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Verbose Mode

starward's verbose mode shows the mathematics behind every calculation — perfect for learning, verification, and debugging.

CLI Usage​

Add --verbose or -v to any command:

starward sun position --verbose
starward planets position mars -v

What Gets Shown​

Verbose mode displays:

  • Input parameters — Julian Date, observer location
  • Intermediate values — Mean anomaly, eccentricity, etc.
  • Formulas — The actual equations being computed
  • Step-by-step progression — How values build on each other
  • Final results — With full precision

Python API​

from starward.verbose import VerboseContext
from starward.core.sun import sun_position

# Create a verbose context
vctx = VerboseContext()

# Pass it to any calculation
sun = sun_position(verbose=vctx)

# Get formatted output
print(vctx.format_steps())

# Or as a dictionary (for JSON output)
data = vctx.to_dict()

Educational Use​

Verbose mode is invaluable for:

  1. Learning — See how astronomical algorithms work
  2. Teaching — Demonstrate calculations step by step
  3. Verification — Cross-check results with other sources
  4. Debugging — Find where calculations diverge

Algorithm References​

starward calculations follow algorithms from:

  • Meeus, Jean — Astronomical Algorithms, 2nd Edition
  • USNO — United States Naval Observatory data
  • JPL — Jet Propulsion Laboratory ephemerides