OCCULT v4.0.8

Occult v4.0.8

Occultation Prediction Software
by David Herald

Must Read Release and Installation notes for version 4.0.8.6 written by David Herald

What's New in Occult v4.0.8.6
How to Obtain Occult v4.0.8.6
First Time Installation Instructions and Notes
Updating Occult 4.0.x to Occult 4.0.8.6
Becoming Familiar with the Program
Copyright Issues

WHAT'S NEW IN OCCULT v4.0.8.6

Compared to version 4.0.6.x, Occult 4.0.8.6 involves some major changes in data access and retrieval, and supporting program changes.

Version 4.08 involved implementation of lunar profiles derived from the Kaguya satellite altimeter measurements.V.4.0.8.6 implements the Kaguya data at the limit of resolution of the satellite data. v.4.0.8.0 implemented the Kaguya data at a resolution equivalent to the Watts charts. [The Kaguya data effectively consigns the Watts charts to history.]

Version 4.0.7 involved a major overhaul with respect to double star issues. This included download capabilities for the Washington Double Star catalog, the 4th Interferometric Catalog, and the Index catalogue of variable stars maintained by the AAVSO. If these are downloaded users can have direct access to these catalogues for any event of interest. In addition the double star files for lunar occultations have been completely revised - with a 100% increase in the number of pairs. The major functional changes are:

for asteroid occultation predictions, an alert if the star is a double star, and the ability to view the detailed double star details
for lunar occultations, alert messages encouraging observations of close double stars. A report form for reporting double star observations. And functionality to determine double star parameters from several occultation observations.

Additionally functionality is provided to support the preparation of papers for publication in relevant double star Journals.

HOW TO OBTAIN OCCULT v4.0.8.6

Download the files shown below by right clicking on the filename and doing a "save as"
Order the CD (all files), and have it mailed to you.

To order the CD, send $5 with your name and address to: W.Robinson, 515 W. Kump, Bonner Springs KS, 66012, USA. You can send check, money order, or cash. NOTE: Anyone outside the continental USA should send money order or some similar draft in the amount of $10. My bank will not handle Canadian or overseas personal checks due to the routing number. If you use PayPal, you can transfer funds to my account. Account name: webmaster@lunar-occultations.com

FIRST TIME INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS AND NOTES

The following notes are intended to provide guidance for the installation issues, and an overview of the functionality and new features.

Occult v4 has been written in the language C#, and runs in the Net framework.

Before you can run the new version, you must have the Net Framework V2 installed on your computer. You can download this from the Microsoft Download center here. Or do a Google Search for Net Framework V2 to get the download site from Microsoft. If you are running Vista, Net V2 is already on your computer. If you have been running OccultWatcher, you have the Net framework installed.

The files you need to download are (use right click on your mouse and do a "save as"):

Setup.exe - 336k - [Mar 2009 release] Not needed for Windows XP or Vista
occult4 installer.msi - v4.0.7 - [20 Oct 2009 release]
- These files install Occult 4 apart from the next two large files. Place these files in the same directory, and then run Setup. The default installation path is \Program Files\Occult 4

When you first run the program, you will be taken to a page that displays a range of default settings. You can change the settings here at any time after Occult has been installed. However at this stage you should do the following:

insert your site details in the box Site details low precision;
insert your email address for the FTP anonymous password in the box FTP URL;
insert the details of you email SMTP server. This is required to allow observations to me emailed from within Occult
indicate whether GoogleEarth is installed on your computer, in the GoogleEarth box;

You will then be taken to the download page, where you can download the latest versions of a number of data files, and some large catalog files. The three large files that you should seriously consider downloading are:

Tycho2 Catalog - 62.8M
This download is essential for asteroid occultations. It is a whole sky catalog to magnitude 12.0

JPL Planetary Ephemeris - 51.8M
This ensures that all predictions are based on the best available ephemeris of the Sun, Moon and Planets. If this file is not downloaded, will generate planetary positions that are accurate to only about 1 arc sec.

