Mars24 5.5.0 review

Mars24 is a Java program and browser applet which displays a Mars "sunclock", a graphical representation of the planet Mars showing i

License: Freeware File size: 1563K Developer: Dr. Robert B. Schmunk

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Mars24 is a Java program and browser applet which displays a Mars "sunclock", a graphical representation of the planet Mars showing its current sun- and nightsides, along with a numerical readout of the time in 24-hour format.

Other displays include a plot showing the relative orbital positions of Mars and Earth and a diagram showing the solar angle for a given location on Mars.

Mars24 software runs on many different types of computers, including Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and more.

The associated MER Spirit/Opportunity Clock Applet requires only Java 1.1.8 and is compatible with many older web browsers, but it does not include the sunclock or other graphic displays of Mars24.

Requirements:
Java 1.4.2 or later

What's New in This Release:
Internals of sunclock map projections overhauled (although primarily for use by Panoply and not because Mars24 needed it).
Added analemma display.
Specifically set anti-aliasing via rendering hints as some Java/OS combinations may not automatically provide it with Graphics2D.
All timing sequences handled by a single thread initialized the timekeeper object.
Plot and time windows fully resizable; no longer to some number of preset dimensions.
Lessened use of offscreen images in order to reduce memory demands.
Rewrote loading of resources from Jar file to consistently work under Java 1.4 for both application and applet.
Timing code updated to allow for Jan. 1, 2006, leap second.
Tentative Mars Phoenix landing site (May 2008) included among landmarks.