History part 2 of the HNSKY planetarium program.
2002-8-24 : HNSKY 2.1.4d (950 Kbytes) Increased adjustable star boldness range with factor 2.
2002-8-23 : HNSKY 2.1.4c (950 Kbytes) For FITS images improved square pixels (rotated). Looks much better.
2002-8-22 : Excel table for some people interested in changing the equinox of databases: Equinox routine in Excel implemented in visual basic using the rigorous method, so the accuracy around the poles is optimum.
2002-8-21 : HNSKY 2.1.4b (950 Kbytes) Tiny correction. Asteroid magnitude calculation is updated after closing the editor.
2002-8-19 : Update in the Korean language module.
2002-8-11 : HNSKY 2.1.4a (950 Kbytes) improvement in asteroid magnitude calculation. Large asteroid file containing 43000 asteroids/minor planets for year 2002.
2002-8-11 : Conversion skym_hns.zip version 1ß4. Corrections
2002-8-7 : Conversion skym_hns.zip utility for Skymap asteroid file to HNSKY format, experimental. Polish language module corrected.
2002-8-2 : New Polish language module. See non-engl.htm .
2002-7-28 : HNSKY to ASCOM interface Allows use of the standard ASCOM telescope drivers for LX200, LX200 GPS Autostar, ACL based telescopes, Astro-Physics GTO mount, Nexstar 5,8,11 GPS, 114GT, Ultima 2000, Skysensor 2000-PC and TheSky-controlled telescopes . Supplementary program HNS_ASCOM.EXE using the DDE interface. Size 180 Kbytes inclusive source code, version 0.2 dated 2002-7-28. You have to download and install the program from ASCOM too (7.2 mbytes).
2002-7-20 : Increased number of hand made drawings as FITS file to 45.
2002-7-13 : Update for M24 position in database and FITS images.
2002-7-12 : For new users only, new basic package HNSKY214.EXE (4 Mbytes) using the modern installation program Inno. Contains SAO star database and deepsky databases.
2002-7-8 : After searching for a way to implement a Moon map in HNSKY, I found the following MOON MAP (1000x1000 pixels JPEG file, 550 Kbytes), excellent painting by Don Davis for viewing, printing and so on. One of the best Moon overviews available. I did some experiences with implementing a Moon map in HNSKY but the quality is always lower then a fixed size image, so for the time being I have given up.
2002-7-7 : Korean language module and help file. See non-engl.htm .
2002-6-26 : Second set of hand made drawings as FITS file bringing total at 16 pieces,
2002-6-16: Oooeps, the LEDA supplement was damaged at my computer ! Now corrected. The original file unpacked should be about 4.4 Mbytes and contain 71357 lines. If not download this one HNS_LEDA.ZIP (1.5 Mbytes). Updated two hints of the the non-English modules for the new deepsky database.
2002-6-14: Corrected some open cluster FITS images. See hfits1.zip
2002-6-13: Uploaded again HNS_LEDA.ZIP. Also some correction in the new hnsky deepsky (HNS_SAC1..3.DAT) database. Still corrections for Messier possible. See erratta.htm
2002-6-11: Finally the new version HNSKY 2.1.4 (950 Kbytes) for the updated deepsky database format. Introduced a new type IV deepsky database HNSKYD4.ZIP containing HNS_SAC1, 2 and 3.DAT database with 25.500 objects instead of the normal 10.000. Also the database format has changed, so this new deepsky database works only with this version 2.1.4. Numerical accuracy is now much better. The database is based on SAC72, Wolfgang Steinicke's REV_IC and Leda. Till magnitude 15.5. GX>=1 arcmin. Old deep sky databases are supported for some time as long "type III" is in the first line. Also introduced a HNS_LEDA.ZIP supplement with 71000 galaxies extraxted from the Leda database.
2002-6-4 : HNS_FITS 1.01a On some computers/Windows versions a part of the large image was lost. Fixed.
2002-5-31 : First set of drawings as FITS file, made by Todd Nowlan. (7 pieces.)
2002-5-26 : Added Chinese star supplement. See non-engl.htm
2002-5-18 : HNSKY 2.1.3e Changed the color of the "found marker telrads". Removed // by / in RC3 supplement.
