Next message: Bruce Stark: "Re: Precomputed lunar distance tables 2004"
Bruce,
From your comments and that of others I realise now that I should write an
explanation to the precomputed tables, including a statement of accuracy
and a prop.log table. The warning that you ask me to promulgate would also
be included. Since I unfortunately don't have your tables, I am not
familiar with tables 7 and 8 that you mention. Therefore I am not too sure
what to warn against. Please help me with that.
I made the tables with a three-hour interval for historical reasons, and
also because in most cases a three-hour interval is sufficient to skip
second order interpolation. Less historical, I changed the tabulated
accuracy from one second to six seconds (0.1 minute), which is more in
accord with the accuracy of observations as well as with the accuracy of
other data in the modern Nautical Almanacs. Since other methods of
reduction (like yours) suppose a one-hour interval, it would be fitting to
make a one-hour version next to the three-hour version.
Steven.
