<HTML>Hi Jeff, I'm offended by remarks by Joanne, but I do want to respond to your questions...although much of what I have replied to her posting will also be relevant.
In the late 80's, the Lodestar program that I used for determining the dates at which heliacal risings of specific stars were visible "to a keen eyed observer, at sea level, on a clear dry night" was very expensive, much more so than most of those offered. However, the eclipse program was a separate program that Stellatron developed especially for me, and it did use a formula that Annala later opted to replace when Stellatron brought out Lodestar Plus. (1990). A company called Zephyr marketed it for them.
Other than the predictions of eclipse paths, modern astronomy programs should not become outdated. Nor, I believe, should well thought out speculations. My suggestions of correlations between the major Egyptian myths and total eclipses of the sun has never depended on accurate dates for eclipses, and so I state repeatedly in Death of Gods. As for my speculation that the precessionally changed rising times of "announcer stars" for the equinox or solstice sunrise was at the root of certain Egyptian myths, these speculations were presented with the enthusiastic encouragement of the highly respected publisher of Hamlet's Mill. (Lovell Thompson, Gambit Press). I have never denied that. Lovell died, along with Gambit, before my book was ready. It was hoped that such an endeavour would encourage further investigations. Jane</HTML>
