NEO Planner Folder and file structure - Explanations

Internal links:
Home Introduction to NEO Planner Geo settings Object selection Object selection 2 No Go Areas Common restrictions CCD Parameters N.I.N.A. Parameters ACP Parameters Orchestrate Parameters More objects Parking stars Loading Execute planning Execute search Revise Object information NEO Ranking Rejected objects Ephemeris details NEOCP Check Show changes Show Log file Screenshots All observations NEODyS-2 Statistics NEO Graphical Platforme Imprint

Quick access to bookmarks on this page:
Drive Base Folder Download ephemeris Download Comets Download NEOCP Download NEO Daily Planning Daily Planning Archive star catalog

These settings are the second step in getting NEO Planner up and running

Here you define your folder structure of Neo Planner in which all data for the calculation are saved.
The names of the folders or the drive can be freely given and should not be changed later.

Don't forget the \ character at the end of the name!
If you define the folder structure for the first time, save the settings regardless of changes, please.
Plausibility checks or actions are usually only carried out after leaving the cursor in the input field.

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Drive

Enter the drive where all Neo Planner movement data should be saved.
For information: The base folder for the programs and important master data is always C: \ neosettings.

base Folder

All subfolders and movement data are saved in the Base Folder. Create a separate base folder for each new observatory.

Download ephemeris

During the calculation of the daily observations, the ephemeris of each object gained from CGI/API queries of the MPC,
JPL Horizon System or JPL CNEOS Scout are stored in this folder.
The ephemeris of comets and NEO objects of the day are determined in the EPHEM-Observatory_ #.txt files and is saved for each calculation.
The EPHEM-NeoName_TimeUT.txt contains the ephemeris of objects from the MPC.
The HORIZON-NeoName_TimeUT.txt contains the ephemeris of objects from the JPL Horizon System.

The EPHEM-NeocpName_TimeUT.txt contains the ephemeris of new objects from the NEOCP.
The detailled NEOCP data are not obtained from the MPC pool, but with the help of JSON-CGI queries from the Scout: NEOCP Hazard Assessment of the JPL.
The reason for using the Scout is to obtain extensive data from the NEOCP objects, such as Ephemeris and Earth-MOID.

With each recalculation, all of these files are recreated.

The folder also contains some motion files such as geolocation data, the MPC's daily asteroid, comet and NEO data, and the observatories' IAU codes.

Download Comet observations:

The Download Comets folder contains all recent comet observation data available since the MPC was last published.
The MPC usually publishes an M.P.E.C. around the time of the full moon with the last observations of comets or newly calculated orbital elements of comets.
Comet data are now released weekly by the MPC.

In addition, M.P.E.C. of new comets, if meanwhile published. These data serve as the basis for calculating the currently available comets and their brightnesses.

During the Loading of Comets , two files are permanently saved for each comet.
The file Cometname.txt contains the raw data from the Orbits/Observation Database of the MPC.
The file Cometname_obs.txt contains the information obtained from the raw file from Vmag, observation time and observatory.

In addition, the ComObservables.txt file is saved in this folder during the daily calculations.
This includes data such as comet name, last MPEC, last observation date and the average Vmag of the last 10 observations.
With each recalculation, all of these files are recreated.

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Download NEOCP observation:

During the daily calculation of the plan, two files are permanently saved for each NEOCP object.
The file NEOCPname_orb.txt contains the last computed orbital elements of an object from the NEOCP Confirmation Page.
The file NEOCPname_obs.txt contains the last observations of an object from the NEOCP Confirmation Page.

Download NEO observations

During the daily calculation of the plan, two files are permanently saved for each NEO object.
The file NEOname.txt contains the raw data from the Orbits/Observation Database of the MPC.
The file NEOname_obs.txt contains the information obtained from the raw file from Vmag, observation time and observatory.

In addition, the dokuneo_date.txt file is saved in this folder during the last calculations.
This includes data such as NEO name, # of oppositions, # observations, first observatories, last observation, the average Vmag of the last 10 observations,
the Earth MOID and the orbit type of the object.
This file is created with each calculation and stored daily.

Daily Planning

In the daily planning folder you will find various files that are directly related to the planning process.
The file mpcorchestrate_ori.txt is created from the combination of selection, sorting and preparation of the planning,
which is used as a base file for the scheduling during the revision.
Each planning generates an orchtemplate.txt, which represents the template for the night session,
which the observer can use to orientate himself to the objects and times that can be observed for his equipment.
If the programs TheSkyX and Orchestrate are available to the user, orch.txt can be used as an input file for the automatic telescope control.
In addition, all XML and JSON interface data for N.I.N.A. saved in this folder.
All other files are log files in the planning process.

Daily Planning Archive

When pressing the 'Save List' button, which is possible in many screens, hard copies are saved as .jpg, .txt and .csv files in this folder.
After completing the planning process, it is advisable to manually save the contents of the Daily Planning folder in the selected archive folder as you prefer.

Star catalogs

Loading the star catalogs is mandatory for using Execute Search.
With the help of the Yale Bright Stars, Hipparchus, Tycho and UCAC-3 catalogues, a realistic representation of the search mosaics can be achieved.
In addition, the star and deepsky catalogs are also required for the S function in the Revise screen,
in order to display the trace of an object in the calculated period in front of the star background.

The star catalogs folder can be located on any drive.

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