Overview of the Virtual Planetarium "Astrolabium"


The Program was developed for visualizing the Sky and to calculate Astronomical Phenomenons.
The algorithms are based on the books
and on the programs
as well as on the algorithms to reduce the Islamic, Jewish and Chinese Dates of New Year on the Julian Date by Udo Heyl.


Visualizing the Starry Sky


0 Installation and Start

0.1 Preconditions for compiling

0.2 Installation

0.3 Start


1 Settings

All Settings besides the Sky Views can be saved (Astrolabium.ini): Press the Button "Save Settings" top of the Calculation Panel.

1.1 Position, Time and Options

  1. Position (Place of View)
  2. Date and Time
  3. Sky Views
  4. Options (Overlays)

1.2 System Time and Fixed Time

1.3 Language

Choose "English" or "Deutsch" as preferred language.

AstrolabiumFormInfo.jpg (77 kByte)

2 Output of Information

2.1 Input Panel

2.2 Sky Canvas

2.3 Information Panel

2.4 Results List


3 Export and Import of Settings

3.1 Export

3.2 Import


4 Basis of Data



Astronomical Calculations


1 Planets

1.1 Conjunction and Opposition

1.2 Time of Rise, Set and Culmination

1.3 Physical Ephemeris

1.4 Planets' Ephemeris

1.5 Apsides and Knots

1.6 optical Meetings

1.7 Moons of Jove

1.8 Moons of Saturn


2 Moon

2.1 Moon Phases

2.2 Time of Rise, Set and Culmination

2.3 Physical Ephemeris

2.4 Moon Ephemeris

2.5 Apsides and Knots

2.6 Maximum Declinations

2.7 Solar and Lunar Eclipses

2.7.1 Phases in Progress of a Solar Eclipse

2.7.2 Contacts and Maximum of a Solar Eclipse

2.8 Star Occultations


3 Orbit Calculation

3.1 ISS (Satellite) Orbit Calculation

3.2 Visualization of a Object Tracks

3.3 Comet's Ephemeris from Orbital Elements

3.4 Minor Planet's Ephemeris from Orbital Elements and Numeric Integration


4 Calendar

4.0 Monatsvorschau

4.1 Solstitias and Equinoxes

4.2 World Calendars, Year Characteristics and Date of Easter

4.3 Meteor Showers



State: April 2011 for Version 1.0.3