Documentation

Object

An astronomical object (a.k.a aster)

Synopsis

class Object:
    identifier: ObjectIdentifier,
    skyfield_name: str,
    radius: float = None

Note

The Object class is an abstract class. Use one of the following children classes instead:

• Star
• Planet
• DwarfPlanet (extends Planet)
• Satellite

Those classes have exactly the same properties and methods as the Object class.

Properties

• identifier: an unique identifier to know what object it is exactly (Mercury, Venus, etc.)
• skyfield_name: the name of the corresponding object in Skyfield library - used internally
• radius: the object's radius. Used to detect some events, e.g. occultations

Methods

get_type(self) -> ObjectType

Returns the kind of aster the object is representing: a planet, a satellite, etc.

get_apparent_radius(self, for_date: Union[Time, datetime]) -> Angle

Calculate the apparent radius, in degrees, of the object from the given place at a given time.

Arguments:

• for_date: the datetime for which the radius must be calculated.

serialize()

Returns the object as a plain simple Python dictionnary.

See also

• AsterEphemerides
• Event
• ObjectIdentifier
• ObjectType

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