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AST_ANGLE - Calculate the angle subtended by two points at a third point

Description:
This routine finds the angle at point B between the line joining points A and B, and the line joining points C and B. These lines will in fact be geodesic curves appropriate to the Frame in use. For instance, in SkyFrame, they will be great circles.
Invocation:
RESULT = AST_ANGLE( THIS, A, B, C, STATUS )
Arguments:
THIS = INTEGER (Given)
Pointer to the Frame.
A( $*$ ) = DOUBLE PRECISION (Given)
An array with one element for each Frame axis (Naxes attribute) containing the coordinates of the first point.
B( $*$ ) = DOUBLE PRECISION (Given)
An array with one element for each Frame axis (Naxes attribute) containing the coordinates of the second point.
C( $*$ ) = DOUBLE PRECISION (Given)
An array with one element for each Frame axis (Naxes attribute) containing the coordinates of the third point.
STATUS = INTEGER (Given and Returned)
The global status.
Returned Value:
AST_ANGLE = DOUBLE PRECISION
The angle in radians, from the line AB to the line CB. If the Frame is 2-dimensional, it will be in the range $$\backslash$pm $\backslash$pi$, and positive rotation is in the same sense as rotation from the positive direction of axis 2 to the positive direction of axis 1. If the Frame has more than 2 axes, a positive value will always be returned in the range zero to $$\backslash$pi$.
Notes:
  • A value of AST__BAD will also be returned if points A and B are co-incident, or if points B and C are co-incident.

  • A value of AST__BAD will also be returned if this function is invoked with STATUS set to an error value, or if it should fail for any reason.


next up previous 264
Next: AST_ANNUL - Annul a pointer to an Object
Up: AST Routine Descriptions
Previous: AST_ADDPARAMETER - Add a new global parameter definition to a table

AST A Library for Handling World Coordinate Systems in Astronomy
Starlink User Note 210
R.F. Warren-Smith & D.S. Berry
24th May 2011
E-mail:ussc@star.rl.ac.uk

Copyright (C) 2009 Science \& Technology Facilities Council