Linux Astronomy -- workstation-class software (was Re: Also, is there still CIS49? (was Re: [NBLUG/talk] Unix/Linux class

[Scott Doty]

On Tue, Dec 05, 2006 at 10:28:52PM -0800, Troy Arnold wrote:
> On Tue, Dec 05, 2006 at 08:11:13AM -0800, Scott Doty wrote:
> > 
> > So, without further fanfare, I present the original project documents for my
> > CIS49 project from the Summer of 1992: Building a Linux box that SRJC
> > students could dial up to and run elm.
> > 
> >    http://ponzo.net/Nermal/
> 
> Thanks for posting these, Scott.  Nermal was my first taste of Unix.  As a
> command-line junkie unknowingly paralyzed by DOS, this first access to a
> real shell was like breaking out of the Matrix.  Tab completion, job
> control, so many sexy utilities in /usr/bin...
> 
> thanks.
> 
> tarnold at nermal.santarosa.edu

Troy!  I remember!  You're that astronomy guy! :)

Speaking of which...ever look at Xephem?

   http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/
   http://freshmeat.net/projects/xephem/

Wow, it's up to version 3.7.2... and it looks like it even has some kind of
solar astronomy tie-in of some sort:

   http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/SOHOAnim.gif

Anyway, this is _the_ definitive telescope-pointing, sky map, and
astronomical exploration tool for astronomy nerds. :)  For example:

Sky View Images menu:
   http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/help/xephem.html#mozTocId505331

Hubble GSC import:
   http://www.clearskyinstitute.com/xephem/help/xephem.html#mozTocId160208

...and so forth.  This is a seriously wicked-cool astronomy tool!

 -Scott