Linux Astronomy HOWTO

Elwood Downey

John Huggins

2001-08-27
Revision History                                                             
Revision 1.4           2003-04-17            Revised by: Pro                 
Converted to Docbook XML from revision 1.38, several new URLs added, released
with the consent of the original authors.                                    


This document shares tips and resources to utilize Linux solutions in the
pursuit of Astronomy.

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction
    1.1. Knowledge Required
    1.2. Scope
    1.3. Version
    1.4. Copyright
    1.5. Contributions and Translations
    1.6. About the authors
   
   
2. Software
    2.1. Collections
    2.2. Planetarium Programs
    2.3. Simulators
    2.4. Libraries
    2.5. Games
    2.6. Other
   
   
3. Online Tools
    3.1. Traditional Form Based Programs
    3.2. Java Applets
   
   
4. Astronomical Images over the web
    4.1. List
   
   
5. Organizations
6. Hardware Control
    6.1. Telescope Control
    6.2. CCD Camera Control
   
   
7. Installation Help
8. Projects using Linux

1. Introduction

1.1. Knowledge Required

With all the help from major Linux distributions such as SuSE, Redhat, and
many others, Linux based systems are becoming easier to use. However, there
is still some need of understanding of basic UNIX skills to make the most of
Linux. Thus, this HOWTO will assume that the reader has at least a basic
knowledge of using a UNIX system including the ability to compile and install
programs.

A few resources we have found useful over the years include:

*A Practical Guide to the UNIX System, Mark G. Sobel
   
*  Advanced Programming in the UNIX Environment, the late W. Richard
    Stevens
   
*Running LINUX, Matt Welsh et al.
   
*LINUX Device Drivers, Alessandro Rubini
   

Similarly, this is not a tutorial or reference for astronomy principles or
astronomical instrumentation. Astronomy is perhaps the grandest of all
sciences, employing widely disparate disciplines in a bold attempt to
understand nothing less than the universe itself. Your interests will lead in
many directions. A few references we have used include:

*Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac, P. Kenneth Seidelmann
   
*Astronomy with your Personal Computer, Peter Duffett-Smith
   
*Astronomy on the Personal Computer, Oliver Montenbruck et al
   
*Textbook on Spherical Astronomy, W. M. Smart
   
*  The Astronomy and Astrophysics Encyclopedia, Stephen P. Maran, ed.
   

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1.2. Scope

The authors define the scope of this HOWTO as primarily an index to Linux
tools applicable in some fashion to the pursuit of Astronomy. It is NOT our
intention to list WWW astronomy references in general. Our own interests tend
more towards the technology than the pure science and so we welcome
contributions from others who have found Linux tools which contribute in
other ways to Astronomy. Please contact us at the address above.
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1.3. Version

The latest version of this document is always available on the [http://
astronomy.net/] Astronomy Net at [http://howto.astronomy.net/howto/
Astronomy-HOWTO.html]   Astronomy HOWTO.

We eagerly accept suggestions from you. Send them to Astronomy HOWTO Editors
<howto@astronomy.net>.
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1.4. Copyright

Copyright 2000-2001 by Elwood Downey and John Huggins. This document may be
distributed only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the LDP
License except that this document must not be distributed in modified form
without the author's consent.

A verbatim copy may be reproduced or distributed in any medium physical or
electronic without permission of the author. Translations are similarly
permitted without express permission if it includes a notice on who
translated it. Commercial redistribution is allowed and encouraged; however
please notify authors of any such distributions. Excerpts from the document
may be used without prior consent provided that the derivative work contains
the verbatim copy or a pointer to a verbatim copy.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this document
provided the copyright notice, the list of authors and this permission notice
are preserved on all copies.

In short, we wish to promote dissemination of this information through as
many channels as possible. However, we wish to retain copyright on this HOWTO
document, and would like to be notified of any plans to redistribute this
HOWTO. For information about translations of this document, please see below.
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1.5. Contributions and Translations

As we pursue the goals of the Astronomy HOWTO, we will recogize the
contributions of folks who provide us with data here.

Since Astronomy is very much an international effort, we encourage
translation of this HOWTO into any language. We only ask the following:

*If you are a translator, please contact us at the above address so we may
    give proper credit here. This way, readers will immediately see what
    translations are available and see where to get them.
   
*Please obtain the latest copy of the Astronomy HOWTO from its home at
    [http://howto.astronomy.net/] Astronomy Net before you begin your
    translation effort.
   

