Include vast changes by Fridger and Toti (FT1.2)

ChangeLog

@@ -834,3 +834,68 @@ Code:
    - updated GConf schema with new options
    - fixed automake bug where GConf schema would always install
    - removed linking against glut for no reason
+* Implemented complete precision catalog (Steinicke's revised NGC/IC, 2005) of
+  10610 galaxies with 
+   - distance information from  four catalogs ( 6 methods ), 
+   - <= 4 alternate names, 
+   - info-URLs, 
+   - absolute magnitudes and 
+   - correct sizes & orientations in space, as calculated from catalog
+     parameters. 
+  Included well commented Perl script (deepsky.pl) as documentation. The used distance determination method is indicated in catalog for each galaxy.
+* Updated binary star data base (visualbins.stc, spectbins.dsc) and respective
+  PERL catalog extraction scripts (visualbins.pl, spectbins.pl), such as to eliminate double occurences wrto nearstars.stc (, which remained unaffected).
+* Added much improved galaxy templates.
+* Implemented galaxy coloration based on hue profiles from true color
+  photographic imaging. Being older than spirals, elliptical galaxies have a somewhat redder coloration.
+* Implemented a realistic relative apparent brightness display scheme for
+  galaxies.
+* Added apparent magnitude display as function of distance on canvas.
+* Added display of DSO Type (Galaxy,...) and Hubble subtype in case of
+  galaxies.
+* Changed the galaxy label color from yellow to blue-green for better
+  visibility.
+* Did extensive octree rebuilding. Culling of deep sky objects is logarithmic
+  now, enabling support for very large catalogs with little performance expenses.
+* Performed optimized tuning of octree parameters that practically recovers
+  the "pre-galactic" performance, despite a large data base of 10610 galaxies.
+* Added support for multiple names of deep sky objects and implemented
+  non linear keyboard selection of names with corresponding tab completion, etc., like with the rest of the celestial bodies.
+* Replaced deep sky catalog class with a more complex database, following the
+  original star database layout. This allows for more sophisticated and fast treatment of massive catalogs.
+* Enabled very fast search of close-to-viewer deep sky objects.
+* Implemented brightness corrections involving the angle between 1-2 surface
+  normals and the viewing angle, such that the brightness distribution
+  gets ~ uniform  for all galaxy orientations and Hubble types. This also
+  avoids excessive, unnatural brightness effects in edge-on views.
+* Galaxies get brighter with decreasing observer distance according to
+  realistic human eye sensitivity profile.
+* Brightness display optionally coupled with Automag scheme.
+* Enabled very fast picking of deep sky objects.
+* Placed galaxy templates in 'models/' directory.
+* Added various crucial fixes in galaxy.cpp,
+   - factor 2 was missing in the 'size' definition via the radius such that
+     distances among DSO's were grossly incorrect;
+   - fixed correct ordering of (non-commuting) operations in matrix m.
+     This gave incorrect galaxy orientations;
+   - To save space and to improve display: generate neat spherical E0
+     template from S0 disk template via rescaling by (1.0f, 3.8f, 1.0f);
+   - fixed wrong x,y alignment of elliptical rescaling.
+* Added code to ease compilation with newer Xcode versions (MacIntosh).
+* Updated src/celengine/Makefile.am for Linux building. 
+* Introduced a new cel function => renderflags {set "nebulae"}.
+* Reduced the default value of 'faintestAutoMag45deg' from 8.5 to 7.0.
+* Fixed the visibility of the Milky Way during day-time and the abrupt
+  appearance or disappearance of galaxies near the day-night border.
+* Enabled "geosynchronous Follow" (key 'Y') also for selected DSO's
+  (yet it does not seem to be very useful...).
+* Moved render flag check in the code such that labels can be drawn even if
+  e.g. renderGalaxy flag is turned off.
+* Suppressed apparent magnitude display for galaxy add-ons, lacking
+  specification of an absolute magnitude (absMag) input value.
+* Deleted various source code files that became superfluous.
+* Improved comet display. Introduced a neat scheme implementing comet tail
+  fading (between 4 and 6 AU for Sol). Systems with several suns and luminosities different from the solar one are accounted for. 
+* Implemented a new, simple scheme avoiding overcrowded galaxy labels.  
+  Their "importance"  is sorted according to apparent magnitude! Thus the labels of the brightest galaxies pop up first upon zooming in... 
+