2002-5-10 : HNS_FITS version 1.0.1. The two reference stars are now marked and the North pointer is now updated after the WCS calculation.
2002-5-9 : HNSKY 2.1.3d Made the found markers "telrad" and "object name" resident. So you can print now maps with up to 12 telrads.
2002-5-7 : New Portuguese and Hungarian language module. Small update in German one. See non-engl.htm . Updated Milkyway supplement for new supplement standard of 2.1.3. So colours are now again medium and faint deepsky.
2002-5-3 : Fixed a bug in the copy to clipboard function. See HNSKY 2.1.3b After second copy and paste, a message occured "clipboard not available". Fixed.
Secondly Comet 96P/Machholz 1 caused a floating point error in the year 1960. Error is now ignored and displayed in the status bar when stars are switched off.
2002-5-2 : Introduced German translation of constallation names. See non-engl.htm
2002-4-26 : Small improvement in the lx200.exe program (Version 1.00b ). Added the # sign in the beginning of the instructions to the LX200, which should solve problems some users have. Updated the German language module. You will need HNSKY 2.1.3a since one text window was longer then foreseen.
2002-4-22 : Small correction in hns_real.zip Resizing FITS windows after sampling change works now better.
2002-4-17 : Update most non-English modules with two additions.
2002-4-15 : Release HNSKY 2.1.3 Fixed a major accuracy problem with eclipses. Accuracy should be better now. Added the possibility to add an "user-defined-horizon". See attached supplement example hns_hori.sup. More flexibility in color selection. Now you can set the colors of inner, outer planets and moons different then stars. Introduced azimuth grid lines and modified the minimum size of planets for wide field views to get same impression as bright stars.
Added a short article about averted vision in the hns_deep.zip v3.2.1 file.
The LX200 program version 1.0 is re-issued instead of version 1.1. As soon my LX200 is again back, more testing will be done.
Languages modules should be upgraded by downloading the latest versions, type 2131.
2002-3-23 : HNS_FITS 1.0b Fixed a bug resulting in a major error when using small fonts in Windows 95 98.
2002-3-22 : French and Chinese language module.
2002-3-19 : HNS_FITS 1.0 Final version. Fixed a major bug of version 0.99
2002-3-9 : HNSKY 2.1.2c Small improvement for a better interpretation of comet files from http://cfa-www.harvard.edu
Secondly updated comet file for bright comet C/2002 C1 (Ikeya-Zhang)
2002-3-5 : Third party support. Fully translated Catalan help file, thanks to Xavier Peña i Antoni Clavell. Great job.
2002-3-4 : HNSKY 2.1.2b Improved night vision colors for the two FITS trackbars. I missed it while my telescope is already 7 months away for repair. Secondly hns_fits.zip, corrected an DEC sign problem for stars with a negative declination.
2002-3-3 : Updated the HNSKY.HLP file for the new features. 1) Projection method, 2) Saving and loading program status, and new 3) Non-English, The help source hnsky.tpc file is available at www.hnsky/hnsky_h.zip
2002-3-1 : HNSKY 2.1.2 New version with the "AZIMUTHAL EQUIDISTANT PROJECTION" method. Hope you like it. I had to modify a lot in the very heart of the program to make this happen. So it is possible I have missed something, so please report any abnormalities. Download the latest language module if your using a non-English version.
2002-2-23 : Recompiled version 2.1.1 so the hint of the font button is now on. Uploaded Romanian module.
2002-2-16 : HNSKY Final version 2.1.1 with seperate Italian, Spanish, Russian, German and Czech versions. See non-engl.htm
2002-2-14 : Supplement Bright quasars and BL Lacertae objects compiled of list from Wolfgang Steinicke webpage (02-2-14) by Graham Furstenberg
2002-2-11 : HNSKY v 2.1.0.o. Version 15, new color routine for displaying FITS. Now white FITS on blue background possible. Based on a idea (Alpha blending) of Leandro Rios.
2002-2-5 : Small change HNSKY v 2.1.0k. Fixed rise time of the moon if close to 23:59 hours.
