groundtrack

(2023 CX1 impact groundtrack)

Generates images and interactive maps for (impacting) asteroid groundtracks, also plots all observatories with an MPC code.

Installation

Install or compile the fo command line program:

https://www.projectpluto.com/find_sou.htm

More info:

https://www.projectpluto.com/fo_usage.htm

https://www.projectpluto.com/find_orb.htm

Then:

git clone https://github.com/void4/groundtrack.git
cd groundtrack
pip install -r requirements.txt

You can download the latest MPC observatory data here: https://www.projectpluto.com/mpc_stat.txt

Usage

For the example above: python main.py --interactive

$ python main.py --help
usage: groundtrack.py [-h] [--objname OBJNAME] [--obscode OBSCODE]
                      [--latlon LATLON] [--lat LAT] [--lon LON]
                      [--imgpath IMGPATH] [--hide-mpc] [--no-html]
                      [--htmlpath HTMLPATH] [--interactive]
                      [--ephem-start EPHEM_START] [--ephem-size EPHEM_SIZE]
                      [--ephem-steps EPHEM_STEPS]

Plots lon,lat,alt groundtracks of (impacting) asteroids and all observatories
with an MPC code

options:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  --objname OBJNAME     Name of the asteroid groundtrack to plot. Default is
                        2023 CX1
  --obscode OBSCODE     MPC code of the observatory from which to calculate
                        altitude and azimuth angles toward the asteroid.
                        Default is Greenwich (000). You can search for them
                        here: https://www.projectpluto.com/mpc_stat.htm or use
                        the map generated with this tool.
  --latlon LATLON       Observatory latitude and longitude from which to
                        calculate altitude and azimuth angles toward the
                        asteroid. Default is Greenwich.
  --lat LAT             Observatory latitude from which to calculate altitude
                        and azimuth angles toward the asteroid. Default is
                        Greenwich.
  --lon LON             Observatory longitude from which to calculate altitude
                        and azimuth angles toward the asteroid. Default is
                        Greenwich.
  --imgpath IMGPATH     Path to save plot to
  --hide-mpc            Do not plot MPC observatory locations
  --no-html             Do not output html file
  --htmlpath HTMLPATH   Path to store html map to
  --interactive         Open interactive map in browser
  --ephem-start EPHEM_START
                        Datetime of start of ephemeris calculation. Default:
                        "2023 Feb 13 02:00"
  --ephem-size EPHEM_SIZE
                        Size of ephemeris step. Default: "1s"
  --ephem-steps EPHEM_STEPS
                        Number of ephemeris calculation steps to make.
                        Default: 3600