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Setting the location
The Location Screen

In order to calculate the sky for your place, you first need to enter the coordinates of your location. Select the menu item "Options / Set Location" or tap on the location text at the lower left to get to the Location screen.

The Location screen is divided in an upper and a lower part.

In the upper part you enter the time zone your Palm's clock is currently set to. Planetarium uses this entry to calculate UTC (Universal Time Coordinated, the time in Greenwich) which is the base for calculating astronomical events. Example: If you live in San Francisco and your Palm is set to Pacific Time, set this entry to GMT-8. If you travel to New York and adjust your Palm's clock to Eastern Time, change this entry to GMT-5, always keep it according to the time zone your Palm's clock is set to.

The Daylight Saving Time (DST) switch adds one hour to the time zone. Check this box during summer when you observe daylight saving time and uncheck it during winter. Please note: Planetarium can not automatically calculate the transition dates for DST, so you need check and uncheck this switch manually every time you adjust your Palm's clock to summer or winter time.

In the lower half you set the location you want Planetarium to calculate the sky for. Look up the coordinates in an atlas or on the web (see below) or tap on the "Pick" button to choose a location from the list. You also enter the time zone of that location. Planetarium uses this value to calculate events like sun rise for example in local time for that location. The DST switch works the same as above, check it if the specified location currently has daylight saving time in effect, uncheck it otherwise.

Are you confused with the two time zone settings? Let's make a few examples:

  • If you live in San Francisco and have set your Palm's clock to Pacific Time, set both time zone entries to GMT-8 and enter the coordinates of San Francisco.
  • If you want to know when the sun rises in Berlin, set the lower time zone to GMT+1 and enter the coordinates of Berlin, leave the upper time zone.
  • If you make a short trip to Denver and leave your Palm's clock setting, leave the upper time zone. Just enter the coordinates of Denver and set the lower time zone setting to GMT-7.
  • If you make a business trip to New York and change your Palm's clock to Eastern time so that the Palm shows local time there, adjust the upper time zone to GMT-5. Then enter the coordinates of New York and set the lower time zone to GMT-5

There are several ways to set the coordinates

  • Look them up in an atlas or on the web and enter them manually.
    These are a few web sites where you can look up the coordinates for your town:
    (    Please report broken links to planets@aho.ch)
  • Tap on the "Pick" button to choose a location from the list. This brings you to the Location Pick List. Choose a category at the upper right, select a location and tap the "OK" button.
    If the location pick list is empty, either install the file PlanetariumDB.pdb which came with the program and contains about 600 major cities, or enter data yourself, or import data from a text file. Please find more details with the description of the     Location Pick List.
  • If you have installed the GPS connection plug-in, switch on your GPS and connect it to the Palm, press the "GPS" button and wait until the data is transferred.

 

 

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