NAME

 
WorldCoords - C++ class for working with world coordinates

SYNOPSIS

 
#include "WorldCoords.h"

class WorldCoords {
...
public:
    WorldCoords();
    WorldCoords(const HMS& ra, const HMS& dec,
                double equinox = 2000.0);

    WorldCoords(double ra_deg, double dec_deg,
                double equinox = 2000.0);

    WorldCoords(int rh, int rm, double rs,
                int dd, int dm, float ds,
                double equinox = 2000.0);

    WorldCoords(const char* ra_str, const char* dec_str,
                double equinox = 2000.0);

    isNull() const;
    void setNull();

    void print(char* ra_buf, char* dec_buf, double equinox = 2000.0);

    friend istream& operator>>(istream&, WorldCoords& pos);
    friend ostream& operator<<(ostream&, const WorldCoords& pos);

    friend int operator==(const WorldCoords& a, const WorldCoords& b);
    friend int operator!=(const WorldCoords& a, const WorldCoords& b);

    friend WorldCoords operator-(const WorldCoords& a, const WorldCoords& b);

    const HMS& ra() const;
    const HMS& dec() const;

    int status();
};

DESCRIPTION

 
This class is used to represent world coordinates and to convert
between different representations of world coordinates. The member
variables in the class are always kept internally in both H:M:S format
and as floating point values in the default equinox J2000.

For example, for a given WorldCoords object "pos", the coordinates in
H:M:S[+-]D:M:S format are given by:

        (pos.ra(), pos.dec())

ra() and dec() both return a reference to an HMS object, which is used
to represent values in hours, minutes and seconds (see HMS). The
coordinates in decimal degrees are given by

        (pos.ra().val()*15, pos.dec().val()).

The ra value must be multiplied by 15 to convert from hours to degrees.

CONSTRUCTORS

 
WorldCoords()
        Initialize null world coordinates.
        (Null coordinates are useful in some cases where you have an
        optional second position for an area instead of a single
        point).

WorldCoords(ra, dec, equinox)
        Initialize the world coordinates from RA, DEC in H:M:S D:M:S
        format.
        Arguments:
                ra      (in)     - RA in H:M:S
                dec     (in)     - DEC in D:M:S
                equinox (in)     - optional epoch (2000.0, 1950.0, ...)

WorldCoords(rh, rm, rs, dd, dm, ds, equinox)
        Initialize the world coordinates from H M S D M S as separate
        values.

        Arguments:
                rh      (in)     - RA hours
                rm      (in)     - RA minutes
                rs      (in)     - RA seconds
                dd      (in)     - DEC degrees
                dm      (in)     - DEC minutes
                ds      (in)     - DEC seconds
                equinox (in)     - optional epoch (2000.0, 1950.0, ...)

WorldCoords(ra_deg, dec_deg, equinox)
        Initialize the world coordinates from RA, DEC in degrees in
        floating point format.
        Arguments:
                ra      (in)     - right ascension
                dec     (in)     - declination
                equinox (in)     - epoch (2000.0, 1950.0, ...)

WorldCoords(ra_str, dec_str, equinox);
        Initialize the world coordinates from RA and DEC in string
        format. Allowed formats of input strings:

                hh mm ss.s +/-dd mm ss.s
                hh:mm:ss.s +/-dd:mm:ss.s
                h.hhhh +/-d.dddd

        Arguments:
                ra      (in)     - String containing right ascension
                dec     (in)     - String containing declination
                equinox (in)     - epoch (2000.0, 1950.0, ...)

METHODS

 
isNull()
        Return true if the given coords are null (this is true if they
        were created with the default constructor - i.e.: with no
        arguments).

setNull()
        Set to the null value.

print(ra_buf, dec_buf, equinox)
        Print the coordinates in the given buffers in H:M:S format in
        given equinox.

operator>>(istream, pos)
        Input operator: format: H:M:S[+-]D:M:S - reads the position
        from the given istream.

operator<<(ostream, pos)
        Output operator: format: H:M:S[+-]D:M:S - writes the position
        to the given ostream.

operator==(pos1, pos2)
operator!=(pos1, pos2)
        Comparison operators - check for equality/inequality.

ra()
        Return the RA part of the coordinates (class HMS). ra().val()*15
        is the value in degrees, ra.hours(), ra().min() and ra().sec()
        give the H:M:S values.
dec()
        Return the DEC part of the coordinates (class
        HMS). dec().val() is the value in degrees, dec.hours(),
        dec().min() and dec().sec() give the H:M:S values.

status()
        Return the status after the constructor is done (0 is OK, 1
        for errors).

 


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Last change: 08 Sep 98