MARS24

INTRODUCTION

  Mars24 is a cross-platform Java application which displays a Mars "sunclock",
  a graphical representation of Mars showing the current sun- and nightsides
  of Mars, along with a numerical readout of the time in a 24-hour format.
  Other displays include a plot showing the relative orbital positions of Mars
  and Earth and a diagram showing the solar angle for a given location on Mars.

  Mars24 requires Java 1.3.1 or later. Linux users, you may find that you
  need to install Java 1.4.1 for Mars24 to work on your computers.


DOWNLOADING

  The current version of Mars24 may be found at:
  
  http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/


INSTALLING AND RUNNING THE MAC OS X PACKAGE

  The Mars24 package for Mac OS X comes as a StuffIt archive which can be
  uncompressed using the free StuffIt Expander utility from Aladdin Systems.
  It contains a folder holding the following items:

  - Double-clickable Mars24 application.
  - Equirectangular map file "marsmap.jpg".
  - Martian landmarks file "marslandmarks.xml".
  - This README file.
  - A subdirectory called "help" which includes user documentation.
  
  To run Mars24, just double-click on the Mars24 application.
  
  (Note: Mars24 is not compatible with the "classic" Mac OS.)


INSTALLING AND RUNNING THE STANDARD JAVA PACKAGE

  The "standard" Mars24 package comes as either a (a) zipped archive or
  (b) tarred and gzipped archive, either of which can be uncompressed by
  many freeware uncompression utilities. It contains a directory, "Mars24J",
  holding the following items:
  
  - Java application in a jar file called "Mars24.jar".
  - Equirectangular map file "marsmap.jpg".
  - Martian landmarks file "marslandmarks.xml".
  - This README file.
  - A subdirectory called "help" which includes user documentation.
  
  To run Mars24 from the command line, cd into the directory where the
  above files are located and then type:
  
  java -jar Mars24.jar

  Alternatively, on many platforms, you should be able to launch Mars24
  from the desktop by double-clicking the Mars24.jar file.


HELP AND OTHER DOCUMENTATION

  More details about Mars24, including a user's guide and information about
  the meaning of Mars time units, are available at:
  
  http://www.giss.nasa.gov/tools/mars24/


CONTACT

  Mars24 was written by Dr. Robert B. Schmunk. If you wish to be notified
  when new versions of Mars24 are released or if you would like to report
  a bug, please contact:
  
  Robert B. Schmunk
  rschmunk@giss.nasa.gov
  NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies
  2880 Broadway, New York, NY 10025 USA


ACKOWLEDGMENTS

  Mars24 is primarily based on equations which appeared in:

  * Allison and McEwen 2000 A post-Pathfinder evaluation of aerocentric solar
    coordinates with improved timing recipes for Mars seasonal/diurnal climate
    studies. Planet. Space Sci. 48, 215-235.

  * Allison 1997. Accurate analytic representations of solar time and seasons
    on Mars with applications to the Pathfinder/Surveyor missions. Geophys.
    Res. Lett. 24, 1967-1970.

  Some updates and adjustments have been according to:

  * Seidelmann et al.  Thomas 2002. Report of the IAU/IAG Working Group on
    cartographic coordinates and rotational elements of the planets and
    satellites: 2000. Celest. Mech. Dynam. Astron. 82, 83-110.

  * Allison 2003. Personal communication.


LICENSE

  Scope of License. Subject to all the terms and conditions of this
  license, NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies grants USER the
  royalty-free, nonexclusive, nontransferable, and worldwide rights
  to reproduce, modify, reverse engineer, and distribute the Mars24
  software package, herein referred to as the Product.

  Conditions and Limitations of Use Warranties. Neither the U.S.
  Government, nor any agency or employee thereof, makes any warranties,
  expressed or implied, with respect to the Product provided under this
  License, including but not limited to the implied warranties or
  merchantability and fitness for any particular purpose. Liability.
  In no event shall the U.S.  Government, nor any agency or employee
  thereof, be liable for any direct, indirect, or consequential damages
  flowing from the use of the Product provided under this License.
  Non-Assignment. Neither this License nor any rights granted hereunder
  are transferable or assignable without the explicit prior written
  consent of NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Names and Logos.
  USER shall not substitute its name or logo in identification of the
  Product. Export of technology. USER shall comply with all U.S. laws
  and regulations restricting the export of the Product to other countries.
  Governing Law. This License shall be governed by the laws of United
  States as interpreted and applied by the Federal courts in the District
  of Columbia.

  Term of License. This License shall remain in effect as long as USER
  uses the Product in accordance with Paragraphs 1 and 2.


