LTVT News Archive

News...

Since the LOLA LBL files have been unchanged since 31 Mar 2010, promoted a very slightly revised version of the most recent development file (LTVT_v0_21_3x.exe) -- which is compatible with them -- to be the current release file. It is now available in the "full" download (LTVT_v0_21_3.exe replacing LTVT_v0_21_2.exe), as well as separately.

March 26, 2010

A new development version of LTVT_v0_21_3.exe has been uploaded to cope with changes in the content of the *.LBL files uploaded to LOLA MIT site on 25 Mar 2010. A change in the unit assigned to the MAP_SCALE in the polar DEM's made them unreadable by earlier versions of LTVT.

March 23, 2010

A new development version of LTVT_v0_21_3.exe has been uploaded to cope with errors in the most recent *.LBL files uploaded to LOLA MIT site.

March 22, 2010

A development version of LTVT_v0_21_3.exe that is more economical of memory for loading LOLA DEM's is available on the LTVT download page.

March 21, 2010

A final revision of LTVT version 0_21_2, posted today, is the current release file.

March 20, 2010

The development version of LTVT_v0_21_2x.exe can now read (and use) the LOLA high-resolution DEM's of the Moon's poles in stereographic projection.

March 18, 2010

The development version of LTVT_v0_21_2x.exe released since March 16th should be able to read the LOLA global DEM's of the Moon.

March 6, 2010

Promoted LTVT version 0_21_1 to be the current release file, and posted a development version, LTVT_v0_21_2x.exe, of the program executable with further corrections and improvements.

March 4, 2010

LTVT version 0_21 has been formally "released", including source code and a revised help file on the LTVT download page. The changes that it introduces are summarized there. Pages illustrating the new features will be added as time permits.

February 25, 2010

A test version of LTVT version 0_21, the next expected release, has been made available on the LTVT download page. The latest revision is uploaded whenever substantive changes are made.

January 21, 2010

The current development file, LTVT version 0_20_2, has been made available on the LTVT download page. The DEM options have been expanded to include two new models of variation of brightness with sun angle and surface slope.

January 16, 2010

The current development file, LTVT version 0_20_1, has been made available on the LTVT download page. It has small improvements in the mouse readout and GoTo functions for 3D simulations, as well as some additional fields/search options in the Libration Tabulator.

November 28, 2009

The latest development file has been formally released as LTVT version 0_20. This incorporates the ability to re-size the main LTVT window and to generate computer-synthesized predictions of the Moon's appearance (including in three dimensions) based on digital topography files.

November 27, 2009

The new version of the development file for LTVT version 0_20 (#4) has been made available on the LTVT download page. This corrects a typo in earlier versions which affected the limb display in the 3D mode.

November 22, 2009

Yet another version of the development file for LTVT version 0_20 (#3) has been made available on the LTVT download page. All previous versions using the Kaguya DEM data contained an error causing calibrated satellite photos to load incorrectly. That has been corrected here. This version also allows the last texture loaded to be multiplied by the computed DEM intensities if that option has been selected on the DEM Options page.

November 21, 2009

The new version of the development file for LTVT version 0_20 has been made available on the LTVT download page. The previous version had an error in the "Save/Restore as Defaults" buttons on the new DEM Options page which were inadvertently overwriting (and likely corrupting) the defaults for the Cartographic Options page. If this happened, the Cartographic Options can be reset, as desired, and re-saved from that page.

November 20, 2009

The current development file for LTVT version 0_20 has been made available on the LTVT download page. It allows the main screen to be re-sized, and can generate synthesized images of the Moon based on Kaguya digital elevation data.

July 13, 2009

IAU feature names file updated to include Euclides D.

April 17, 2009

IAU feature names file updated to include three newly named craters.

March 25, 2009

LTVT v0_19_10_1 available for download -- Corrects certain deficiencies in v0_19_10's method for adding observer locations from within the program by adding a New Site Name input box.

March 24, 2009

LTVT v0_19_10 available for download -- improved observer location input, correction of minor errors in Moon Event Predictor and addition (in MEP) of lunar "age" and illumination printout for geocentric observers.

March 20, 2009

LTVT v0_19_9 available for download -- improved control of sorting calibrated photos by colongitude.

