Re: [OT] Astronomical Inquiry (actually another one)

At 10:57 PM -0500 10/13/99, "The thing is, we're not that good. It's 
just that everybody e wrote:
> >> Mmmm. so this would mean you could use the same 'traditional' means
of
>>> navigation (North star, southern cross etc) anywhere in the solar 
>>>system, yes?
>>
>>    No, just because the celestial sphere is (relatively) fixed, 
>>the inclination
> >of the planets will vary.  Therefore, Polaris will move in an alien
sky.
>
>Well, Polaris won't *move*, but where the axis of rotation (and/or
magnetic
>pole, if any) will be pointing elsewhere. Polaris will still be
findable,
>still the end star in the Little Dipper - of course, this presumes you
stay
>in the same solar system as Earth (or near enough, relative to the
other
>stars out there; Beth is asking about things in our solar system, not
other
>ones :).
>

There's more than a few programs out there that will cheerfully draw 
you a night sky as seen from anywhere at any time (usually +/- 4000 
years from now IIRC). Astronomica for the Mac is one, your Windows 
mileage may (will) vary.

Michael Carter Llaneza
Veteran, Bermuda Triangle Expeditionary Force, 1991-1950
Devolution is very real to me.
Whenever I hear the "Odd Couple" theme, I get this image of Dennis 
Rodman borrowing Marge Schott's toothbrush.
http://www.flash.net/~maserati/