NavList:
A Community Devoted to the Preservation and Practice of Celestial Navigation and Other Methods of Traditional Wayfinding
The Online Nautical Almanac
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2004 Jul 13, 20:18 +0100
From: George Huxtable
Date: 2004 Jul 13, 20:18 +0100
Omar Reis has replied as follows, to my copying to him Frank Reed's note indicating that proper-motion of stars appears to have been omitted from his Online Almanac. ===================== As for the proper motion issue, Mr Reed is right. Currently, my calculations do not include the effects of proper motion for stars. The average proper motion of the stars that can be seen with the naked eye is 0.1" per year. (or 5" in 50 years). Proper motion for stars is generaly very small. Of course some stars are faster than the average. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog states that Arcturus proper motion components are: RA: -0,0776 arcsec/year DEC: -1,999 arcsec/year In 50 years, the 2"/year in declination add to 100", or 1.6'. It's significant, I must admit. I'm still acessing how the issue impacts the rest of the catalog. I would like to remember that the Online Almanac was never intended to be used as a historic research tool. It's purpose is to serve as a celestial navigation tool for our epoch. The 100 years date range specifies this scope. I will be releasing a note about the issue when I finish the investigation. Thanks again for forwarding the message from your discussion group. Best regards Omar ==================== I take it from that message that Omar hasn't (yet) promised to amend his almanac to include star proper-motions. I hope he will, though. George. ================================================================ contact George Huxtable by email at george@huxtable.u-net.com, by phone at 01865 820222 (from outside UK, +44 1865 820222), or by mail at 1 Sandy Lane, Southmoor, Abingdon, Oxon OX13 5HX, UK. ================================================================