March 6, 2009

LTVT v0_19_8 available for download -- improved Libration Tabulator and option for sorting calibrated photos by colongitude.

January 24, 2009

IAU feature names file updated to include 19 newly named craters.

December 18, 2008

No change in program, but two support files have been updated. The IAU features list now includes two newly named craters, and the TAI offsets file includes the new leap second, which will become effective 1 Jan 2009.

November 28, 2008

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Versions 0_19_7 (as released on 26 Nov 2008) and 0_19_6 (as released on 22 Nov) contained a serious error in the interactive mouseover sun angle and azimuth routine. Corrected files have been uploaded. Anyone using the LTVT_v0_19_6.exe or LTVT_v0_19_7.exe program executables should replace that file with the LTVT_v0_19_7_1.exe (available in Latest Release Files on the LTVT Download page). No other files need to be changed, and nothing other than the instantaneous sun angle readout was affected.

November 26, 2008

LTVT v0_19_7 available for download -- add option for automatically drawing limit of observer's visibility (limb) on aerial views, and continuous map zone indication in mouse readout. Add Moon's librations as viewed from current mouse point to Earth Viewer readout.

November 22, 2008

LTVT v0_19_6 available for download -- improves annotation of saved images using the new orientation modes, and adds a completely new feature for showing the Earth as viewed from the Moon. This is very convenient for quickly visualizing the parts of the world from which a given phase can be observed, and the variation in observational geometry from those locations.

November 20, 2008

LTVT v0_19_5 available for download -- a new message warns when shadow measurements are attempted with non-current data, and new status line makes the orientation in which the Moon is being displayed more apparent.

November 15, 2008

LTVT v0_19_4 available for download -- two new orientation modes (equatorial and alt-az) permit simulating naked eye and telescopic views; new labeling option can identify all satellites of a given feature.

November 7, 2008

LTVT v0_19_3 available for download -- improvements in shadow measurements, labeling and photo accessibility.
Add Crater Shadows Simulator -- a new utility for predicting the expected shadow patterns in craters of various shapes

June 12, 2008

Update Named_Lunar_Features.csv to reflect minor change in IAU Gazetteer

June 3, 2008

LTVT v0_19_2 available -- corrects error in shadow drawing tool

Wiki Updates

February 3, 2016

The Image Grabber utility program has been upgraded to Version 1.8.2. This minor revision permits retrieving files from internet sites in which there is an embedded comma in the URL (for further details, see "Image Grabber Directions.txt" in the program download package).

December 18, 2012

The basic dot files for Mercury, Venus and Mars have been updated to incorporate changes to the IAU nomenclature and control networks through December 15, 2012. The basic and specialized lunar dot files have also been updated to reflect minor changes to the "origin" field for a few features.

June 16, 2012

A new version of the basic lunar dot file for the IAU-named features on the Moon is available on the LTVT download page. It incorporates the new LOLA-based lunar positions and diameters announced by the IAU on June 4, 2010, as well as new minor crater names (one introduced on March 29, 2012 and twelve on June 15, 2012). The specialized lunar dot files have also been updated as well as those for Mercury and Mars.

February 3, 2012

The Image Grabber utility program has been upgraded to Version 1.8.2. This minor revision permits retrieving files from internet sites in which there is an embedded comma in the URL (for further details, see "Image Grabber Directions.txt" in the program download package).

June 19, 2011

A new LTVT dot file of Mars names have been uploaded to reflect recent changes in IAU nomenclature.

March 28, 2011

A new IAU-compliant LTVT dot files have been uploaded for feature names on Mercury, Venus, the Moon and Mars, as well as a version of the IAU Names Checker utility program, which can be used to check an LTVT dot file against the latest data downloads from the IAU site. The changes to the Moon file are extremely slight. The others incorporate changes announced on the IAU News page through 23 Mar 2011.

