https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby
Astronomy and astrometry Ruby library for astronomical data and events
https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby
astronomy programming ruby
Last synced: 3 months ago
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Astronomy and astrometry Ruby library for astronomical data and events
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby
- Owner: rhannequin
- License: mit
- Created: 2022-04-13T23:21:07.000Z (over 3 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-06-10T07:23:54.000Z (4 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-06-10T08:27:56.918Z (4 months ago)
- Topics: astronomy, programming, ruby
- Language: Ruby
- Homepage: https://dev.to/rhannequin/series/17782
- Size: 42.4 MB
- Stars: 101
- Watchers: 6
- Forks: 3
- Open Issues: 1
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
- Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
- Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
- License: LICENSE.txt
- Code of conduct: CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
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README
# Astronoby
[](https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/actions?query=workflow%3ARuby)
Ruby library to provide a useful API to compute astronomical calculations.
Some algorithms are based on the following astrometry books:
* _Astronomical Algorithms_ by Jean Meeus
* _Celestial Calculations_ by J. L. Lawrence
* _Practical Astronomy with your Calculator or Spreadsheet_ by Peter
Duffet-Smith and Jonathan Zwart
Solar System body's positions are computed based on ephemerides coming from
the [IMCCE] or [NASA/JPL].
[NASA/JPL]: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/eph_export.html
## Content
- [Installation](#installation)
- [Usage Documentation](#usage-documentation)
- [Precision](#precision)
- [Development](#development)
- [Contributing](#contributing)
- [License](#license)
- [Code of Conduct](#code-of-conduct)
## Installation
Install the gem and add to the application's Gemfile by executing:
$ bundle add astronoby
If [Bundler] is not being used to manage dependencies, install the gem by
executing:
$ gem install astronoby
[Bundler]: https://bundler.io
## Usage Documentation
Since version 0.7.0, the usage documentation resides in the [Wiki]. For
previous versions, you can access the documentation in the README for each
[release].
[Wiki]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/wiki
[release]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/releases
### Expected breaking changes notice
This library is still in heavy development. The public is not stable, please
be aware new minor versions will probably lead to breaking changes until a
major one is released.
Changes are documented in the [CHANGELOG] and adapting to breaking changes is
described in the [UPGRADING] document.
[CHANGELOG]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md
[UPGRADING]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/blob/main/UPGRADING.md
## Precision
The current precision for the major Solar System bodies' location in the sky
as seen from an observer on Earth is below 10 arc seconds. It corresponds to
half the size of Saturn when it is the closest to Earth.
While the precision is not enough for spacecraft navigation, it is enough for
automated guiding of amateur telescopes.
The compared sources are: [IMCCE], [JPL Horizons], [Stellarium], and the
[Skyfield] library.
[IMCCE]: https://www.imcce.fr
[JPL Horizons]: https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons.cgi
[Stellarium]: https://stellarium.org
[Skyfield]: https://rhodesmill.org/skyfield/
## Development
After checking out the repo, run `bin/setup` to install dependencies. Then, run
`rake spec` to run the tests. You can also run `bin/console` for an interactive
prompt that will allow you to experiment.
To install this gem onto your local machine, run `bundle exec rake install`. To
release a new version, update the version number in `version.rb`, and then run
`bundle exec rake release`, which will create a git tag for the version, push
git commits and the created tag, and push the `.gem` file to [rubygems.org].
[rubygems.org]: https://rubygems.org
### Performance
The library is designed to be fast, but there is always room for improvement.
When comparing the performance of two implementations, please use the
performance benchmark in the console before and after your implementation.
$ bin/console
```rb
require_relative "benchmarks/performance"
PerformanceBenchmark.new.run
```
For fast feedback, you can customise the parameters:
```rb
PerformanceBenchmark
.new(warmup_runs: 1, measure_runs: 3, iterations_per_run: 5)
.run
```
Performance is not absolute, this is why the results are not documented here.
What is important is to compare the relative performance of two implementations
and make sure new features do not degrade the performance.
## Contributing
Please see [CONTRIBUTING.md].
[CONTRIBUTING.md]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/blob/main/CONTRIBUTING.md
[code of conduct]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
## License
The gem is available as open source under the terms of the [MIT License].
[MIT License]: https://opensource.org/licenses/MIT
## Code of Conduct
Everyone interacting in the Astronoby project's codebases, issue trackers, chat
rooms and mailing lists are expected to follow the [code of conduct].
[code of conduct]: https://github.com/rhannequin/astronoby/blob/main/CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md