POSITION.BAS is an MBASIC program used to identify objects seen
in a dobsonian alt-azmuth telescope using setting circles and a
clock. Siderial time may be computed if the longitude of the
observer is known using program TIME.BAS. If siderial time is
known for the begining of an observing session, in 6 hours
siderial time will be out of synchronization by 1 minute of time
or a quarter of degree of arc (approximately). This amount is
insignificant when one considers the accuracy of dobsonian
seeting circles +/- 0.5 degrees. Longitude may be determined by
looking on a map for the nearest degree of longitude (horizontal
measure). Locations of famous observatories are found in the
Astronomical Almanac. Program TIME.BAS will calculate local
siderial time given the date (Year, eg 1984; Month, eg 7 (July),
day eg 14) the hour, minute and second of Universal Time (A
derivitive of Greenwich Mean Time). UT is broadcast by WWV,
Colorado in the shortwave band.

     Using POSITION: enter the latitude of the observer, the
altitude and azmuth (to the nearest 1/2 degree or so, if
possible) of the observed body. The program will immediately
comput the declination and after a slight pause the local hour
angle of the body. The program will then ask the siderial time,
which you will enter to the nearest minute or two from the clock
that you wisely have set to Siderial time, using program TIME at
the beginning of your observing session. Add 1/2 minute for each
3 hours of time elapsed since you set the clock (easily done
using a digital watch in stopwatch mode, set going at the same
time the clock was set to siderial time initially.) Having
entered siderial time, the computer will spit out the Right
Ascention of the body in question. This may be compared with any
good chart of the sky to pinpoint the probable identity of the
object. If no object is marked in the circle surrounding the
object with a diameter of 1 degree (four minutes of the hour
circle at the equator), consider the posibility that you have
made a mistake; at the same time consider the possibility that
you have just discovered an Comet. Fame and Fortune? It is always
a possibility! 

       CONVENTIONS: West and North are positive
                    East and South are negative
                    Universal time for TIME.BAS
                    All computations are in decimal degrees