    MetShow

 MetShow  software is a planetarium program  with special orientation to meteor astronony. 
 This version runs under  all contemporary Windows operating systems. Software is prepared
 in  FreBasic program languague. Download and distribution is free. Metshow provides basic
 information  about meteor showers (activity, radiant positions) and astronomic conditions
 (sunrise, sunset, twilights, solar longitude, moon phase).

 Catalogue of showers is based on IMO 2011 Meteor Shower Calendar. Other showers are added
 from  IMO  2006 Meteor Shower Calendar (both compiled by Alastair McBeath).  Positions of
 radiants  are  calculated  from mean daily motions  therefore may show  small differences 
 against to drift positions in IMO Calendars.

 Other useful functions are:
 - Zenith Hour Rates calculator
 - Limit Magnitude calculator (according to count of stars in defined areas of Sky,IMO)
 - Display of occasional radiant after input equatoreal coordinates 
 - Geometrical conditions of Lunar impacts
 
 Used view is a panoramatic picture of surroundings of observatory Banska Bystrica and may
 be replaced  by your own panorama. The panorama must be a truecolor BMP (Windows bit map)
 picture resampled to hrizontal resolution of 4000 pixels. Vertical resolution is optional
 but maximal 620 pixels. The sky above silhouette of horizon must be filled by colour with 
 attributes RGB 255,0,255. If picture is aviable then copy it to directory 'data'. Then in
 directory  'UDAJE'  replace name of recent picture  ("Vartovka") by  name of your picture 
 (without .bmp). Start MetShow and select mode with displayed panorama. Press  Ctrl F1 and 
 adjust picture by arrow keys in azimuth and altitude to obtain best consent with reality.
 The adjustment will be stored after 'Enter'.

 If you are not able to make a panoramic picture you may create a simple schematic picture
 in any graphic software  (e.g. Windows Sketch Pad).  Create  true color  BMP picture with
 size of 4000 x 500 pixels. Draw your horizon line with more important objects (buildings,
 hills, trees) and paint parts below horizon silhouette (e.g. green or realistic colour of 
 single object).  Draw objects  with appropriate accuracy acording  to cardinal points and 
 keep proporcionality in altitude(10 degrees is here about 111 pixels) for optimal result. 
 Scene above horizon fill by colour with RGB 255,0,255. 

 Peter Zimnikoval        