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Now downloaded more than 500 000 times all over the world. Used in several books, magazines, observatories, universities and Web sites. Used in Chandrayaan 1 lunar mission preparation. Recommanded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and the french Ministry of National Education
For Windows 95/98/NT/ME/2000/XP/Vista
More powerful : PHOTLUN (c,) the new pictures manager module allows you
to select pictures to display, to rotate and magnify them.
Above, you selected and modify two Plato pictures.
The map shows the new scientific overlay”Clementine ratio”
The black & white Plato picture is extracted from the new”LOPAM Destripped”
The new high resolution LOPAM texture built on USGS datas improves a lot formations finding and vision
“POCKETLUN” © : your new observing friend “on the field” is a new interactive guide if you use it with audio comments !
From left to right :
Near side with libration
Eyepiece view simulation of Cleomedes
Farside altitude showing South Pole - Atkin basin Orbiting above Copernicus
May 2008 : New "PRO version 4.0"
For May 2008, that's to say 6 years after VMA creation, we are happy to propose you the new version “Pro” 4.0, important evolution of the Virtual Moon Atlas.
NEW MODULES :
THE MODULE "POCKETLUN" :
Exclusive : Patrick Chevalley has programmed “POCKETLUN”, the translation of VMA “Light” version on Pocket PC ! It allows you a more easier field use of VMA and becomes a real interactive guide with the audio comments it can handle. Samples recorded by Christian Legrand (with french accent !) are available . This module is a complement to the CD PRO 4.0 version.
THE PICTURES MANAGER MODULE "PHOTLUN" :
Patrick Chevalley has also programmed “PHOTLUN”, a pictures manager that allows you to select pictures to view, to rotate them, to process them about luminosity and contrast, to magnify them and to record the selected setup !
DISAPPEARANCE OF "BASIC" version :
To keep a coherent versions range, we delete the “Basic” version which doesn't include the FarSide. Released versions are presently :
BETTER COMPATIBILITY WITH WINDOWS VISTA :
To improve the compatibility with Windows Vista all the user modifiable file (configuration, database, …) are now stored in user profile (%APPDATA%\virtualmoon).
Now the program propose privilege elevation if a texture in installation directory is need to be rebuild.
If you are upgrading from a previous version the user files are copied the first time this version of the program is run. After that be sure to only run avlpro 4.0, avllight 3.5b or avlexpert 3.5b to avoid duplicate configuration.
NEW HIGH RESOLUTION TEXTURE :
The "Lunar Orbiter" texture :
USGS has recently released new Lunar Orbiter Moon surface map. This new exclusive texture realized by Christian Legrand shows the highest resolution with shaded relief available in computerized lunar atlases.
NEW SCIENTIFIC OVERLAY :
The "Clementine ratio" overlay :
This new overlay realized by Christian Legrand and based on exclusives datas from Clementine probe shows soils composition differences.
NEW SCIENTIFIC DATABASE :
The second scientific database "Pyroclastic deposits " :
Beyond traditional databases compiling IAU officially named formations, it exists peculiar formations with a huge scientific interest that must be included in VMA databases. After the “Historical sites” database, here is now the “Pyroclastic deposits” database presenting volcanic ashes deposits on Nearside surface compiled by Lisa Gaddis and her team. Sure, these deposits are localized on the map and can be sorted with DATLUN ©.
NEW PICTURES LIBRARIES :
The new "Best of Lazzarotti" library :
Paolo Lazzarotti is presently the most prolific lunar imager releasing his high resolution pictures to others amateurs. In this new library, Christian Legrand has extracted more than 450 pictures formations from Paolo products.
The new "Best of Higgins" library :
Wes Higgins is back to lunar imaging with his 18” Dobson.. In this new library, Christian Legrand has extracted more than 250 pictures formations from Wes products.
These two new libraries grow the collection to near 4000 pictures available to VMA users.
The new "LOPAM Destripped" library :
Niels Noordhoek has realized a powerful routine that blow away those disgracious stripes on LOPAM pictures. Christian Legrand has used this routine to provide the new “LOPAM Destripped” pictures library that shows now the extracted pictures in all their beauty and resolution.