We thank the following for their translation efforts:

*[http://www.michael-moltenbrey.de/misc.html]   German Translation
    courtesy of Michael Moltenbrey
   

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1.6. About the authors

Elwood Downey has over twenty years experience in software engineering for
various astronomy projects. Learn more about Elwood at [http://
www.clearskyinstitute.com/resumes/ecdowney/resume.html]   Clear Sky
Institute.

John Huggins has eleven years experience in hardware engineering including
eight years associated with an astronomy project. Learn more at [http://
www.va.net/~jhuggins/] John's Site.
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2. Software

2.1. Collections

Here are some links to collections and other indexes of Linux astronomy
software.

*The Linux for Astronomy CDROM
   
*  Scientific Applications on Linux (SAL), Physics and Astronomy
   
*  [http://home.xnet.com/~blatura/linapp3.html#science]   Linux
    Applications and Utilities Page, Science and Math
   
*  [http://bima.astro.umd.edu/nemo/linuxastro/astromake/]   AstroMake is a
    utility intended to make installations of some common astronomical
    packages (in binary form) easy.
   
*The linuxastro mailing list also contains a list of applications and
    packages. For more information, see [http://bima.astro.umd.edu/nemo/
    linuxastro] linuxastro.
   
*  [http://sourceforge.net/softwaremap/trove_list.php?form_cat=134]  
    Astronomy at sourceforge.net
   

If the above does not appeal to your needs, these links may help:

*  Linux Astronomy Software from the Google Search Engine
   
*[http://dir.yahoo.com/Science/Astronomy/Software/]   Astronomy Software
    from the Yahoo Listings
   

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2.2. Planetarium Programs

Here is discussion of programs which run on Linux for use in finding objects,
natural and man-made, in the sky.

*  XEphem has been the pet project of one of us (Downey) for the past
    15-odd years. It has grown to become one of the more capable interactive
    tools for the computation of astronomical ephemerides.
   
*  XSky is by TerryR. Friedrichsen, <terry@venus.sunquest.com>. XSky is
    essentially an interactive sky atlas.
   
*  Skymap is an astronomical mapping program written in Fortran and C for
    unix workstations by Doug Mink of the Smithsonian Astrophysical
    Observatory Telescope Data Center.
   
*  Xplns reproduces real starry sky on your display of X Window System.
   
*    Nightfall is an astronomy application for fun, education, and
    science. It can produce animated views of eclipsing binary stars,
    calculate synthetic lightcurves and radial velocity curves, and
    eventually determine the best-fit model for a given set of observational
    data of an eclipsing binary star system.
   
*NOVA free Integrated Observational Environment for astronomers.
   
*KStars is a desktop planetarium for KDE.
   

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2.3. Simulators

Programs that classify themselves as simulators.

*  Celestia Real-time visual simulation of space for Windows and Unix
    (Linux)
   
*  OpenUniverse Simulates the Solar System bodies in 3D in Windows and
    Linux
   

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2.4. Libraries

This section discusses bits and pieces of software that can be used to form
the basis for specialized projects.

*  [http://rlspc5.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/star/docs/sun67.htx/sun67.html#xref_]  
    SLALIB, part of the Starlink Project, is a complete library of
    subroutines for astrometric computations.
   
*Astrophysics Source Code Library is a collection of links to numerical
    astrophysical process models.
   
*[http://people.ne.mediaone.net/moshier/index.html]   Astronomy and
    numerical software source codes is a collection of C codes related to
    astronomy.
   
*[http://hotel04.ausys.se/pausch/comp/ppcomp.html]   How to compute
    planetary positions.
   
*CCD Astronomy on Linux. A library of routines that help control SBIG
    cameras.
   
*[http://ktelescope.sf.net/] KTelescope is a library for controlling
    Meade's LX200 based telescopes.
   

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2.5. Games

Yes, games.

*[http://www.head-crash.com/orbit/] Orbit - Be a space fighter pilot in
    Windows or Linux.
   

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2.6. Other

Every list needs a miscellaneous section, and this is it for Software.

*IRAF is a gigantic but exceptionally capable astronomical analysis
    system, shepherded over the past 20-odd years by   DougTody formerly at 
    NOAO. It has accumulated innumerable authoritative contributions from
    leading astronomers in all areas of astronomical data analysis. If you
    have a serious interest in astronomical data reduction and significant
    time to invest, this system will reward you mightily.
   
