This program computes the stepping-stone positions for the Sky's The Limit Orrery, located in Twentynine Palms, California.
The data is obtained from JPL Nasa Horizons website. This program automates the process of grabbing the data from the JPL NASA Horizons website.
The program compiles Heliocentric Longitude (long.) in degrees around the orbit, inclinations of the orbits (depth), and distance from sun to planet (range). The longitude is from 0 to 360 degrees with 0 degrees oriented to the north. The degrees run in a couterclockwise direction. The range (orbital radius) is measured from the sun to the planet. The program calculates inclination (depth) or tilt of the planets' orbits. The ground around the orbits was bermed up or trenched to follow the planets' orbital inclinations.
Each stepping-stone represents about 4 days (give-or-take a few minutes) of travel by the four inner planets (Mecury, Venus, Earth, and Mars). An optional amount (we used 5 feet) can be added to the orbital inclination (depth) to allow for the height of the scope on the transit, which is placed in the center (sun position) and used to site all the angles and depths. A tape measure or other measuring device is used to measure the radius (range) or distance from the sun to each of the stepping-stones. All measurements are made from the center of the sun to the center of the stepping stones. The tops of the stepping stones are 8 1/2 inches in diameter. They are made from ready-mixed concrete poured into 9 inch cake pans (the base is 9 inches). In 2010 I bought the cake pans from Dollar Tree but their pans have now gone to a smaller size, so now (in 2019) I have found the correct original size pans at Walmart.