Six years after it first saw light, the authors of Virtual Moon Atlas - Christian Legrand & Patrick Chevalley - have just announced the release of the much anticipated version 4...
NEW MODULES :
THE MODULE "POCKETLUN" :
Exclusive : Patrick Chevalley has programmed “POCKETLUN”, the translation of VMA “Light” version on Pocket PC ! It allows you a more easier field use of VMA and becomes a real interactive guide with the audio comments it can handle. Samples recorded by Christian Legrand (with french accent !) are available . This module is a complement to the CD PRO 4.0 version.
THE PICTURES MANAGER MODULE "PHOTLUN" :
Patrick Chevalley has also programmed “PHOTLUN”, a pictures manager that allows you to select pictures to view, to rotate them, to process them about luminosity and contrast, to magnify them and to record the selected setup !
DISAPPEARANCE OF "BASIC" version :
To keep a coherent versions range, we delete the “Basic” version which doesn't include the FarSide. Released versions are presently :
VMA “Light” downloadable
VMA “Expert” downloadable
VMA “Pro” downloadable
VMA “Pro” CD with “PocketLun”
BETTER COMPATIBILITY WITH WINDOWS VISTA :
To improve the compatibility with Windows Vista all the user modifiable file (configuration, database, …) are now stored in user profile (%APPDATA%\virtualmoon).
Now the program propose privilege elevation if a texture in installation directory is need to be rebuild.
If you are upgrading from a previous version the user files are copied the first time this version of the program is run. After that be sure to only run avlpro 4.0, avllight 3.5b or avlexpert 3.5b to avoid duplicate configuration.
NEW HIGH RESOLUTION TEXTURE :
The "Lunar Orbiter" texture :
USGS has recently released new Lunar Orbiter Moon surface map. This new exclusive texture realized by Christian Legrand shows the highest resolution with shaded relief available in computerized lunar atlases.
NEW SCIENTIFIC OVERLAY :
The "Clementine ratio" overlay :
This new overlay realized by Christian Legrand and based on exclusives datas from Clementine probe shows soils composition differences.
NEW SCIENTIFIC DATABASE :
The second scientific database "Pyroclastic deposits " :
Beyond traditional databases compiling IAU officially named formations, it exists peculiar formations with a huge scientific interest that must be included in VMA databases. After the “Historical sites” database, here is now the “Pyroclastic deposits” database presenting volcanic ashes deposits on Nearside surface compiled by Lisa Gaddis and her team. Sure, these deposits are localized on the map and can be sorted with DATLUN ©.
NEW PICTURES LIBRARIES :
The new "Best of Lazzarotti" library :
Paolo Lazzarotti is presently the most prolific lunar imager releasing his high resolution pictures to others amateurs. In this new library, Christian Legrand has extracted more than 450 pictures formations from Paolo products.
The new "Best of Higgins" library :
Wes Higgins is back to lunar imaging with his 18” Dobson.. In this new library, Christian Legrand has extracted more than 250 pictures formations from Wes products.
The new "LOPAM Destripped" library :
Niels Hoordhoek has realized a powerful routine that blow away those disgracious stripes on LOPAM pictures. Christian Legrand has used this routine to provide the new “LOPAM Destripped” pictures library that shows now the extracted pictures in all their beauty and resolution.
NEW DOCUMENTATIONS :
POCKETLUN and PHOTLUN documentations :
Christian Legrand has realized new specific and illustrated documentations for “POCKETLUN” et “PHOTLUN” with screens captures showing the new possibilities offered by this “mobile” version and this new pictures manager.
General VMA PRO 4.0 documentation :
Christian Legrand has updated the main documentation with new databases and overlays with new screen captures.
As usual, this new version is freely downloadable from our site http://ap-i.net/avl/en/start [1]
or is available on a CD that we can burn on demand (See conditions on site).