Swiss Ephemeris 2.08 released


Dieter Koch
 

This release provides a number minor bug fixes and cleanups, an update for current Delta T, a few little improvements of swetest and three new ayanamshas.

Fixed star functions:
- Wrong distance values in the remote past or future were corrected.
Position values were not affected by this bug.
- Inaccurate speed values of fixed star functions were corrected.
The nutation component was missing.
- When sepl*/semo* are not installed, swe_fixstar2() now defaults to the Moshier ephemeris. With version 2.07*, it has returned error.
- Repeated call of swe_fixstar_mag() did not work correctly with SE 2.07*. Now it does.

- The AU constant has been updated to the current IAU standard. This change does not have any noticeable effect on planetary or star positions.

Ayanamshas:
- New ayanamsas were added:
SE_SIDM_GALCENT_COCHRANE (David Cochrane)
SE_SIDM_GALEQU_FIORENZA (Nick Anthony Fiorenza)
SE_SIDM_VALENS_MOON (Vettius Valens, 2nd century CE)
For information on these, please look them up in the general
documentation of the Swiss Ephemeris.
- Kugler ayanamshas were corrected:
E = -3;22 in source corresponds ayanamsha ay = 5;40
E = -4;46 in source corresponds ayanamsha ay = 4;16
E = -5;37 in source corresponds ayanamsha ay = 3;25
(Nobody has noticed this error for 20 years.)

Other stuff:
- swe_houses_ex() now also understands iflag & SEFLG_NONUT. This could be relevant for the calculation of sidereal house cusps.
- swe_pheno() and swe_pheno_ut(): the functions now return the correct ephemeris flag.
- eclipse functions: now all Saros series numbers between the years 1336 BCE and 2665 CE are found. A few had been missing in previous versions of SE. Beyond this time range there are eclipses that do not have a Saros series number.
- swe_split_deg() correct handling of the options
SE_SPLIT_DEG_ROUND_SEC and SE_SPLIT_DEG_ZODIACAL:
Sometimes, the function provided sign number 12 when a position was rounded to 360°. This was wrong because sign numbers are defined as 0 - 11. This was a very old bug. From now on, only sign numbers 0 - 11 can occur.
- A similar error occured with SE_SPLIT_DEG_ROUND_SEC and SE_SPLIT_DEG_NAKSHATRA, where only nakshatra numbers 0 - 26 should be returned, no 27.

- Macros EXP16, USE_DLL16 und MAKE_DLL16 for very old compilers were removed.

Improvements of swetest:
- With calculations depending on geographic positions such as risings and local eclipses, an output line indicating the geographic position has been added. Those who use swetest system calls in their software (which we actually do not recommend) should test if this does not create.
- The output header of swetest now shows both true and mean epsilon.
- swetest option -sidudef[jd,ay0,...] allows user-defined ayanamsha. For detailed info about this option call swetest -h.

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