March 12, 2011

The updated LOLA DEM files, nominally set for their quarterly release on March 15th, appear to have been available since Feb 22nd. The LRO Wide Angle Camera Global Mosaic also appears to have been released on March 11, 2011. There seems little explanation of the raw files in PDS ".IMG" format. The thumbnail images suggest the files with names containing "O" are orthographic projections, while the two with "P" are polar stereographic. For those with sufficient computer memory available, it should be possible to convert all of these to LTVT-readable .BMP format using the PDS IMG Reader utility (which can also be used to read the embedded ASCII LBL data at the start of each file, which can then be used to decode the remainder of the file). The "E" sets are apparently in simple cylindrical projection ("equirectangular") and can be loaded as LTVT textures. The orthographic "O" sets can be "calibrated" and loaded as if they were normal Earth-based photos, but setting the observer longitude/latitude to the selenographic longitude/latitude of the center point, and the observer elevation to "-999" (noting that the mosaics have no definite date or time). LTVT does not currently have a built-in mechanism for loading polar stereographic images (other than DEM's), so the "P" files would need to be converted to an orthographic or simple cylindrical format.

December 5, 2010

It looks like some of the updated LOLA DEM files, nominally set for their quarterly release on December 15th, are already available. New "Cylindrical" DEM's were posted November 30-December 2. The December "Polar" DEM's will presumably follow shortly. Note that since these data sets used a fixed grid spacing, the size of the files does not change as they are updated, but the content is improved with new data and less interpolation. LTVT users should replace their existing copies of the LOLA DEM files they use with the new versions, which will otherwise appear identical.

November 27, 2010

A new Mars dot file has been uploaded incorporating recent coordinate updates made by the IAU.

November 22, 2010

Add instructions for Making DEM Simulations.

November 8, 2010

New versions of the IAU-named planetary surface features dot files have been posted, synchronized to the IAU database as of 6 Nov 2010. The new dot files for the Moon and planets include unique IAU feature numbers making possible links to the related IAU Gazetteer web pages in LTVT_v0_21_5x.exe and beyond.

October 20, 2010

A new version of the basic lunar dot file for the IAU-named features is available on the LTVT download page. It incorporates the new lunar positions and diameters announced by the IAU on October 18, 2010. The positions correlate much better than previous ones with the ULCN2005-controlled texture files from Map-a-Planet and with new products such as the Kaguya and LOLA DEM's, except in areas on the farside where a shaded relief map was used for the revision. In those areas the new positions and diameters appear to be less accurate than the earlier ones.

September 16, 2010

Version 2.1 of the PDS IMG Reader adds support for the common kinds of byte "padding" that may be encountered in the data matrix (minor correction made 17 Sep 2010).

September 15, 2010

Version 2.0 of the PDS IMG Reader has a re-organized user interface, and should be able to handle most forms of "banded" (multi-spectral) data sets found on the PDS.

September 13, 2010

Uploaded Version 1.5 of the PDS IMG Reader with new Preview and Reset buttons.

September 12, 2010

Uploaded Version 1.4 of the PDS IMG Reader, which can read and convert the band-interleaved data from the Chandrayaan-1 Moon Mineralogy Mapper (M3) instrument, and Version 1.6 of the LROC WAC Viewer, which can correct images for geometric distortion (although imperfectly with the coefficients provided).

September 10, 2010

Version 1.3 of the PDS IMG Reader deletes an unnecessary input box specifying the total number of lines in the image, and shortens the text output to the length required to represent the significant digits in the original data.

September 9, 2010

Version 1.2 of the PDS IMG Reader utility corrects some inadvertent errors in Version 1.1, including the "Reverse bytes" option not being visible. The improved versions of the LOLA DEM's that first appeared on September 1 appear to have been been permanently posted now. The are based on data through June 27, 2010, giving more than twice the number of raw measurements used for the March versions, and filling in many of the former swaths of heavily interpolated data.

September 8, 2010

Version 1.1 of the PDS IMG Reader utility has a cleaner and more flexible user interface, and can export the decoded raw data to text files as well as to Windows grayscale BMP's.

September 7, 2010

Version 1.5 of the WAC previewer utility program displays the wavelengths of the available bands and labels stacked images with the currently selected one. It is also capable of (crudely) auto-calibrating the saved images for display in LTVT provided one downloads the INDEX file of support data from the LROC PDS archive. The PDS IMG Reader utility used to convert radar, lidar and other global numeric data sets in the "raw" IMG format popular on NASA's Planetary Data Service to Windows grayscale BMP's for use as LTVT textures has also been uploaded.

September 6, 2010

Version 1.4 of the WAC previewer utility program corrects a minor annoyance with error messages regarding invalid band number selections and an incorrect default vertical drift for UV images.

