The 3D-Viewer
Use the 3D-Viewer, which is shown in dockable window, to generate three-dimensional visualizations of heliocentric or planetocentric orbits. The 3D-Viewer plots the orbits of the currently selected bodies (see Body Selection) regarding to the selected time span. The positions of the bodies are shown according to the selected time, which is given in the upper right corner of the viewer. If the time span of ephemeris computation is changed, a new plot is drawn along with the new calculation.
The example below shows the heliocentric positions of Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars at the instant of Mars' (geocentric) opposition on 24 December 2007. The orbits are shown for a time span of 260 days. In the uppler left corner of the viewer the current heliocentric distances are given.
For quick access to all functions a contextual menu is assigned to the 3D-viewer. Right click on the viewer and the menu appears.
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Rotating and Zooming To rotate the plot, use the arrow buttons on the Rotate/Zoom panel or move the mouse with pressed left button over the viewer. Select 3D-Viewer->XY-Plane from the main menu or press the X/Y button from the Rotate/Zoom panel to reset all rotations and to create view projected to the plane of the ecliptic. To zoom the plot, press the + or - button on the Rotate/Zoom panel. Select 3D-Viewer->Optimal zoom from the main menu to set a zoom scale that shows all selected bodies. |
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The Rotate/Zoom panel can be collapsed by clicking the small arrow in its title bar. To expand the panel click the arrow again.
Using the Clipboard
An image of the plot can copied into the Windows clipboard and then pasted (Ctrl-V) into other applications, as a word processor. To copy an image of the plot into Windows clipboard select 3D-Viewer->Copy to clipboard from the main menu.
Saving an Image of the 3D-View
To save a plot as a graphics file (.jpg) select 3D-Viewer->Save as graphics file from the main menu and enter the name of the graphics file in the appearing Save plot as graphics file dialog.
Printing a 3D-View
To print a plot select 3D-Viewer->Print from the main menu, which brings up the Print dialog. Select the orientation (either portrait or landscape) and click OK. To see a preview of the page to be printed, select Print preview.
For more information see
Alcyone Ephemeris
Documentation
(C) 2007 Alcyone
Software