Server to query for sun/planets elevation at a given datetime?

[dotancohen]

Is there an online server that one can query with the name of an astronomical object (specifically solar system objects) and return the altitude and other observational data? I'd like to query in an automated fashion in Java or PHP is possible.

If there is no such online service, is there a database that goes out a few years that one could download?

Thanks!

 

[Janus]

Here:
http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi

 

[dotancohen]

Thanks, Janus. I see that they have a telnet interface as well. Great!

 

[mp3car]

Another one is www.heavens-above.com. You choose your location, enter a date and time, and it can give you a whole sky chart. While it doesn't give you the exact azimuth and elevation, it helps you find things pretty well. However, it does give exact azimuth/elevation of man-made objects at a given time. One neat feature they have is a way to see when iridium "flares" will be visible from your location, and how bright they will be...

 

[dotancohen]

Thanks, mp3car, but as you mentioned heavens-above does not provide what I'm looking for.