Bug 497129

Summary: diameter of SUN is displayed wrongly
Product: [Applications] kstars Reporter: Ulli <ulli_kaeufl>
Component: generalAssignee: Jasem Mutlaq <mutlaqja>
Status: RESOLVED FIXED    
Severity: grave CC: mutlaqja, ulli_kaeufl
Priority: NOR    
Version First Reported In: 3.7.3   
Target Milestone: ---   
Platform: Mint (Debian based)   
OS: Linux   
Latest Commit: Version Fixed/Implemented In: 3.7.8
Sentry Crash Report:
Attachments: screenshot of the eclipse as seen from Barcelone, Catalunya

Description Ulli 2024-12-06 14:15:57 UTC
Created attachment 176393 [details]
screenshot of the eclipse as seen from Barcelone, Catalunya

Desktop Planetarium

Build: 2024-11-23T20:19:59Z


SUMMARY
I tried to reproduce the total Solar eclipse of Aug. 12, 2026 as seen from Barcelona.  I found out that kstars wrongly predicts the ecipse to be total from Barcelona which it isn't.


STEPS TO REPRODUCE
1. set Geography to Barcelona and time to Feb 26, LT approx 21 hours
2. the Moon should almost cover the Sun as displayed on the star chart
3. measure apparent diameter of Sun and Moon

OBSERVED RESULT
The Moon's disk is plotted with the correct diameter (correct here means the diameter as given under details is the same as the one I measure with the cursor from the star chart)
For the Sun, however, the details-box gives a diameter of 31.6' while I measure with the cursor from star chart ~29,1' i.e. 2.5 minutes of arc less. 
From the screenshot it is obvious that the diameters don't match. As is the path of totality comes out way too wide. 

EXPECTED RESULT
I would expect the Sun's diameter to be given properly. The above described bug gives a 'bad press' to the otherwise for me perfect program kstars!


SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS
Windows: 
macOS: 
(available in the Info Center app, or by running `kinfo` in a terminal window)
Linux/KDE Plasma: 
KDE Plasma Version: 
KDE Frameworks Version: 
Qt Version: 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Comment 1 Ulli 2024-12-09 18:53:31 UTC
sorry  I MADE A SMALL MISTAKE

to reproduce the eclipse, time has to be set to 
August 12, 2026  LT 21h LT

cheers
Ulli
Comment 2 Ulli 2025-04-02 10:21:37 UTC
Comment on attachment 176393 [details]
screenshot of the eclipse as seen from Barcelone, Catalunya

I just ran the latest version of kstars 3.7.6 stable
built 2025-03-31T22:25:03Z

as far as I can tell the problem is still there, the Sun is too small, the moon too big during eclipse
I was planning to use kstars for some public talks about the upcoming total eclipse in Spain and it is sort of embarrassing

cheers
Ulli
Comment 3 Ulli 2025-07-13 17:08:14 UTC
Hi Everybody

I know that you are probably working hard but I really want to COMPLAIN

I just installed the latest version of kstars (3.7.7) and I noted that the error of the program, diameter of Sun displayed wrongly, has not been fixed.
I don't know your priorities but in this context I want to explain my frustrations.

I am trying to educate the general public about LINUX, open source etc. in general, but especially also about kstars. Moreover, living in Barcelona I try to explain everything about the Aug. 2026  total Solar eclipse to the general public. I would like to use kstars to show what will happen and it is frustrating that such a simple error has not been fixed. 

I understand that kstars is not meant to predict eclipses, but minimum courtesy would be that someone at least reacts to a well documented and analyzed error in the reporting system!

cheers

Ulli
Comment 4 Jasem Mutlaq 2025-08-01 08:39:27 UTC
Git commit 2833dd4b3fa1d4bf38c1b15ac557ad0dd871efa0 by Jasem Mutlaq.
Committed on 01/08/2025 at 08:39.
Pushed by mutlaqja into branch 'master'.

Use better Sun texture that fills the whole FOV.
FIXED-IN:3.7.8

M  +-    --    kstars/data/textures/sun.png

https://invent.kde.org/education/kstars/-/commit/2833dd4b3fa1d4bf38c1b15ac557ad0dd871efa0