The following module was proposed for inclusion in the Module List:
modid: Astro::SkyCoords
DSLIP: bdpOp
description: celestial coordinates in astronomy
userid: GRIXON (Guy Rixon)
chapterid: 23 (Miscellaneous_Modules)
communities:
comp.lang.perl.modules
similar:
Astro::Coords Astro::SLA
rationale:
The modules proposed as Astro::SkyCoords::* contain classes that
represent celestial positions in astronomy as objects. Specifically,
Astro::SkyCoords::RAdec represents the {Right Ascension,
Declination, Equinox} tuples that are needed for a useful
representation of position. The other classes are
Astro::SkyCoords::RA, Astro::SkyCoords::Dec,
Astro::SkyCoords::Equinox and Astro::SkyCoords::Angle; the latter
class is a base class for RA and Dec.
Each class is in a separate module nested in the Astro::SkyCoords
namespace. This approach was chosen over the alternative of putting
all the classes in one module after discussion on
comp.lang.perl.modules.
The intention is to make it easy for an application programmer to
parse and format position data, and to carry those data through a
programme as sensible units, instead of as separate scalars. In
particular, the classes try to make the code for parsing/formatting
sexagesimal numbers easily reusable and the calling code
self-documenting in respect of units and number formats. Examples:
my $ra = new RA ("12:34:30.2", unit => 'hr'); my $ra_degrees =
$ra->value (base => 10, unit => 'deg'); my $ra_string = $ra->value
(base => 60, unit => 'hr'); my $cos_ra = $ra->cos (); # No need to
fiddle the units!
A wide range of units is supported.
Higher mathematical functions - precession, calculation of
separation on the sky - are delegated to the existing Astro::SLA.
The proposed classes duplicate almost none of the functionality of
SLAlib.
Astro::Coords covers some of the same ground but it doesn't have
the OO style, doesn't group {RA dec equinox} into one structure and
doesn't handle unit-conversion usefully.
Astro::SkyCoords::* is working code in internal use at CASU.
enteredby: GRIXON (Guy Rixon)
enteredon: Wed Oct 17 13:46:46 2001 GMT
The resulting entry would be:
Astro::
::SkyCoords bdpOp celestial coordinates in astronomy GRIXON
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