NEW DOCUMENTATIONS :
POCKETLUN and PHOTLUN documentations :
Christian Legrand has realized new specific and illustrated documentations for “POCKETLUN” et “PHOTLUN” with screens captures showing the new possibilities offered by this “mobile” version and this new pictures manager.
General VMA PRO 4.0 documentation :
Christian Legrand has updated the main documentation with new databases and overlays with new screen captures.
May 28 update :
The latest version are now 4.0b and 3.5c, An upgrade file from the previous version is available
This version correct for missing data on some installation.
We had generous offers from some VMA users that asked us how they could help us for the software improvement. This one is sure a free action of ourselves and we don't ask any financial help for this product which is only the reflect of our astronomical passions : Moon survey for Christian Legrand and astronomical programming for Patrick Chevalley.
We were a little embarassed by these proposals, but we estimated that we can't refuse voluntary donations and finally decided to accept them. If you want to help us, go to the page "How to support our action ?" for more details. So that the benefits of your support come back to you, these funds will be affected, as far as we can do it, to the purchase of astronomical equipment or books usable for the improvement of VMA or for other astronomical new products or actions.
We thank you very much in advance for the voluntary help that you would decide to bring us.
Christian Legrand et Patrick Chevalley
This software, realized by Patrick Chevalley and Christian Legrand can visualize the Moon aspect for every date and hour and pilot computerized telescopes on the Moon surface. It permits also to study lunar formations with unique database of more than 8000 entries and a more than 6000 pictures library compiled by Christian Legrand.
It's conceived to be easily usable “in the field” according to an observing session needs, but also to study “at home” the Moon and its relief. It's interfaced with "Sky charts" Patrick Chevalley's freeware. This set is certainly now one of the most complete released.
Rather than a long description, we invite you to read the complete manual or the quick user's guide or to look at the screens copies to see what are the possibilities.
This software has been conceived according to needs of Moon observers, but also as a powerful tool for people interested personally or professionally by selenography.
The authors are decided to upgrade periodically the software, database and pictures library in the following monthes and years. If you think that a function would be useful for all Moon observers, don't hesitate to indicate it us. It could be possible to include it.
It's possible to choose the language used by the software and database. presently English and French version are available with the basic package. You can download more translation here .
The authors wish that others passioned amateur astronomers will propose their own translation in their language to make this software available to world wide Moon observers.
This software is the result of a collaboration between Christian Legrand, a passioned lunar observer, editor in french magazine "Espace Magazine", and co-author of the guide "Discover the Moon" published in English by Cambridge University Press and also published in French, German and Spanish, with Patrick Chevalley, author of the worlwide known freeware "Cartes du Ciel / Sky Charts".
The authors make him free for amateur astronomers, lunar observers and students who wish to practice selenography. They hope to promote Moon observation and knowledge because our satellite will become one of the next human spatial exploration step.
The “Virtual Moon Atlas” is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details.
Database information and pictures are copyrighted and can only be used with Virtual Moon Atlas.
Source code is available from CVS at http://sourceforge.net/projects/virtualmoon
This program is entirely written in Lazarus and DELPHI 6.
Calculations of the ephemerides of the Moon are based on ” Lunar Solution ELP 2000-82B Chapront-Touze, Bureau des Longitudes 1988”. The program elp82b.f was rewritten in Pascal and include in a DLL.
Many calculations are based on the essential ”Astronomical Algorithms by Jean Meeus”.
OpenGL display use GLScene .
The database is managed with SQLite and Libsql.
Marks :
“Microsoft”, “Windows” and “Vista” are registered marks of Microsoft Corporation.
Names of “Virtual Moon Atlas”, “PhotLun”, “DatLun” and “PocketLun” are properties of Ch. Legrand
For all question about Virtual Moon Atlas usage please use the user forum.
To report a problem with the software please use the bug tracker page, then check if a similar problem is already described
If you have any questions, suggestions or remarks about the software, you can contact Patrick Chevalley.
If they are about the overlays, the databases or the pictures libraries, please contact Christian Legrand.
visitor since June 2002.
