Astronomical Algorithms

by Jean Meeus

Jean Meeus describes how to do a huge variety of astronomical calculations. This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0943396352
• ISBN13: 9780943396354
• Release Date: January 1991
• Publisher: Willmann-Bell
• Length: 429 Pages
• Weight: 1.74 lbs.

Customer Reviews

Excellent reference book!

With his special knack for computations of all sorts, Jean Meeus has made the essentials of powerful new machine methods for modeling the motions and interactions of bodies within the solar system available to us all. The second edition contains new chapters about the Jewish and Moslem Calendars, the satellites of Saturn, and a new Appendix giving expressions (polynomials) for the heliocentric coordinates of the giant planets Jupiter to Neptune from 1998 to 2025.

Very helpful academically!

As an engineering student who wanted to write an astronomically-based piece of software for his senior project, I found Meeus' book indispensable. His descriptions of various formulae needed some time to wade through; in spite of the learning curve, however, the algorithms were quite useful. This is definitely recommended *only* for the serious analyst who is willing to supplement the text with other authoritative sources. Still, in what this book attempts to accomplish, I have not found its equal.

Extended version of Astronomical Formulae for Calculators

This excellent book is the renewed and extended version of Astronomical Formulae for Calculators by Jean Meeus. If you intend to buy a book about Astronomical Algorithms, don't buy them both, choose between the cheaper and less extended Astr.Form. or the more expensive but more valuable Astr.Algor. The 'Morsels' are an addition to the 'Algorithms', and I suggest you buy it only if you already know the Algorithms and want to go further.

Create your own ephemerides with Astronomical Algorithms!

Once again author Jean Meeus demonstrates his expertise in astronomical positioning and applied mathematics with Astronomical Algorithms. He brings us into the 21st century with the new J2000.0 epoch and FK5 system. His chapters on the primary corrections of precession, nutation, parallax, and aberration are thorough and presented in both the equatorial and ecliptic coordinate systems. Planetary positioning, including the Sun, is provided by the principal elements of Bretagnon and Francou's VSP087 theory. Chapront's ELP-2000/82 theory provides Lunar positioning. The Galilean satellites of Jupiter are located with Lieske's E2x3 theory. The author systematically steps us through each method with real examples. There are practical chapters on Julian Dates, Sidereal Time, Dynamical Time, Rising and Setting, Coordinate Transformations, Equinoxes and Solstices, and Refraction. Mathematically useful chapters include Interpolation, Curve Fitting, Iteration and Sorting. For comet and minor planet watchers, there are chapters on Elliptic, Parabolic and Near Parabolic Motion. Times of conjunctions, elongations, and oppositions can be calculated accurately using the chapter on Planetary Phenomena. There are chapters for the physical ephemerides of Mars, Jupiter, Saturn and the Moon, including how to find position angle, illuminated fraction, and visual magnitude. In addition, there are Phase, Apogee and Perigee, Node and Libration chapters for the Moon. Solar observers can use the chapter on heliographic coordinates, based on Carrington's rotation number, to plot and track sunspots. For eclipses, Meeus gives us a chapter that, with relatively modest calculations, predicts the time, magnitude and duration for lunar and solar eclipses with remarkable accuracy. There is even a chapter on how to construct a planar sundial. Even Pluto, which is calculated in astrometric place, has a chapter. You will not see the usual vector / matrix notation, the actual equations are provided for us instead. Throughout the book, definitions are given for the astronomical terms, each of which is summarized in the glossary. Beginning with the chapter on Accuracy, he consistently reminds us what constitutes significant digits and why rigorous expressions are often not necessary. For example, there are alternative, low precision algorithms which are quite accurate and provide a good starting point for learning the concepts. This reviewer has coded most of the algorithms in the book and generated very accurate geocentric and topocentric apparent place ephemerides for the Sun, Moon, planets and the Galilean satellites. A knowledge of plane and spherical trigonometry along with basic algebra and calculus is recommended, but the programming inclined should find rewarding challenges in translating these algorithms into computer programs and begin creating their own ephemerides.