Class CelestialBodyFactory


  • public class CelestialBodyFactory
    extends Object
    Factory class for bodies of the solar system.

    The Sun, the Moon and the planets (including the Pluto dwarf planet) are provided by this factory. In addition, two important points are provided for convenience: the solar system barycenter and the Earth-Moon barycenter.

    The underlying body-centered frames are either direct children of EME2000 (for Moon and Earth-Moon barycenter) or children from other body-centered frames. For example, the path from EME2000 to Jupiter-centered frame is: EME2000, Earth-Moon barycenter centered, solar system barycenter centered, Jupiter-centered. The defining transforms of these frames are combinations of simple linear translation/velocity transforms without any rotation. The frame axes are therefore always parallel to EME2000 frame axes.

    The position of the bodies provided by this class are interpolated using the JPL DE 405/DE 406 ephemerides.

    Author:
    Luc Maisonobe