Well, I took my Solar Calculator for a spin this afternoon, with some preliminarily satisfactory results. I posted an early version of it here:
https://surveyorconnect.com/threads/help-needed-with-angles-in-excel.325456/#post-356903
I'm using MICA for ephemeris data, and there are two options for "Reference Plane": "Horizon", or "Equatorial".
If I use Horizon, I don't get the option to then choose "Hour Angle" for the coordinates; I'm using the formula from the Sokkia How To (posted somewhere here on Beerleg) and it requires knowing the LHA of the sun at the time of observation.
Does anyone know if I simply chose "Horizon" as the reference plane, the Azimuth Angle could then be used directly, for the math?
In other words, is the MICA ephemeris doing the same work the Sokkia formula is doing? Hope I'm asking this question clearly enough.
This is going to be cool once I get it figured out. I can log a half a dozen observations in less than 5 minutes.
from what i was told, use 'local topocentric' for astro azimuths. this will reduce the azimuth to where your station is on the surface. the other options will give slightly different results
correction, 'apparent topocentric' will input lha and dec for you
Moe Shetty, post: 360048, member: 138 wrote: from what i was told, use 'local topocentric' for astro azimuths. this will reduce the azimuth to where your station is on the surface. the other options will give slightly different results
I'll try that. Now, if I can only find the menu option that gave Semi Diameter too, lol.