Alliance/Union star map

[selden]

Awesome, I love your approach.

If you are using the J2000 epoch data -- well, is this map associated with a story?

Yup: Downbelow Station and its sequels.

And, if so, is that story set i the future or the present?

Most CJC's series of A/U books take place between 2350 and 2400, so J2000 positions aren't too far off. By definition, the ICRS coordinate system is fixed and won't precess with time.

I ask because I'm doing a map based in 15,605 A.D., and the positions of stars & planets are all different. Even the Zodiac will be different. I've decided to rely on the Starry Night proggy for it, although I've found conflicting data from other sources.

Unfortunately, Celestia doesn't include proper motions at all, so it wouldn't be any help. I haven't taken them into account, either. I don't have Starry Night, so I don't know how it handles those.

[töff]

Celestia doesn't include proper motions at all, so it wouldn't be any help. I haven't taken them into account, either. I don't have Starry Night, so I don't know how it handles those.

Now that you mention it, neither do I. For all I know, it is simply rotating the entire celestial sphere as a single body of fixed stars. Fortunately, my particular project is just the Solar System, not the individual twinklies.