2023-01-30, 09:10 PM
(2023-01-30, 08:11 PM)theskyhound Wrote: Phil,Hi Greg,
The source of elements is not important. You mentioned that you already downloaded elements from HORIZONS. This would simplify the process. However, the issue of minor planets being sorted into 200-day epochs for chart plotting remains unresolved. Currently, the program only plots the latest downloaded elements for Near Earth Asteroids (NEAs) as adding new elements overwrites the existing ones. For other purposes, the closest elements in time are used, regardless of the 200-day epoch period. My idea would allow the program to switch elements (for NEAs only) on the charts.
This is all very complicated. Its complicated because there are too many minor planets to draw quickly enough, so I need to have shortcuts. The main shortcut is sorting elements into separate epoch files for plotting on the charts. Doing that, runs contrary to observing an NEA during close approach, so it needs a kludge in place to make it work at all for that.
Let me put it this way: my idea would mean you wouldn't have to understand the complicated things going on under the hood. It would all just work with no additional effort from the user.
I generally only use the MPC's 'NEAs at Today's Epoch' datafile download. That file is almost always satisfactory for my needs. BMD is the one who likes to use elements from HORIZONS. Switching elements sounds like a great improvement.
MPC has added 175 NEOs so far this month & there are over 31k of them now!
I look forward to seeing your solution.
TIA,
Phil S.