stellarium zoom in

[luna]

I was looking at stellarium yesterday and accidently rotated the dial on the mouse, due to sleepiness. This caused the screen to zoom-in to the night sky and bring objects closer. When I looked at Jupiter and zoomed in, it showed the 4 main moons. What shocked me was i changed the time and date on the program, and the moons were in different positions.

My question is, surely stellarium does not even compensate for the movement of the moons of other planets. If it does....its one hell of a program.

[SteveL]

yes it does and yes it is...

[Breakintheclouds]

Stellarium DOES (I learnt recently) show exactly what you'll see through a telescope - even to the extent of showing Jupiter's spot in the right place. So yes, the moons are in the right place too.

Just make sure you have the 'Simulate speed of light' option checked in the settings, otherwise the moons won't quite be in the right places. This option allows for the delay whilst the light reaches an observer on Earth.

[Aldebaran5]

When I looked at Jupiter on Fri evening all the moons were lined up I think, the east of the planet, which I've never seen before. Hope i've got that right or was it the west.

Keith.

[hoobz]

When I looked at Jupiter on Fri evening all the moons were lined up I think, the east of the planet, which I've never seen before. Hope i've got that right or was it the west.

Keith.

to the west bud.