Hipparchus for Mac

From sofTouch APpLications:

HIPPARCHUS 5.2.1a for MacOS computers is a fully integrated S/W package for positional astronomy (not just another generic "desk top planetarium" program), an astronomical planning, observing, and research tool noted for its precision, adaptability, flexibility and ease of operation. Prepare annotated astronomical finder charts, investigate historical syzygal alignments of the planets, obtain instantaneous topocentric views of the sky, query the stellar database according to target characteristics and produce formatted reports. Create custom star charts in Mercator or polar projection of any region of the sky, at varying scales, in color or Black-and-White. Stellar positions are rigorously precessed to the equator and equinox of any date, with or without corrections for stellar proper motions. Targeted regions may be displayed or tabulated by boundary coordinates, centering on a celestial or solar system target, or on the observer's zenith. Stars may be selected based upon position, brightness, proper motions, catalog numbers, spectral type, and/or characteristics such as duplicity and variability. Interactively zoom in equatorial or horizon-view displays, or by varying field radii in a polar projections. Any or all stars may be annotated with their catalog numbers, Bayer or Flamsted designations, V-magnitudes, spectral types and luminosity classes, and indications of duplicity and variability. Constellations overlays may be applied. Messier objects may be displayed and annotated. Instantaneous positions or orbital tracks of any of the planets, Sun, Moon (drawn to scale, or designated by their symbols), minor planets, comets and artificial Earth-orbiting satellites may be indicated on any star chart or horizon- view when they fall within the selected area boundary for a specified date or range of dates. Clicking on any stellar target provides detailed catalog and instantaneous topocentric, or field centered, positional information about that object. Ephemerides of solar system targets may be computed geocentrically or topocentrically for any epoch. Topocentric phenomena such as solar eclipses, planetary transits, and lunar occultations of stars mat be examined. Planetary phenomena such as conjunctions, node crossings, oppositions, orbital extrema, perihelia, aphelia and more may be computed. The orrery display provides a view of the solar system from the north ecliptic pole. Artificial satellite ephemeris computation allows you to display and tabulate the position, visibility and ground tracks ground tracks of these objects from their Keplerian orbital elements. Ephemerides of comets and minor planets may be prepared from user supplied orbital elements, or element sets imported directly from Minor Planet Electronic Circulars. Other handy positional tools include a perpetual graphical ephemeris for the Galilean moons of Jupiter, a visual display of the lunar aspect, a real- time "world clock" with the terminator delineating day and night regions of the Earth, the sub-solar and sub-vernal equinoctial points, the demarcation of the longitude at 0h sidereal time, and the sidereal time for a specified location.