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author | toma <toma@283d02a7-25f6-0310-bc7c-ecb5cbfe19da> | 2009-11-25 17:56:58 +0000 |
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committer | toma <toma@283d02a7-25f6-0310-bc7c-ecb5cbfe19da> | 2009-11-25 17:56:58 +0000 |
commit | ce599e4f9f94b4eb00c1b5edb85bce5431ab3df2 (patch) | |
tree | d3bb9f5d25a2dc09ca81adecf39621d871534297 /doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook | |
download | tdeedu-ce599e4f9f94b4eb00c1b5edb85bce5431ab3df2.tar.gz tdeedu-ce599e4f9f94b4eb00c1b5edb85bce5431ab3df2.zip |
Copy the KDE 3.5 branch to branches/trinity for new KDE 3.5 features.
BUG:215923
git-svn-id: svn://anonsvn.kde.org/home/kde/branches/trinity/kdeedu@1054174 283d02a7-25f6-0310-bc7c-ecb5cbfe19da
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diff --git a/doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook b/doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook new file mode 100644 index 00000000..551eedb6 --- /dev/null +++ b/doc/kstars/quicktour.docbook @@ -0,0 +1,376 @@ +<chapter id="using-kstars"> +<title>A Quick Tour of &kstars;</title> + +<para> +This chapter presents a guided tour of &kstars;, introducing +many of its important features. +</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo> +Here is a screenshot of the &kstars; main window: +</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> + <imageobject> + <imagedata fileref="screen1.png" format="PNG"/> + </imageobject> + <textobject> + <phrase>Main Window</phrase> + </textobject> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<para> +The above screenshot shows a typical view of the KStars program. You +can see the sky display centered on Betelgeuse, the brightest star in +the constellation Orion. Orion has just risen above the eastern horizon. +Stars are displayed with <link linkend="ai-colorandtemp">realistic +colors</link> and relative brightnesses. If you look closely, you can +also see the Moon near the left edge of the window. In three corners +of the sky display, there are on-screen text labels displaying data on +the current time (<quote>LT: 16:41:39 22 Jan 2005</quote>), the current +Geographic Location (<quote>Tucson, Arizona, USA</quote>), and the +current object in the center of the display (<quote>Focused on: Betelgeuse +(alpha Orionis)</quote>). Above the sky display, there are two toolbars. +The main toolbar contains shortcuts for +<link linkend="kstars-menus">menu functions</link>, as well as a +time-step widget which controls how fast the simulation clock runs. +The view toolbar contains buttons that toggle the display of different +kinds of objects in the sky. At the bottom of the window, there is a +status bar which displays the name of any object you click on, and the +<link linkend="ai-skycoords">sky coordinates</link> (both +Right Ascension/Declination and Azimuth/Altitude) of the mouse cursor. +</para> + +<sect1 id="startwizard"> +<title>The Setup Wizard</title> +<para> +<indexterm><primary>Setup Wizard</primary></indexterm> +The first time you run KStars, you will be presented with a Setup Wizard, +which allows you to easily set your geographic location and download some +extra data files. You can press the <guilabel>Finish</guilabel> button +at any time to exit the Setup Wizard. +</para> + +<para> +The first page of the Setup Wizard allows you to choose the starting +geographic location, by selecting from the list of the 2500+ known +locations on the right side of the window. The list of locations can be +filtered to match the text you enter in the <guilabel>City</guilabel>, +<guilabel>Province</guilabel>, and <guilabel>Country</guilabel> edit +boxes. If your desired location is not present in the list, you can +select a nearby city instead for now. Later on, you can add your +precise location manually using the <link linkend="setgeo">Set Geographic +Location tool</link>. Once you have selected a starting location, press +the <guilabel>Next</guilabel> button. +</para> + +<para> +The second page of the Setup Wizard allows you to download extra data +that are not included with the standard distribution of &kstars;. +Simply press the <guilabel>Download Extra Data</guilabel> button to open +the <guilabel>Get New Stuff</guilabel> tool. When you are all done, +press the <guilabel>Finish</guilabel> button in the Setup Wizard to +start exploring &kstars;. +</para> + +<note> +<para> +The Download Extra Data tool is only available if you have KDE 3.3.x +installed. +</para> +</note> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="lookaround"> +<title>Have a Look Around</title> +<para> +<indexterm><primary>Navigation Controls</primary> +<secondary>Basics</secondary></indexterm> +Now that we have the time and location set, let us have a look around. +You can pan the display using the arrow keys. If you hold down the +&Shift; key before panning, the scrolling speed is increased. The +display can also be panned by clicking and dragging with the mouse. +Note that while the display is scrolling, not all objects are +displayed. This is done to cut down on the <acronym>CPU</acronym> load +of recomputing object