# Astronomical Coordinate, Sky Position, and Orbit Tools

Convert celestial coordinates, inspect planet and satellite positions, solve simple orbital geometry, and keep astronomical time references in one focused hub.

> Canonical page: https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/astronomy-coordinate-position-workflows

- **Category:** calculate

- **Keywords:** astronomical coordinate converter, RA Dec converter, Julian day calculator, planet position finder, satellite pass tracker, Kepler orbit solver, sun azimuth and shadow, celestial coordinate tools

## Overview

This hub is for astronomy work where the main question is where an object is, how that position should be expressed, or how an orbit evolves over time. It keeps celestial-coordinate conversion, planet and satellite position checks, solar geometry, Julian-day reference time, and Kepler-style orbit solving together so observers, students, and educators can move from raw inputs to usable sky geometry without bouncing across unrelated calculators.

## Tools

- Galactic / Equatorial Coordinate Converter: Convert astronomical positions between equatorial (RA/Dec J2000 and B1950), galactic (l/b), and supergalactic (SGL/SGB) coordinate systems. Accurate J2000 IAU 1958 galactic rotation, de Vaucouleurs supergalactic system, and IAU 1976 precession between epochs. Accepts sexagesimal (12h51m26s) or decimal-degree input and shows all four systems for each object.
- Kepler Orbit Solver: Numerically solve Kepler’s equation E − e·sin(E) = M for eccentric anomaly E, true anomaly ν, orbital radius and relative speed, with Newton/bisection/fixed-point methods, convergence history and an SVG orbit diagram
- ISS & Satellite Pass Tracker: Predict ISS, Hubble, and representative Starlink passes for a chosen observing point and date
- Sun Position & Shadow Length Simulator: Compute the sun’s elevation and azimuth (NOAA algorithm) for any latitude, longitude, date and time, plus the length and direction of the shadow cast by an object of a given height, with sunrise/sunset and a full-day shadow curve
- Planet Position Finder: Find the current position of planets in the sky
- Constellation Finder: Find visible constellations and zodiac signs for any date
- Julian Day Converter: Convert dates to/from Julian Day Number and Julian calendar
- Solstice & Equinox Calculator: Calculate solstices, equinoxes, and seasons for any year

## Frequently asked questions

### How is this different from astronomy observation planning hubs?

This hub focuses on position math, coordinate systems, and orbital reference calculations. Observation-planning hubs focus more on when to watch or photograph events such as sunrise, moon phases, eclipses, and meteor showers.

### Who is this hub for?

It is useful for amateur astronomers, astrophotographers, students, educators, and anyone who needs a practical way to convert or verify sky positions.

### Why include Julian day and Kepler solving with coordinate tools?

Because time references and orbital equations are often what produce or validate a celestial position. Keeping them together helps users trace the full calculation chain.

## Related content

- [Astronomy Observation and Daylight Planning Tools](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/astronomy-observation-planning): Plan sunrise, sunset, golden hour, moon phases, eclipses, meteor showers, and planet visibility in one astronomy workflow hub.
- [Astronomy Tools](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/astronomy-utility): Explore 7 astronomy tools for utility workflows and compare closely related utilities quickly.
- [Geospatial Coordinate and GIS Workflow Tools](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/geospatial-coordinate-workflows): Convert coordinates, calculate distance and bearing, encode locations, and move data between GeoJSON, KML, OSM, and GPX formats in one hub.
- [Date, Time Zone, and Scheduling Tools](https://elysiatools.com/en/hubs/date-time-scheduling): Validate dates, normalize formats, compare time zones, calculate business-day gaps, and build cron schedules in one date-time workflow hub.