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Astronomical Time and Calendar

This simulation covers the astronomical times and calendar systems. From this simulation, one can understand the difference between sidereal and synodic times by using the position of a prominent object such as the Moon moving around the Earth.

Pending Tasks

  • Identify a student who will lead the development of this simulation.

Technical Aspects

Prerequisites

* SkyTracker from the Virtual Night Sky model. This module will be the starting point.

  • A Python script controlling the incremental time for simulating a celestial object. For example, we can skip the time by a lunar synodic time while looking toward the Moon to see it change in position against the background object.

These are technical prerequisites (3D model components) to create this simulation.

Newly created components from this simulation

These are newly created components (functions, materials, cameras, etc.) from this topic simulation.

  • Python script (time_calendar.py)

A script controlling the simulation by using a set of different time increments (i.e., sidereal day, a synodic month, a sidereal month, etc. See Dr. Hall's Stellarium-based video for various scenarios of using this simulation.

Astro Concepts

  • Sidereal & synodic day/month/year
  • Precession
  • Leap year
  • Gregorian & Julian dates

Key Scenes

TBA

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