- #1
dwaynie
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Hello!
I'm trying to calculate the equation of time and the declination of the sun based on the U.S. Naval Observatory's algorithm:
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/SunApprox.php"
But not the U.S. Naval Obseravtory, or any of the astronomers I've tried to contact, has been eager to help me identify what the numbers used in this algorithm actually represent.
Maybe someone here can help?
Here's what I got so far (I'm not sure what I've already identified is correct, astronomically or spelling-wise):
This is all part of a greater attempt to write this algorithm in a high-level programming language in the simplest, most descriptive and self-explanatory way possible.
https://gist.github.com/1278755" (criticism welcome)
Many thanks!
--Dwayne
I'm trying to calculate the equation of time and the declination of the sun based on the U.S. Naval Observatory's algorithm:
http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/SunApprox.php"
But not the U.S. Naval Obseravtory, or any of the astronomers I've tried to contact, has been eager to help me identify what the numbers used in this algorithm actually represent.
Maybe someone here can help?
Here's what I got so far (I'm not sure what I've already identified is correct, astronomically or spelling-wise):
Code:
EPOCHS_JULIAN_DATE = 2451545.0
TROPICAL_YEAR_IN_DAYS = 365.2421897
EARTHS_ECCENTRICITY = 0.01671
EARTHS_ECLIPTIC_OBLIQUITY = 23.439
GEODETIC_PRECESSION = 1.915
UNLADEN_SWALLOW_IN_POUNDS = 0.020
UNKNOWN = 357.5291
UNKNOWN = 280.459
UNKNOWN = 0.98560028
UNKNOWN = 1.00014
UNKNOWN = 0.00014
UNKNOWN = 0.00000036
This is all part of a greater attempt to write this algorithm in a high-level programming language in the simplest, most descriptive and self-explanatory way possible.
https://gist.github.com/1278755" (criticism welcome)
Many thanks!
--Dwayne
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