2002-1-26 : HNS_DEEP.HLP 3.2.0. Added latest files of Steve Gottlieb for NGC5500 till NGC6500. 200 Kbytes more object info.. Update in , Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Russian, German and Czech versions. See non-engl.htm
2002-1-13 :
- HNS_REAL Final version 1.0.0. Added info "bandpass" and fixed a program crash problem.
- HNSKY 2.1.0f Improvement for repaint of the screen for FITS images. Small correction for hotkeys N,S,E, W with respect the North-up option.
2001-12-28 : Added fits supplement containing large and small magellanic cloud. Also updated the size and orientation of the large megellanic cloud (LMC) in the deepsky databases
2001-12-22 :Important: For HNSKY 2.1.0a or later, download the version II (5 mbytes) of the deepsky FITS files. (FITS files created 2002-12-22). Otherwise they will be about on image pixel shifted. There was a double but partly compensating error in the first versions. About one pixel in the FITS files and one pixel in HNSKY. The Fits files had 0.5 pixel shift to the WEST and 1 pixel to the North. HNSKY had 1 to the East and 1 to the South so total effext was only 0.5 pixel.
- HNSKY v2.1.0 b Added re-draw function by space-bar.
- Version II of 253 deepsky FITS images (5 mbytes) Indentical as I, except for one pixel shift to the North and 0.5 pixel West correction. Use this version for HNSKY v2.10.a or later.
2001-12-19 :
- New program HNS_FITS to convert BMP files to FITS files with a WCS header. The right size and orientation is determined by entering two star positions. So now you can blend you own picture inside the map of HNSKY. See example files added.
- HNSKY v2.1.0 A very very small correction (one pixel) in the display of the FITS files in HNSKY.
There is still 1 x0.5 pixel shift bug in the sub smapled FITS files produced by GET_DSS of HNS_REAL and therefore also in the FITS files provided.
2001-12-11 : Final release of HNSKY version 2.1.0 Also added the possiblity to change to grid step.
2001-12-7 : 253 Deepsky images mainly from Realsky for use with HNSKY. A total 5 Mbyte Delete your old FITS files !!
2001-12-4 : Almost final HNS_REAL v0.999 and HNSKY v 2.099 Check your brigthness/background settings in this version when you use your old default.hns
2001-11-17 : HNSKY v 2.09ß8 and HNS_REAL v0.995 These two you have to download to be able to view pictures from Skyview.gsfc.nasa.gov . This server produces 32 bit floating point FITS with adjustable resolution and size. First load the downloaded FITS pictures in HNS_REAL and then save them to 8 bit integer FITS. In the following package some nice high resolution example pictures of M8, M20 (0.3x0.3 degrees), M31 (2x2 degrees) and M42 (2x2 degrees) are included.: Messier objects from Realsky North a total 1600 Kbytes, subsample 5 equals 8.5 arcsec/pixel plus 4 high resolution pictures from skyview. The skyview converted pictures only work with Hnsky 2.09ß8
2001-11-07 : HNSKY v 2.09ß5 and all messier objects Improved wild cards selection for FITS files. FITS sizing is now correct for files from:
1) http://archive.eso.org/dss/dss
2) http://ledas-www.star.le.ac.uk/DSSimage This one allows subsampling and can therefore produce small overview files of 90x90arcminutes. Select pixel size a factor large then 1.7 arcsec/pixel. So 1.7 or 3.4 or... 17 arcsec/pixel.
Other DSS servers will not work. See below:
To get it running do not forget:
1) Set "Path to FITS files" in menu settings (cntrl-E)
2) Enable FITS in main menu "SCREEN"
I'm currently struggling with the two FITS format. There are many different FITS headers. HNSKY uses the WCS factors to decode the image. I have looked to all DSS servers and only the ESO server provide FITS file which can be read by HNSKY. Others do not provide a WCS plate solution or the RA/DEC position is missing.The standard DSS FITS header has 20 x,y polynom factors such such as AMDX1, AMDX2. I never read a FITS manual but by what they call backwards engineering, I did found out how the decode the additional WCS headers. They are also much easier to decode. The DSS file produced with HNS_REAL has the the DSS FITS header plus the WCS (or also called IRAS which is a subset). At this moment only the ESO server produces DSS files with this addittional newer WCS header for encoding. One or two others do the same but do not provide a pixel reference or RA/DEC reference. That's why HNSKY can only read DSS FITS files from HNS_REAL and the ESO. Anyhow at this moment I will leave it as it is since the WCS is the new standard and used for many other surveys such as Sloan .