positions, which makes the scrolling smoother +(you can configure what gets hidden while scrolling in the <link +linkend="config">Configure &kstars;</link> window). + +There are seven ways to change the magnification (or +<firstterm>Zoom level</firstterm>) of the display:</para> + +<orderedlist> +<listitem> + <para>Use the <keycap>+</keycap> and + <keycap>-</keycap> keys</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> + <para>Press the Zoom In/Zoom Out buttons in the toolbar</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> + <para>Select + <guimenuitem>Zoom In</guimenuitem>/<guimenuitem>Zoom Out</guimenuitem> + from the <guimenu>View</guimenu> menu</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> + <para>Select <guimenuitem>Zoom to Angular Size...</guimenuitem> from + the <guimenu>View</guimenu> menu. This allows you to specify the + the field-of-view angle for the display, in degrees.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> + <para>Use the scroll wheel on your mouse</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> + <para>Drag the mouse up and down with the &MMB; pressed.</para> +</listitem> +<listitem> + <para>Hold down &Ctrl; while dragging the mouse. This + will allow you to define a rectangle in the map. When you release the mouse + button, the display will zoom to match the rectangle.</para> +</listitem> +</orderedlist> + +<para>Notice that as you zoom in, you can see fainter stars than at +lower zoom settings.</para> + +<para> +Zoom out until you can see a green curve; this represents your local +<link linkend="ai-horizon">horizon</link>. If you have not adjusted +the default &kstars; configuration, the display will be solid green +below the horizon, representing the solid ground of the Earth. There +is also a white curve, which represents the <link +linkend="ai-cequator">celestial equator</link>, and a tan curve, which +represents the <link linkend="ai-ecliptic">Ecliptic</link>, the path +that the Sun appears to follow across the sky over the course of a +year. The Sun is always found somewhere along the Ecliptic, and the +planets are never far from it. +</para> +</sect1> + +<sect1 id="skyobjects"> +<title>Objects in the Sky</title> +<para> +<indexterm><primary>Objects in the Sky</primary> +<secondary>Overview</secondary></indexterm> +&kstars; displays thousands of celestial objects: stars, planets, +comets, asteroids, clusters, nebulae and galaxies. You can interact +with displayed objects to perform actions on them or obtain more +information about them. Clicking on an object will identify it in the +status bar, and simply hovering the mouse cursor on an object will label +it temporarily in the map. Double-clicking will recenter the display on +the object and begin tracking it (so that it will remain centered as +time passes). <mousebutton>Right</mousebutton> clicking an object opens +the object's popup menu, which provides more options. +</para> + +<sect2 id="popupquick"> +<title>The Popup Menu</title> +<indexterm><primary>Popup Menu</primary><secondary>Example</secondary></indexterm> + +<para> +Here is an example of the <mousebutton>right</mousebutton> click popup +menu, for the Orion Nebula: +</para> + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>Popup Menu for M 42</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> + <imageobject> + <imagedata fileref="popup.png" format="PNG"/> + </imageobject> + <textobject> + <phrase>Popup Menu for M 42</phrase> + </textobject> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> + +<para> +The appearance of the popup menu depends somewhat on the kind of +object you <mousebutton>right</mousebutton>-click on, but the basic +structure is listed below. You can get +<link linkend="popup-menu">more detailed information about the popup +menu</link>. +</para> + +<para> +The top section contains information labels (which are not selectable). +The top one to three labels display the object's name(s) and object +type. The next three labels show the object's rise, transit, and +set times. If the rise and set times say "circumpolar", it means that +the object is always above the horizon for the present location. +</para> +<para> +The middle section contains items for performing actions on the +object, such as <guimenuitem>Center and Track</guimenuitem>, +<guimenuitem>Details...</guimenuitem>, and +<guimenuitem>Attach Label</guimenuitem>. See the <link +linkend="popup-menu">popup menu description</link> for a full list +and description of each action. +</para> +<para> +<indexterm><primary>Objects in the Sky</primary> +<secondary>Internet Links</secondary> +<seealso>Popup Menu</seealso></indexterm> +The bottom section contains links to images and/or informative webpages +about the selected object. If you know of an additional &URL; with +information or an image of the object, you can add a custom link to the +object's popup menu using the <guimenuitem>Add Link...