Skyscript Astrology Forum

It is often said that the best things in life are free. When it comes to primary directions software, it may even be true.

I have spent the last few weeks installing, testing and reviewing the primary direction modules of various software (as the very last bit for my forthcoming book), and I feel so enthusiastic about this excellent piece of freeware:
http://pymorinus.extra.hu/
that I wanted to make it known in advance here on Skyscript, particularly as the author of it is a member. Rob: if I had a hat, I'd take it off to you!

Of all the applications I have seen, including the most expensive and advanced, Morinus promises to become my favourite for primary directions. The calculations are, so far as I have had time to test them, absolutely correct; the range of choice is impressive; and there are promises of even more features for the next version, some of them, to the best of my knowledge, unique (such as lunar parallax correction and inclusion of the Moon?s secondary motion). I also particularly look forward to the choice of sidereal zodiac definitions, which will affect directions through the terms.

This is the software I will be recommending to my students.

Oh, and: it runs on Linux, Unix, Windows and MacOS platforms! (Though I have tested it only on Windows XP.)

Hello,

It's quite a very good astrology program.

Thanks Rob!

I have a small request, and please accept my apologies if it sounds ungrateful:
can you adapt the appearance options to allow us to put a background image?

Thanks again.

Martin Gansten wrote:The calculations are, so far as I have had time to test them, absolutely correct; the range of choice is impressive; and there are promises of even more features for the next version, some of them, to the best of my knowledge, unique (such as lunar parallax correction and inclusion of the Moon?s secondary motion). I also particularly look forward to the choice of sidereal zodiac definitions, which will affect directions through the terms.

Thanks, this I wanted to know (that the calculations are absolutely correct). I've used Morinus for a few weeks (months?) now for primary directions, and it's handy, beautiful, free, and now I hear from a trusted expert that it's also correct! Applauds for the maker of the software . (Yes, we're waiting for the sidereal calculations, hopefully there's also Fagan/Bradley ayanamsa included.)

Papretis wrote:Thanks, this I wanted to know (that the calculations are absolutely correct). I've used Morinus for a few weeks (months?) now for primary directions, and it's handy, beautiful, free, and now I hear from a trusted expert that it's also correct!

Just to be on the safe side, I should add that I downloaded Morinus only a day or two ago; so I can't strictly vouch for the correctness of earlier versions of the software, as it seems to be continually developing.

Thank you for this information, Martin, the program sounds wonderful - and of course thank you Rob, for writing it and making it freely available to us!

Is anyone using Morinus on a Mac? The download instructions seem quite complex to me because I don't have much of a computer background - I don't mind sorting through complexities, I'm just afraid of making a mistake and not knowing how to fix it. Or starting a download incorrectly, and not being able to stop it. Is the download pretty straightforward once it starts?

If I'm reading the instructions correctly, it is not strictly necessary to download the Swiss ephemeris files, as the Moshier ephemeris files are already present.

Also, there are instructions for determining whether or not Python is installed on one's machine for the Windows and Linux systems, but not Mac (unless I missed it) - so perhaps I could just check my fonts for that information?

Hello
Martin, thanks very much for this link, and many to thanks to "robert.pluto" for making it available.
Just a question for those of us who are not very computer-literate. I don't understand the difference between binary and source installations. The source installation seemed very complicated, so I just tried binary, which installed so quickly I thought something must have gone wrong. I didn't check to see if I had Python on my computer, etc. Morinus seems to work fine. I'm using Vista.
Have I proceeded in the right way?
Many thanks
Graham

Uhh...
I think I now understand. Binary means there's no installation, it just works direct from the source without installing. At any rate, it's now disappeared from my computer.
Graham

Hi,

Thanks Martin for mentioning the program on this forum!
And, thanks Graham for sending me an email.
And finally: Thanks for your kind words!

To be honest I was thinking about stopping the development due to lack of interest(the features are enough for me ).

I am planning to implement the syzygy and mundane LoF next.
Hopefully it won't take more than a month.

The selectable background is a good idea. I added it to my TODO list.
All the features that are mentioned on the webpage will be implemented gradually.

Yesterday I uploaded the program twice because of a bug in the minor dignities dialog.
About pyhton(binary source):
The binary is the compiled source but their speed is the same because this binary is not a real one.
Python is an interpreted language so it is slower than native windows(or linux programs) (like the Kolev-Placidus).
When you run the source it first compiles the source code to bytecode and this bytecode is executed by the operating system. This is why it takes a few second for the program to start at the first time. Next time you start the program doesn't need to compile the bytecode again because it didn't change.

I have no acces to MacOS so I can't tell you much about it. The source should work.
The nice thing is that if you run the source there is no need to compile(the python interpreter will of course create the bytecodes when the program is run for the first time.)

regards,
rob(the programmer)

rob wrote:To be honest I was thinking about stopping the development due to lack of interest(the features are enough for me ).

Please, on no account do that! As Steven clearly points out, there really is no comparable software for us 'reactionaries'. On the contrary, if you need any help with definitions, formulae, etc, just let me/us know.

steven wrote:Rob,

If you ever feel motivated, the only thing I wish for "Christmas" ( ) is that you's include the PoS in your directions! And if you ever are really ambitious, the Lot of Marriage (for men and women) and Father and Mother I then wouldn't have to work at all
Steven

Hi Steven,

Thanks!
I agree adding the arabian parts would be a good idea and wouldn't be difficult.
The only problem is: should there also(like LoF) be a formula selection for the rest of the arabian parts?

regards,
rob

Martin Gansten wrote: Please, on no account do that! As Steven clearly points out, there really is no comparable software for us 'reactionaries'. On the contrary, if you need any help with definitions, formulae, etc, just let me/us know.

Hi Martin,

I have to admit that it is a good program and it seems to be the best free program.
But it can't(and doesn't want to) compete with the top commercial programs(especially with Placidus 6.0 (I read Porphyrius Magus.pdf, it was really cool))

regards,
rob