Planetarium

The Planetarium Plugin is a component of the KeepTrack application that allows users to view satellites from the perspective of an observer on Earth, similar to a planetarium experience.

Features

• Switches the camera to a planetarium-like view
• Integrates with the sensor selection functionality
• Adjusts the UI and legend for planetarium mode
• Clears constellation displays when active

User Interface

The plugin adds the following UI elements:

1. A “Planetarium View” icon in the bottom menu for quick access
2. The icon is initially disabled and becomes enabled when a sensor is selected

Note

The planetarium view is only available when a sensor is selected. Make sure to choose a sensor before attempting to activate the planetarium view.

Usage

Activating Planetarium View

1. Select a sensor using the Sensor List Plugin
2. Click the “Planetarium View” icon in the bottom menu
3. The view will change to a planetarium-like perspective from the selected sensor’s location

Deactivating Planetarium View

1. Click the “Planetarium View” icon again
2. The view will return to the default Earth-centered perspective

Caution

Deactivating the planetarium view will reset the camera position and clear any in-view orbits. Make sure you’ve completed any necessary observations before switching back.

Integration with KeepTrack

The Planetarium Plugin integrates with several KeepTrack components:

• CameraManager: Switches between default and planetarium camera modes
• SensorManager: Responds to sensor selection events
• LegendManager: Updates the legend display for planetarium mode
• StarManager: Clears constellation displays when entering planetarium mode
• OrbitManager: Clears in-view orbits when exiting planetarium mode

Development

When extending or modifying the Planetarium Plugin, consider the following:

• The plugin follows the KeepTrackPlugin architecture
• It registers an event handler for sensor selection to enable/disable the planetarium icon
• The planetarium view is activated by changing the camera type to CameraType.PLANETARIUM
• Some UI elements related to sensors are hidden when entering planetarium mode

Note

Future development could include implementing a field of view (FOV) display and additional planetarium-specific features.

Code Configuration

The plugin supports the following configuration options:

• bottomIconElementName: The HTML element ID for the bottom menu icon
• bottomIconLabel: The label text for the bottom menu icon
• bottomIconImg: The image source for the bottom menu icon
• isIconDisabledOnLoad: Determines if the icon is initially disabled (default: true)

Troubleshooting

• If the planetarium icon remains disabled, ensure that a sensor has been selected
• Check the browser console for any error messages related to camera or sensor initialization
• If the view doesn’t change when activating planetarium mode, verify that the CameraManager is properly initialized

Tip

Remember that the planetarium view is designed to work in conjunction with the Sensor List Plugin. Always ensure a sensor is selected for the best experience.