Celestia locations maker (CLM)

A Python script that creates location files for Celestia in SSC format from Gazetteer of Planetary Nomenclature database.

How to use it?

You need Python 3.6 or higher (due to f-strings). Tested on Windows 10/11 and Linux. The script doesn't require installing additional libraries or an Internet connection because the database is preloaded.

Run clm.py in console, customize settings, choose output format (and target for single file mode). Done. In case of problems, the tool will notify you.

What do I need to know?

• CLM is still may contain inaccuracies for some bodies. Help is welcome.
• It is designed for the Celestia 1.7 and Celestia Origin, which support all existing types of locations. You can turn on legacy mode that constrains location types according to Celestia 1.6 after launch.
• You can turn on comments about the location type, dates of creation and last update, as well as information about the origin of the name for each location.
• Names of albedo features (AL), mare/maria (ME), oceanus/oceani (OC), regio/regiones (RE) and terra/terrae (TA) are written in capital letters.
• Coordinates and altitude of locations can be set manually through the custom_longlat.txt. Their parameters are tailored to the models used in Celestia Origin. Also, it contains locations with not specified coordinates.
• The database contains 337 locations with zero sizes. If the size of one of them is specified in the custom_size.txt, the script uses it. Else, Importance sets to 20 for albedo features and Size sets to 10 (km) for other location types.
• Asteroids for the asteroids_locs.ssc are sorted by their identifying number.
• Venus, Puck, Miranda, Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, Oberon, Triton and Ida are retrograde rotators, and use the "north side of the invariable plane" guideline for their coordinate systems. For correct display in Celestia, their coordinates are inverted. Starting in 2006, the IAU WGCCRE defines the rotation poles of small bodies using the right-hand rule, and thus, minor planets with features named after this date don't need to have their coordinates inverted.
• The IAU in the location database uses the Vesta coordinate system with an offset of 150° relative to the Dawn team system. Since Celestia Origin uses the model based on the second coordinate system, this shift is hardcoded.

How to update the database file?

1. Go to Planetary Names: Advanced Nomenclature Search;
2. Scroll, tap the Search button;
3. Tap + Add/Remove Columns on the top of the table;
4. Check all the boxes there;
5. Scroll, choose the CSV link;
6. Save the file to the data folder.

The last database update was on January 29, 2024.