- #1
TheHarvesteR
- 14
- 0
Hi again.
I'm trying to determine the position of an orbit's ascending and descending nodes here. I already have the Longitude of the ascending node, and a unit vector that points to it, so what I now need is a way to find out the actual distance of the node from the central body.
More specifically, I'm trying to find some way to determine what my "altitude" would be at the ascending and descending nodes. Or, the point at which the line of nodes intersects the orbit.
So far I haven't had much luck with this one, all I can find are directions for calculating the longitude of the ascendind node, but nothing about it's actual distance from the central body.
The reason I'm trying to find these points is that I'm building an orbital visualization system here, and I'm placing icons over the more important points of the orbit, like periapsis, apoapsis, object position, and ascending and descending nodes. All other points are accounted for, but I'm missing that one bit of information to correctly place AN and DN.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers
I'm trying to determine the position of an orbit's ascending and descending nodes here. I already have the Longitude of the ascending node, and a unit vector that points to it, so what I now need is a way to find out the actual distance of the node from the central body.
More specifically, I'm trying to find some way to determine what my "altitude" would be at the ascending and descending nodes. Or, the point at which the line of nodes intersects the orbit.
So far I haven't had much luck with this one, all I can find are directions for calculating the longitude of the ascendind node, but nothing about it's actual distance from the central body.
The reason I'm trying to find these points is that I'm building an orbital visualization system here, and I'm placing icons over the more important points of the orbit, like periapsis, apoapsis, object position, and ascending and descending nodes. All other points are accounted for, but I'm missing that one bit of information to correctly place AN and DN.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Cheers