</guimenuitem> +item. +</para> +</sect2> + +<sect2 id="findobjects"> +<title>Finding Objects</title> +<indexterm><primary>Find Object Tool</primary></indexterm> +<indexterm><primary>Objects in the Sky</primary> +<secondary>Finding by Name</secondary></indexterm> +<para> +You can search for named objects using the <guilabel>Find +Object</guilabel> tool, which can be opened by clicking on the +<guiicon>search</guiicon> icon in the toolbar, by selecting +<guimenuitem>Find Object...</guimenuitem> from the +<guimenu>Pointing</guimenu> menu, or by pressing +<keycombo action="simul">&Ctrl;<keycap>F</keycap></keycombo>. +The <guilabel>Find Object</guilabel> window is shown below: + +<screenshot> +<screeninfo>Find Object Window</screeninfo> +<mediaobject> + <imageobject> + <imagedata fileref="find.png" format="PNG"/> + </imageobject> + <textobject> + <phrase>Find Object Window</phrase> + </textobject> +</mediaobject> +</screenshot> +</para> + +<para> +The window contains a list of all the named objects that &kstars; is +aware of. Many of the objects only have a numeric catalog name (for +example, NGC 3077), but some objects have a common name as well (for +example, Whirlpool Galaxy). You can filter the list by name and +by object type. To filter by name, enter a string in the edit box +at the top of the window; the list will then only contain names +which start with that string. To filter by type, select a type +from the combo box at the bottom of the window. +</para><para> +To center the display on an object, highlight the desired object in +the list, and press <guibutton>Ok</guibutton>. Note that if the +object is below the horizon, the program will warn you that you may +not see anything except the ground (you can make the ground invisible +in the <guilabel>Display Options</guilabel> window, or by pressing the +<guiicon>Ground</guiicon> button in the View toolbar). +</para> +</sect2> + +<sect2 id="centertrack"> +<title>Centering and Tracking</title> +<indexterm><primary>Objects in the Sky</primary> +<secondary>Tracking</secondary></indexterm> +<para> +&kstars; will automatically begin tracking on an object whenever one +is centered in the display, either by using the <guilabel>Find +Object</guilabel> window, by double-clicking on it, or by +selecting <guimenuitem>Center and Track</guimenuitem> from its +<mousebutton>right</mousebutton>-click popup menu. You can disengage +tracking by panning the display, pressing the <guiicon>Lock</guiicon> +icon in the Main toolbar, or selecting <guimenuitem>Track +Object</guimenuitem> from the <guimenu>Pointing</guimenu> menu. +</para> + +<note> +<para> +<indexterm><primary>Orbit Trails</primary> +<secondary>Attached to centered object</secondary> +</indexterm> +When tracking on a Solar System body, &kstars; will automatically +attach an <quote>orbit trail</quote>, showing the path of the body +across the sky. You will likely need to change the clock's timestep +to a large value (such as <quote>1 day</quote>) to see the trail. +</para> +</note> +</sect2> + +<sect2 id="objectactions"> +<title>Keyboard Actions</title> +<indexterm><primary>Objects in the Sky</primary> +<secondary>Keyboard Actions</secondary></indexterm> +<para> + +When you click on an object in the map, it becomes the +<firstterm>selected object</firstterm>, and its name is identified in +the statusbar. There are a number of quick key commands available +which act on the selected object: + +<variablelist> +<varlistentry> +<term><keycap>C</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>Center and Track on the selected object</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><keycap>D</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>Show the <link linkend="tool-details">Details window</link> +for the selected object</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><keycap>L</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>Toggle a visible name label on the selected object</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><keycap>O</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>Add the selected object to the +<link linkend="tool-observinglist">Observing List</link></para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> + +<varlistentry> +<term><keycap>T</keycap></term> +<listitem> +<para>Toggle a visible curve on the sky, showing the path of the +object across the sky (only applicable to Solar System bodies) +</para> +</listitem> +</varlistentry> + +</variablelist> +</para> + +<note> +<para> +By holding down the <keycap>Alt</keycap> key, you can perform +these actions on the centered object, rather than the selected +object. +</para> +</note> +</sect2> <!--object actions--> +</sect1> <!--objects in the sky--> + +<sect1 id="endtour"> +<title>End of the Tour</title> +<para> +This concludes the tour of &kstars;, although we have only scratched +the surface of the available features. &kstars; includes many useful +<link linkend="tools">astronomy tools</link>, it can directly +<link linkend="indi">control your telescope</link>, and it offers a +wide variety of <link linkend="config">configuration and +customization options</link>. In addition, this Handbook includes the +<link linkend="astroinfo">AstroInfo Project</link>, a series of short, +interlinked articles explaining some of the celestial and astrophysical +concepts behind &kstars;. +</para> +</sect1> + +</chapter> |