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Changing Solar Image

Originally from ticket #5598.

I have observed the sun every clear day possible since 1979 and contribute sunspot observations to the AAVSO and SIDC. The image supplied with Starry Night Pro Plus 6 is sort of like a hydrogen-alpha image, but I would like to have one that accurately resembles what I see in white light. I went to The Celestia Motherlode page and found two possibilities, both by R. Thorvalds, but neither will load into SNP Plus 6--I get an error message saying that the file is either too large or corrupted, and then the program crashes. Is there a way to use these images or are there others I can download, such as SOHO photographs, that I could add to SNP Plus 6 to simulate what I actually see?

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6 comments

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    Dave Whipps

    Post a link to the file you want to use, and we'll sort it out for you.

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    William Wilson

    Here's the link to the .3ds files I tried (complete version and smaller version by Runar Thorvaldsen): http://www.celestiamotherlode.net/catalog/sol.php

    I got to that web page from SNP Plus 6's panel that allows/installs 3ds images. Although it's aimed at Celestia, according to the Starry Night Support Center web page <http://www.starrynightsupport.com/support_trio/index.php?action=kb&article=187>, the models should work in SNP Plus 6.

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    Geoff Gaherty

    I don't fully understand how Starry Night uses 3D images, but you can simply add one of the basic images from the files you've linked to, Just choose one of the basic images, such as Smaller_sun:th_sun:textures:medres:th_sun.png using the "Surface Image/Model:Add/Edit" command in the Sun's contextual menu. Use the "Add Image" button. Do NOT attempt to use the "Add Model" button. I tried this and now I get an error message "Unable to read model," and Starry Night crashes. Maybe Dave can tell you how to add the 3D model, but I find just having an image that looks like the white-light Sun is a big improvement over the default Hydrogen Alpha Sun.

    Geoff Gaherty/Starry Night Software Support

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    William Wilson

    Thanks, Geoff! I added the image from Smaller_sun, and as you say, it's a lot more realistic than the approximate H-alpha image that is the default. It's about 90° off-axis, but still better; sunspots are generally in two belts that vary between about 35° north and south solar latitudes (early in the solar cycle) and the solar equator (late in the cycle). This image rotates with the sun, too, which is an unexpected plus.

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    Dave Whipps

    Guys,

    The 3D models that are posted on that site are actually a combination of several models, images etc. in a special Celestia package. Starry Night can only use standalone 3D models with optional associated textures. That is, anything with an ".ssc" file, is not usable (not usable as a full group anyway.) Try adding any one of the included .3ds files, but your mileage may vary.

    - Dave

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    William Wilson

    Dave,

    Thanks for the clarification. I tried adding a model, which went OK, but when I tried adding a texture the files were grayed out. The models were only placeholders, so were blank. I went back to the png image from Smaller-sun, which works fine.

    Bill

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