September 5, 2010

Posted Version 1.3 of the WAC previewer utility program, correcting an error in Version 1.2 that ignored fractional vertical displacements and expanding the code to create stacked images corresponding to single wave bands in the multi-spectral ("UE", "VE" and "CE") records.

September 4, 2010

A slightly more robust version of the WAC previewer program, allowing both horizontal and vertical displacements between the stacked framelets, has been posted.

September 3, 2010

Improved versions of the LOLA global DEM's may soon be available on the MIT website. Those using LDEM_16.IMG or LDEM_64.IMG may wish to replace them, as the new releases are much more complete than the earlier ones. Those using LOLA polar DEM's should not replace them as the versions posted on September 1 contain errors and are not usable.

September 2, 2010

Add a Utility program for doing a rough assembly of sequential 14x1024 pixel monochromatic LROC Wide Angle Camera framelets into a BMP composite.

August 4, 2010

The dot files of IAU-approved lunar names have been updated to include three new names approved by the IAU on August 2, 2010. One of these Cai Lun is marginally visible from Earth (beyond Nansen) with favorable libration.

July 15, 2010

Dot file with IAU-approved Mars names updated to include newly named crater Harris.

June 25, 2010

The IAU feature name dot files for the Moon, Mercury, Venus and Mars have been updated to incorporate 1 new name on Venus, 6 new names on Mars, and minor changes made by the IAU to several Origin fields.

May 4, 2010

Example illustrating the effectiveness of 3D DEM simulations with full perspective correction added to the-Moon Wiki.

April 29, 2010

Add example of sun angle variations available with development version of LTVT_v0_21_4.

April 27, 2010

Add example of perspective correction with development version of LTVT_v0_21_4.

April 16, 2010

Add page using LOLA DEM simulations to interpret April 14 2010 New Moon.

April 15, 2010

Updated dot files of Man-made Objects on the Moon, and IAU names on Mercury and Venus.

April 9, 2010

Oyama add to IAU Mars names Dot File.

March 22, 2010

The IAU names files on the LTVT download and Dot Files pages have been updated to incorporate two very minor spelling changes made by the IAU.

March 19, 2010

Several examples using the 64 samples per degree LRO LOLA DEM have been added to the Digital Topography page for comparison with the earlier 16 samples per degree Kaguya DEM.

March 18, 2010

Add directions for obtaining newly released LRO DEM data (similar to the Kaguya global DEM). Add Rachmaninoff to dot file of IAU names on Mercury.

March 6, 2010

Illustrated the page of Sources of Planetary DEM Data with examples of DEM's that can be opened with LTVT_v0_21.exe and above.

March 1, 2010

IAU lunar feature name lists including the "name origin" field have been uploaded in preparation for the release of LTVT_v0_21, which will be capable of displaying this information from the Right Click Image Menu. Earlier versions will ignore it.

February 25, 2010

IAU feature name lists for Mercury, Venus and Mars have been added to the collection of dot files.

January 14, 2010

Added new page describing the lighting expected in thin lunar crescents (and at the Moon's poles), based on simulations with the Kaguya DEM.

January 11, 2010

Revised format of Dot Files related to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter target list, and added full tab-delimited spreadsheet from which they are derived in a zipped folder. Also updated the dot file of Man-made Objects on the Moon with the crash sites of Kaguya (corrected Jan 12) and LCROSS.

January 10, 2010

Add Dot Files related to the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. These can be used to identify special regions of interest being studied for possible future human exploration, and the much larger list of targets of scientific or historic interest.

December 28, 2009

Upload revised version of GLR dome list.

November 28, 2009

The latest development file has been formally released as LTVT version 0_20. This incorporates the ability to re-size the main LTVT window and to generate computer-synthesized predictions of the Moon's appearance (including in three dimensions) based on digital topography files.

November 23, 2009

Add examples of a shadow measurements in Archimedes and comparison with the predictions of the Kaguya global DEM.

November 21, 2009

Add examples of a three-dimensional simulations of limb peaks and very thin crescents.

November 19, 2009

Add grayscale versions of the Kaguya topographic maps of the Moon's north and south polar regions, suitable for use as LTVT textures.

