starward Documentation
Per aspera ad astra — Through hardships to the stars
Welcome to the starward documentation! starward is a professional astronomy calculation toolkit with a focus on transparency and learning.
Quick Links
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Installation | How to install starward |
| Quick Start | Get up and running in minutes |
| CLI Overview | Command-line interface reference |
| Python API | Using starward as a Python library |
| Verbose Mode | See the math behind calculations |
Features
- Time Systems — Julian dates, sidereal time, epoch conversions
- Coordinates — ICRS, Galactic, Horizontal transformations
- Sun & Moon — Position, rise/set times, phases, twilight
- Planets — Mercury through Neptune positions and visibility
- Verbose Mode — Show your work with step-by-step calculations
- Multiple Outputs — Plain text, JSON, and LaTeX formats
Philosophy
starward is built on these principles:
- Precision First — Every calculation traceable, every assumption explicit
- Show Your Work — Verbose mode reveals the math behind each result
- Modular Design — Each module stands alone, plays well with others
- Test Everything — 500+ tests validated against authoritative sources
Getting Started
# Install via pip
pip install starward
# Check current time in all formats
starward time now
# Get planetary positions
starward planets all
# Show the math with verbose mode
starward sun position --verbose
Version
This documentation is for starward v0.3.0.