The following updated files are available for use with David Herald's OCCULT software:

• Asteroid.exe [100k] : Elements of asteroids updated July 1998 from Lowell Observatory's ASTORB database. The file is a self-extracting archive; run it to return ASTEROID.DAT. Use this new file to replace the file of the same name in your \OCCULT\ASTEROID directory. (We suggest you first back up the old file for safety). The new orbital elements will give predictions in closer accord with events predicted using Bill Gray's GUIDE software, which also uses elements from ASTORB.

18 November 1998:

• Predict.zip [156k] : This contains an updated PREDICT.EXE file which should be used as a replacement for the file of the same name in the \OCCULT directory. As well a fixing some bugs, prediction accuracy for lunar occultations of Jupiter's satellites has also been substantially improved.
  
  
• XZUpdate.zip [1.05 Mb] : This contains updated star catalogue files which need to reside in the \OCCULT\STARCATS directory. They contain updates to the XZ94F catalogue, include the latest DSFile data, and include orbital elements for about 110 double stars.

  IMPORTANT NOTE: The star catalogue updates replace the ZC catalogue. The new ZC has been formed as a simple sub-set of the XZ94 catalogue. Importantly, it is now on the equinox of 2000, NOT 1950. To get OCCULT to work properly with the new ZC catalogue, you must:

  • From the OCCULT main menu, select option 6 (Configure)
  • Select option f2 (Edit Star Catalogues)
  • Delete the current entry for ZC, and
  • Replace with a similar entry - but specifying 2000 as the equinox.

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