Overview of BoPlanets

BoPlanets is a virtual planetarium, which shows the positions of the planets in the sun system relative to an observing planet, which can be selected out of the planets and the sun. The planets can be shown in various views. In the ecliptic view the Cartesian coordinates, in the equatorial view right ascension and declination, in the horizontal view azimuth and altitude of the planets relative to an observing planet are displayed. In the horizontal view the position of the observer on the observing planet can be selected out of a list of locations or directly by its longitude and latitude.

A list of rise, transit and set times of a planet, as seen by an observer on the observing planet, may be generated. Times were given as GMT date&time or as local date&times at the observer's location on the observing planet.

You may have a look to the epicycles of the planets, when the earth was seen as the centre of the planet system. Or you may observe the course of the sun as seen from the mercury, where the sun seems to go backwards and then forwards again. You may change some of the orbital parameters to see the effect on the orbital of the planet.

You can let the planets moving by single steps or let them run continuously. You may vary the step size to let the planets run faster or you can ask for the static and dynamic orbital parameters of a planet.

If there are questions, suggestions or bugs in the software then do not hesitate to email to

In the future there may be software updates of BoPlanets. You may download a new release from:

1. Starting BoPlanets

BoPlanets requires Java run time environment release jre1.6. If this release is not yet installed download it from http://java.sun.com/javase/downloads/index.jsp and install it in <java install dir>. Add the following directory to the system environment variable "path":

Extract the downloaded zip file to an installation directory. Open a DOS window and navigate to this installation directory. BoPlanets will be started by:

The form Select Planets will appear. Select the observing planet, from which the other planets should be observed. Choose the planets to be observed.  Clicking the start button will open the main form with the logarithmic ecliptic view of the planets.

2. Elements of the Main Form

The main form consists of the following elements:

3. Menu Views

The menu Views contains the following menu items:

4. Menu Options

The menu Options consists of menu items by which the actual view may be modified.

5. Menu Orbital Parameters

Selecting this menu will show the orbital parameters of the planet, selected in a combo box. In a first table static and dynamic, but non-editable parameters are displayed. In a second table static, editable parameters are shown.

By clicking a parameter in the second table it can be modified. Editing must be terminated by the Enter-key or by clicking another parameter. The modifications will be effective by clicking the apply-button.

The following parameters can be edited:

If a non-valid value was entered, a beep sounds and the focus stays on the last edited cell.

6. Menu Rise&Transit&Set

(since release V1.1)

Clicking this menu opens a panel, by which the times of rise, upper transit and set of a selectable planet are determined as seen from a location on the observing planet.

Elements of the panel:

Rise and set occur, when the centre of the planet reaches the altitude of the rise/set defining altitude relatively to the horizon of the observer's location. This definition is applied for all objects of the solar system including the sun. Another definition of the sun's rise and set does not consider the centre of the sun, but the upper limb of the sun disk, reaching or leaving the horizon. Using this definition results in rise/set times being approximately 2 minutes earlier/later compared with the centre-based times. Applying the twilight definition is meaningful only for the sun observed by a planet with an atmosphere. The refraction angle of the earth is -0.56 degrees. Refraction angles of other planets are not known.

7. Control Panel

The control panel consists of the following elements:

8. Draw Panel

This panel shows the positions of the planets in different views. Clicking this panel with the right mouse opens a context menu with: Clicking the left mouse starts the movement of the planets, in run mode 'step wise' as long as the mouse is released.

9. Orbital Elements

The orbital elements (also known as osculating elements )define the orbital plane of a planet relative to the ecliptic.

The elements of the picture below:

10. Glossary of Terms

12. License

BoPlanets: Copyright (c) Bernd Ostermann 2007;
eMail: ostermann.bernd@arcor.de


IMPORTANT:

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IT IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.