For cases that HNSKY becomes too slow due too many FITS files (100 files is no problem) wild cards such M_6*NGC4*.fit* could be used.
So to get FITS files inserted you can use :
1) HNS_REAL program to extract them from the DSS/Realsky. Here you can subsample them
2) You can download them from the ESO. Unfortunally only 1.7 arc/pixel. So large.
3) Download them from my webpage. See: software.htm
These files contains keywords such as CROTA2, CDELT1, CDELT2 and the position of the reference pixel. If anybody can or has a conversion FITS program to convert the other FITS files, please inform me !! Also detailed info regarding DSS polynom decoding is welcome. I have search ed through internet but this is complicated.
2001-11-05 : Experimental HNSKY v2.093. This version blend-in all available *.FIT FITS pictures. About ten *.fit pictures added to above file. This time I could test this version with a laser printer here. After some tricky try-outs ,it is now printing here correctly .
Tip: You can also download your own FITs pictures from the DSS online such as http://archive.eso.org/dss/dss and just put them in your HNSKY directory. HNSKY will examine any FIT or FITS and blend in if required.
How this all happened: Initially I worked several weeks on my new Realsky viewer. The initial idea was to keep this viewer as a separate tool for the lucky guys who owned the Realsky or DSS survey. Then two days ago, Bill Anderson told me enthusiastically about new little pictures in Guide 8ß. This kept me thinking of something simular. I have been always most impressed the way Guide 7 handles several Realsky or DSS pictures. I haven't seen these new Guide 8ß little pictures, but just as an experiment, I spend a few hours try to merge my HNS_REAL FITS routines in HNSKY and yes.......very nice pictures suddely showed up in my mionitor.
So now you can have of each deepsky a small or large picture with the right size and orientation. In principle it was very simple. Every DSS/Realsky FITS file contains the corner positions, size and orientation. So with some tricky mathematics ,it is possible to calculate the RA/DEC position of each pixel in the Realsky picture and plotting it inside of HNSKY was pretty easy. So in future, you can expect a Messier or even bigger package of small FITS pictures which will nicely blend in HNSKY.
Please send in your comments
2001-11-02 : HNSKY v.2.085 Fixed some nasty problems and added a new DDE item "center". If you have v 2.085 dated 2001-11-1 please download this version 2001-11-2.
First when the DDE import was on, the program could not start in the Horizon mode. Fixed a problem with the DDE controlled telescope cross. Fixed a problem that DDE import/export was not on, after HNSKY was started from HNS_REAL. So this could solve the DDE problems of some users. And finally added a new DDE item called CENTER to control the center of the screen instead of the DDE telescope cross. See HNSKY.XLS example in DDE examples hnskypi.zip
2001-10-27 : RC3 galaxy supplement or Third Reference Catalogue of Bright Galaxies. Contains 23011 galaxies. HNSKY v2.084a, very small update.
2001-10-20 : LX200/Autostar (ETX/LX90) control program version 1.1. Please send in user report.
2001-10-19 : Constellation supplement so people can make there own constellation version. Does not change the internal constellations.
2001-09-14 : HNSKY v2.083 New "North pointing arrow". Reorganized the SCREEN menu. Hope you like it.
2001-09-13 : Proud to present the HNS_REAL Realsky ® or Digitial Sky Survey ® image viewer. See main page or hns_real.zip . Here a screen shot demo . This viewer can be DDE controlled from the HNSKY program and objects can be centered by clicking on them with the right mouse button. Secondly there position can be send back by DDE to HNSKY using the left mouse button. So position of the objects can be compared. You have to own the Realsky or DSS CD's to use this program. Manual or DDE controlled Realsky image viewer. Click on an object and get the realsky image (you have to own the Realsky or DSS CD's). Click on the Realsky image and to center to get cross at HNSKY at the same place. Version 0.9 2001-9-13. Here a screen shot demo
2001-09-9 : v2.082a Fixed a problem with GSC placed in directories larger then F:\GSC (did not work with directory F:\GSC_ACT !)