November 18, 2009

Add a preliminary example of a three-dimensional simulation of the lunar limb and directions for Obtaining Kaguya DEM Data. The version of LTVT capable of reading and using this data has not yet been released.

November 17, 2009

Add examples of simulations of the lunar surface and terminator created using the full Kaguya digital elevation model, including recreations of how the Moon's terminator would have looked to Galileo. The version of LTVT used to create these drawings has not yet been released.

November 9, 2009

Add global 16 points per degree grayscale Kaguya topographic map suitable for use as an LTVT texture.

October 8, 2009

Remove now irrelevant references to Cabeus "A1" and add images for locating impact site to the LCROSS Impact page.

September 17, 2009

Add depth measurements of "Cabeus A1" to the LCROSS Impact page.

September 12, 2009

Add images of LCROSS target location.

August 26, 2009

Add data for images by Carmelo Zannelli to Amateur Lunar Photos. Also update Observatory List.

August 25, 2009

Add data for images by Tony Gondola to Amateur Lunar Photos.

August 15/16, 2009

Add data for AstronoMinsk images (including closeup details) to Amateur Lunar Photos.
Add Set 14 to Calibrated Full Disk Images.

August 13, 2009

Add Set 13 to Calibrated Full Disk Images.

August 12, 2009

Begin new page with Calibration Data and URL lists for Amateur Lunar Photos covering less than the full disk.

August 11, 2009

Update Image Grabber to Version 1.7.
Add Set 12 to Calibrated Full Disk Images (the URL list that is provided is in a new format, and requires Image Grabber version 1.7 or later to automatically download the calibrated images from the internet).

July 30, 2009

Add Set 11 to Calibrated Full Disk Images.

July 22, 2009

Add Set 10 to Calibrated Full Disk Images.

July 21, 2009

Add Set 9 to Calibrated Full Disk Images.

July 18, 2009

Add Set 8 to Calibrated Full Disk Images. Provide URL's and calibration data in combined lists only, rather than in the separate files for each set previously provided.

July 14, 2009

Add page with a calibrated radar map of the Moon's south pole.

July 13, 2009

IAU-based dot files updated to include Euclides D.

June 16, 2009

Add data for download and display of early maps by Neison.

June 10, 2009

Kaguya Impact page is being updated to reflect breaking news regarding the event.

June 7, 2009

Add Set 7 to Calibrated Full Disk Images and update Calibrated Full Disk Images Index accordingly.

June 5, 2009

Set Kaguya Impact point back to 80ºE/ 63ºS per latest information.
Upload slightly revised versions of support data for some earlier sets of Calibrated Full Disk Images.
Add new Index page to Calibrated Full Disk Images.

June 3, 2009

Update marker location in closeups of predicted Kaguya Impact position to 80ºE/ 64ºS.
Add one image to Set 6 of Calibrated Full Disk Images

May 30, 2009

Add data for 32 more Calibrated Full Disk Images

May 27, 2009

Update LCROSS impact page based on new announcement of possbile impact times.

May 23, 2009

Add pages with simulations of Moon's appearance on expected dates of Kaguya and LCROSS impacts.

April 17, 2009

IAU name dot files updated to include three newly-approved crater names.

March 28, 2009

Add data for 38 more Calibrated Full Disk Images

March 26, 2009

Add a page about Identifying Features on a Daytime Photo.

March 20, 2009

Add data for 26 more Calibrated Full Disk Images
Upload complete set of LTVT-readable Observing Locations used in calibrations.

March 17, 2009

Improved version of Image Grabber.

March 13, 2009

Add calibration data for ten full disk mosaics by Torsten Edelmann.

March 11, 2009

Add eleven images to Calibrated Full Disk Images, making a total of about 97.

March 9, 2009

Image Grabber v1.5 uploaded.

March 8, 2009

Added information regarding possible LCROSS imaging runs in May and July.

March 4, 2009

Improved version of Image Grabber.
Added one new image to Henrik's Calibrated Evening Atlas

March 2, 2009

New page for Henrik's Calibrated Evening Atlas
Updated 1994 ULCN Supplement and Manmade Objects in Dot Files
New version of Image Grabber, with more graceful "abort", in Utility Programs
Refined download lists for full disk images.

