565 pgs, 1991, Willmann-Bell Inc.
ISBN 978-0943396347

For centuries, astronomers spent hours doing calculations based on information from their observations, a tedious task that not only distracted from their research but often introduced careless errors into their findings. With a microcomputer and Boulet's book of BASIC programs, amateur astronomers can avoid the mechanical drudgery of working out equations when determining orbital elements for Earth, satellites, and other celestial bodies. These programs are tied to mathematics in the text by an algorithm and are illustrated with a numerical example complete with its computer output. Software diskettes for Macintosh and PC are available.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Fundamentals of Orbital Motion
2. Time and Position
3. The Two-Body Problem
4. Orbit Geometry
5. Ephemeris Generation
6. Special Perturbation
7. Applied Numerical Methods
8. Preliminary Orbit Data
9. The Method of Laplace
10. The Method of Gauss
11. The Method of Olbers
12. Orbit Improvement