for dates within a few months of the date of the
orbital parameters and still retain reasonable accuracy.
Once all of the orbital parameters and other data have been
entered, they will be displayed again, as interpreted by
ASTROCLK, along with the following message:
If the data are correct, press RETURN; if not, press the SPACE
BAR and the data will be discarded. Operation from this point is
identical with normal minor planet selection above.
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