*    Nightfall Eclipsing Binary Star Program
   
*  Xplanet Very realistic rendering program for Earth and other planets
    and moons. Uses X Windows and OpenGL.
   
*  StarPlot A 3-Dimensional Star Chart Viewer for Linux. Uses C++ and
    Gtk+.
   
*Personal Sky Chart for the Sharp Zaurus PDA which runs   GNU/Linux.
   
*AstroInfo project is working towards a community-based Astronomical
    Encyclopedia.
   

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3. Online Tools

I know we said we would not start listing Web sites, but here are a few links
to sites which offer fully operational tools running online that we feel are
especially useful or interesting, from a browser on any platform.
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3.1. Traditional Form Based Programs

*[http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/RS_OneYear.html]   Sun and Moon Rise
    and Set calculator
   
*[http://aa.usno.navy.mil/data/docs/WebMICA_2.html]   Web version of MICA
   
*JPL Ephemeris Generator
   
*Solar System Simulator
   
*Clear Sky Clock
   
*[http://simbad.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/WSimbad.pl]   Simbad
   

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3.2. Java Applets

*    GeoAstro Applet Collection by Juergen Giesen
   
*Aladin Interactive Sky Atlas
   
*  [http://www.astro.queensu.ca/~dursi/dm-tutorial/cluster-sim.html]  
    Cluster simulator
   
*Sky Image Processor
   
*  [http://liftoff.msfc.nasa.gov/RealTime/JTrack/3d/JTrack3D.html]  
    J-Track 3D - Satellite Tracking
   

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4. Astronomical Images over the web

Much effort exists to allow access to Astronomical image file type such as 
FITS from any web browser. Here are some pointers.
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4.1. List

The folks at harvard have a list of Image Servers and Image Browsers.

*[http://tdc-www.harvard.edu/astro.image.html]   Astronomical Images Over
    the Web
   

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5. Organizations

*The yearly   Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems, ADAAS, 
    Conference Series provides a forum for scientists and computer
    specialists concerned with algorithms, software and operating systems in
    the acquisition, reduction and analysis of astronomical data. The program
    includes invited talks, contributed papers and poster sessions as well as
    user group meetings and special interest meetings ("BOFs"). All these
    activities aim to encourage communication between software specialists
    and users, and also to stimulate further development of astronomical
    software and systems.
   
*The linuxastro mailing list, <linuxastro@majordomo.cv.nrao.edu>, is for
    people who are interested in porting astronomical software to Linux. For
    more information, see [http://bima.astro.umd.edu/nemo/linuxastro]
    linuxastro.
   

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6. Hardware Control

  More folks are using Linux to control equipment. Users range from amateur
astronomers in the field to professional observatories.
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6.1. Telescope Control

*[http://ktelescope.sf.net/] KTelescope is a library for controlling
    Meade's LX200 based telescopes.
   
*[http://clearskyinstitute.com/xephem] XEphem has the capability to
    communicate with a telescope control daemon process.
   

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6.2. CCD Camera Control

*Apogee Instruments Inc supports their line of professional CCD cameras
    under Linux.
   
*  [http://www.sbig.com/sbwhtmls/linux_announcement.htm]   SBIG offers
    some assistance with operating their ST7 and ST8 CCD cameras under Linux.
   
*CCD Astronomy on Linux These pages describe a number of facets of using
    astronomical CCD cameras for image acquisition and processing under
    Linux.
   
*  Gccd is a gnome-based CCD camera and filter wheel control program.
   
*Finger Lakes Instrumentation, manufacturer of CCD cameras and filter
    wheels which include drivers for Linux.
   

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7. Installation Help

You need to know what you're doing with Linux and installing programs, but
help is available for some programs. Here are some ways to make life easier.

*  [http://bima.astro.umd.edu/nemo/linuxastro/astromake/]   AstroMake is a
    utility intended to make installations of some common astronomical
    packages (in binary form) easy.
   
*XEphem requires several elements to exist on your machine. Life is much
    simpler with the CDROM version of the program as it contains an
    installation script which loads the appropriate precompiled binary for
    most systems and places all auxiliary files to the correct spots. See
    [http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/ecommerce/xephem/order.html]   XEphem
    CDROM
   

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8. Projects using Linux

Here is a list of astronomy projects using Linux in whole or in part of their
instrumentation:

*The CHARA Array is an optical interferometer project using Linux in their
    control system.
   
*CAOS Club of Amateurs in Optical Spectroscopy.
   