March 1, 2009

Moved upload site for Henrik's Atlas, and added 65 additional calibrated full disk images to new page: Calibrated Full Disk Images

February 23, 2009

Uploaded Henrik's full disk images to Wiki site and created new URL list for them. Also uploaded new URL list for the System of Lunar Craters maps, pointing to archived GRL website.

February 1, 2009

Note that Henrik's full disk images mentioned at Earth-based image downloads are no longer available.

December 18, 2008

Update Dot Files with IAU named features to include two newly named craters.

December 7, 2008

Add Chuck Wood's Lunar 100 and Rükl map sheet center positions to Dot Files.

December 4, 2008

Add several pages in support of the LCROSS training exercises for observing the Moon's south pole; including specifically simulations of the images expected during the Dec. 6-8, 2008 (UT) campaign.

November 12, 2008

Crater Shadows Simulator utility program updated from v1.1 to v1.2 to permit warping profiles to curved lunar surface.

November 10, 2008

Add dot file with all primary IAU names flagged, making it easy to omit lettered craters (if desired) from map labels.
Add example comparing shadow patterns expected with the four basic shapes to the Crater Shadows Simulator page.

November 8, 2008

Crater Shadows Simulator utility program updated from v1.0 to v1.1 for better display of profiles of positive relief (outward bulging) features.

November 7, 2008

Some pages added and updated to describe new features in LTVT v0_19_3 and the Crater Shadows Simulator.

October 6, 2008

Add Sinus Iridum sunrise sequence.

September 28, 2008

Add pages illustrating the use of LTVT to identify features in images of Mare Orientale, and for displaying images with changing illumination, as for the Curtiss Cross region.

August 13, 2008

Add new page demonstrating theortical advantages of imaging the Moon in blue light.

August 9, 2008

Moon Event Predictor explained (many other pages still need explanatory text).

August 4, 2008

Add second version of Chuck Wood's basin ring diameters list to dot files.
Add notes regarding August 4 LPOD.

July 31, 2008

Add annotated images, and file of measurements of craterlet diameters in the vicinity of Apollo 11 landing site.

July 30, 2008

Add annotated images, and file of measurements of craterlet diameters in the vicinity of Hadley Rille.

July 26, 2008

Update Crater Resolution chart and add Plato Craterlet Resolution Examples.

July 23, 2008

Add new page on Crater Resolution measurements with LTVT

July 21, 2008

Add Henrik's special IAU features dot file with the features named on Sky and Telescope's Field Map of the Moon flagged for automatic labeling
Add belated notes regarding librations in July 14 LPOD.

July 19, 2008

Jim was on vacation from July 4-15. Editing of Wiki pages was not possible during that time.
Since his return, some comments on the the July 17th and 18th LPOD's, describing Kaguya observations of Tycho, have been added to the LPOD Notes.
A related high-resolution view of Tycho's floor from Lunar Orbiter V has been added to Lunar Orbiter Composites.
Work on the on-line LTVT documentation pages should resume soon.

July 2, 2008

Jim has been busy doing other things, so development of the present Wiki has languished a bit, but images and files related to the June 29th and July 2nd LPOD's have been added to the LPOD Notes.

June 25, 2008

Add images related to June 25th LPOD.

June 24, 2008

Add information for June 23rd and June 24th LPOD's.

June 21, 2008

Add Head and Gifford, and ALPO, dome lists to dot files

June 20, 2008

Add software for estimating spacecraft position in oblique views to utility programs
Add new GLR Consolidated Dome Catalog to dot files

June 17, 2008

Modify Navigation Panel
Henrik's Calibrated Lunar Atlas images added to Earth-based image downloads
Clementine-ULCN2005 Point Lister and IAU Names Checker added to utility programs
Begin adding text to program operation explanation pages

June 14, 2008

Upload revised Image Grabber correcting error in "Cal File + URL list" mode

June 12, 2008

Add URL lists for calibrated Lunar Orbiter Medium Resolution and Apollo Metric images.

June 10, 2008

Add complete(?) dot file for man-made objects with known impact points on Moon.
Add calibration data for selected Lunar Orbiter Medium Resolution camera views.
Add calibration data for selected Apollo Metric images

June 9, 2008

Add URL lists for automated downloading of map series from the LPI Map Catalog
Slightly updated utility programs: Image Grabber, LTO Retrieval and Calibration Data Lister

June 8, 2008