2001-07-22 : Tycho-2+ available. about 6000 stars more. See Tyc_eval.htm and Tycho2+
2001-07-19 : Webpage moved to www.hnsky.org. The programs and help files are adapted accordingly.
2001-06-28 HNSKY 2.082, Free choice of GSC and USNO path/folder. So you can store the GSC files under C:\GSC\... but also under C:\GSC_ACT\... and so on.
2001-06-17 Proud to present: version 3.1 of HNS_DEEP.HLP. Now fully indexed helpfile, 10.000 observations !!
2001-06-15 Proud to present: version 3 of HNS_DEEP.HLP Added observations of Steve Gottlieb. Size now more then doubled !!
2001-05-28 HNSKY v2.081a Small improvement in GSC text search. Now the routine will find any GSC star.
2001-05-17 HNSKY v2.081 Introduction of simple but effective star magnitude scale.
2001-05-4 Small change in EXPORT.EXE. The GSC directories are now adjustable and GSC conversion can run at one DISK.
2001-04-27 Correction for HNSKY v2.08c. Forgot to remove a symbol in the menu.
2001-04-26 Hnsky v2.08c. Small Fix for statusbar. Short abbreviation was not shown after text search and moving to status bar. Cause strange compiler/window phenomna with pchar.
2001-04-25 Hnsky v2.08b. Fix for reading GSC 1.2. Some GSC files with a header shorter then 100 bytes caused an error in the program. Fixed.
2001-04-21 HNSKY v2.08
- New graphic windows for dark skies and solar system tonight. This replaces the old style with characters. The reason was both remarks from users but also my new 19 inch monitor. Using large fonts in Windows spoiled the old style info window and it was time to make it font independent.
- Fixed North function. Now you can fix the chart orientation with North, South, West or East always at the top.
- RA/DEC information area and time area are sensitive and a mouse click bring directly the required change menu's,
- HNSKY is now capable of reading the binary GSC 1.2 (303 Mbytes only). In fact I used only a small part of the GSC 1.2 for testing. This part was downloaded using my modem. I still do not own the complete GSC 1.2 If anybody can help me with a complete copy of the GSC 1.2 that would be most helpful !. It can be downloaded only by internet. See the HNSKY helpfile for the internet addresses.
- Small correction for magnitudes (about 0.3) of the main planets. (Somehow a factor changed in my source code)
- Adjustable font and individual font sizes.
- Small color improvement in printing routine.
- Correction for lunar eclipse. Aberration correction for SUN and MOON in Earth shadow added. Eclipses should now be correct within one maybe maybe two minutes.
2001-04-12 EXPORT.EXE GSC conversion, version 2001-4-12-cThe utility EXPORT.EXE has been extended with the possibility to convert the GSC 1.1 FITS format to the same binary format as the GSC 1.2. This means the GSC 1.1 in this format takes only 303 Mbytes on your harddisk instead of the 2 CD's , 1140 Mbytes total. The quality of the GSC 1.1 stays the same. It would be still nice to have the new GSC 1.2 which has been corrected for several errors in the
2001-03-13 Release HNSKY v2.073b. Correction for lunar eclipse. Aberration correction for SUN and MOON in Earth shadow added. Eclipses should now be correct within 1, 2 minutes.
2001-02-26 Release HNS_DEEP.HLP v2.00d, small editorial correction Herschel observation list.
2001-02-13 Release of 2001 comet and asteroid files, included at program.
2001-02-12 LX200.EXE program v1.00 released. Indentical to previous v0.931ß.
2001-02-11 v2.073a Small correction Earth shadow for Lunar eclipse.
2001-02-09 v2.073 Final release. Fixed a small bug in the latest versions where parallax correction of the earth shadow was not implemented. Only essential for lunar eclipses.
Improved shadow calculation for moons.
New deepsky size & type filter in OBJECT menu.
2001-01-11 Release of v2.073ß2 and V1.062f. Moon empheride and orbit shadow correction for natural satellites.
2001-01-01 Release of v2.072 and 1.62e. Both version have small accuracy corrections for rise-set times and azimuth/altitude calculations in far future (2100 or so) and past.