Kaguya Hires data- 35M
This enables the generation of hi-resolution lunar profiles

Historical files of Lunar Occultations - 27MB
This group of files contains about 500,000 lunar occultation observations since 1623. They are used for plotting graze profiles, and provide a wealth of information from the past observations.
NOTE: You do not need to download the XZ catalog, or the EOP Series before 1962 file, as these are included in the installation package.

HOW TO UPDATE OCCULT 4.0.7 to Occult 4.0.8.6
Unzip this file into the directory '...Program Files\Occult 4', replacing the files of the same name. The files are:
- AutoAsteroidPrediction.exe
- Occult.chm
- Occult.exe
- Occult.exe.config
- OccultUtilities.dll
- OccultUtilities.dll.config
- Updates.txt
RUN THE PROGRAM

Go straight to the Downloads page, and download:
1. Kaguya Lunar limb
2. Kaguya Hi-res data
Once the downloads are complete, you will be fully Kaguya-enabled.
HOW TO UPDATE OCCULT 4.0.6 to Occult 4.0.8.6
Unzip this file into the directory '...Program Files\Occult 4', replacing the files of the same name. The files are:
- AutoAsteroidPrediction.exe
- Occult.chm
- Occult.exe
- Occult.exe.config
- OccultUtilities.dll
- OccultUtilities.dll.config
- Updates.txt
RUN THE PROGRAM

You will be taken to the Download form, where a range of files can be updated.
- In the third group box STATIC FILES, download those files where there is a chevron next to the download button. The files that you should need to download are:
  1. The XZ catalogue. THIS IS ESSENTIAL. If you do not download this file, Occult will probably crash when you try to generate lunar occultation predictions.
  2. The Historical files of Lunar Occultations [This is a revised and corrected set of historical observations, used with lunar occultations].
  3. Kaguya Lunar limb
  4. Kaguya Hi-res data
  5. WDS catalog
  6. Interferometric catalog
  7. AAVSO variables
  If you are updating from an older version of Occult, you may also need to update:
  - JPL Planetary ephemeris is an update of the ephemeris to use DE421.
    
    BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH THE PROGRAM
    The Help file system includes a number of first time user topics. You are urged to work through these examples - to become familiar with how the program works, and the functions that are available.
    COPYRIGHT ISSUES
    
    Occult relies heavily on data that is freely available. Items such as various star catalogues and the planetary ephemerides have been developed by government funded agencies or grants. Occultation and graze observations have been contributed mainly by the efforts of amateur astronomers (or as I prefer to call them, unpaid astronomers) from around the world. This contribution needs to be recognized and acknowledged.
    
    The philosophy behind my writing and maintaining Occult is to encourage useful observations of occultation phenomena, thereby increasing our knowledge of the world around us. Accordingly:
    - Users of Occult are free to disseminate predictions or results generated by Occult in a non-commercial manner, provided it is in a context of encouraging (directly or indirectly) observations of occultation phenomena. All I ask is that wherever possible there is an acknowledgement that the data was generated by Occult.
    - In circumstances where there is a desire to include Occult predictions or results in a commercial publication, you may do so provided (i) it is in a context of encouraging (directly or indirectly) observations of occultation phenomena, and (ii) it is a minor part of that publication (eg a one or two page column in a 50-page monthly magazine). The fact that the predictions or results were generated by Occult4 should be acknowledged.
    - Where the success of a commercial publication is likely to be dependent upon the output from OCCULT, you do not have automatic permission to include Occult outputs in that publication. You will need to contact the author and seek written permission.
    - Where the output of Occult is displayed on GoogleEarth, GoogleSky or GoogleMaps, you will also need to comply with any copyright issues associated with those products.
    For the record, I reserve all rights to the Source code and any decompilation thereof - but with IOTA being able to continue to maintain/improve the program on the same basis as above, when I am no longer in a position to do so.
    Dave Herald
    November 2009
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