2000-12-15 Release of updated Nexstar star and new LX200 alignment star supplements.
00-12-11 Release of HNSKY version of SAC 7.2 deepsky database.
00-11-26 Release HNSKY 2.071.
00-11-21 Release HNSKY 2.071ß5. and LX200 v0.92.Changed DDE interface, not compatible. Release SAO=>Next8 stars supplement.
00-11-18 New Milky-way supplement, first release of LX200 control program, release HNSKY v2.071ß2.
00-11-8 Improved SETUP.EXE program, all file are now installed. Re-vamp homepage.
00-11-5 Double star supplement based on SAC2.1/WDS, Sky commander program and source. Look under 10)
00-11-1 Upgrade of HNSKY.HLP help file. Included the new features of version 2.07
00-10-24 Supplement upgrade: HN_DEEP 2.00c, very small corrections ony. New (prelimenary) variable star supplement by H.G. Lindberg.
00-10-22 Version 3.0 of worldmap supplement. Much better resolution then version 2.0.
00-10-22 win 3.1 version v1.62d. Fixed same error as in 2.07, orientation galaxies if screen vertical/horizontal flipped.
00-10-21 v2.07a Fixed a small error in info window "dark night next days", range error could occur and wrong day.
00-10-17 v2.07 Several improvements:
- Greatly improved color adjustment menu. See new set-up menu with all colors displayed at once.
- Possibility to copy automatically object describtion in window clipboard. So it can be pasted in a spreadsheets/word processor or so.
- Improved window, 'Dark skies next days' . The date and one day of week added.
- Improved world map. Contains now more then 2500 cities and locations.
- Azimuth/declination grid option added.
- Undo view = CNTR-Z introduced.
- Fix in orientation. Program did not reverse orientation of galaxies in case view was flipped horizontal or vertical.
- Fix in restoring horizontal and vertical flip. Was reversed.
- The program accept *.hns files as parameter. Example: HNSKY DEFAULT2.HNS. So if you register *.HNS in windows to HNSKY.EXE, you can just click on DEFAULT2.HNS or any other file.
- Supplements can have shorter names such as HNS_A.SUP.
- Several tiny text adjustments and other improvements.
00-08-29 v2.066a and v1.62c Magnitude correction for Iapetus was reversed (east/west). fixed.
00-08-28 v2.066 Wooow, everbody has been sleepy !!!!. Just found out that faint stars (one pixel format only) where plotted brigher then medium bright. Somehow this has been mixed up during testing because long time ago (before march 2000?) its was okay. Now it is fixed and the star plots are more releastic !!!. So you have to download this version. Your default.hns is ignored to force you to use the new star colors.
00-08-26 Released deepsky help file version 2.00b. The loss of the "x" sign in the 2000 plus part off version 2.00a corrected.
00-08-24 V2.065b, Small corection for 2.065a. Fonts where overlapping in screen for large font sizes due to using a system name for a variable. Fixed.
00-08-23 V2.065a, Small corection in font selection routine of internal editor.
00-08-21 V2.065, A lot this time: First official release of DDE or dynamic data interface. See demo programs at 8). Fix for difference in rotation between arrow keys and mouse at corner of screen. Fix for moving mouse cursor to object (centering off in object menu). Introduced line draw mode in supplements. Existing color now showed in color dialog. WORLD map in the form of supplement. See supplementary supplements. Maybe usefull for external satellite programs using new DDE interface. Anyhow fun to create.
00-08-13 V2.064b,c and v2.07ß3,4 Small problem with D32 star files around M3 at high zoom factors fixed.
00-08-11 V2.064 Improved interpretation of supplement. DEC position of -00:19 is now correct. Problems found marker on/off fixed. Object name marker is now transparent. Time refresh updates now only Hnsky window, not full screen. (Thanks to Burghardt)
00-08-08 Story of the HNSKY program by Han Kleijn. See software page.
00-07-30 HNSKY v 2.063. Total revamp in locking routine. Still did not work proper in version 2.062. Now totally rewritten. Seperate routine for object lock and fixed ra-dec. Fix second name inner solar objects.
00-07-29 HNSKY v 2.062b. Small bug in locking fixed at high zoom factors and actual time on. Now it is possible to
