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Create a kmz Google Earth File

To create a kmz Google Earth file in Solar Eclipse Maestro you have to open the Google Earth File Generator dialog. Solar Eclipse Maestro uses the same engine as my Five Millennium Catalog of Solar Eclipses (5MCSE) Web tool.

  1. Choose Display > Google Earth File Generator…
  2. Select the desired checkboxes and fill in the required fields.
    Google Earth File Generator Dialog
    The animation quality for the (ant)umbra and penumbra can be chosen. A medium quality is usually sufficient and allows to limit the Google Earth kmz file size. However high quality is to be preferred for a nicer rendering.
    The shadow outline at altitude is only available for those having access to the E-Flight module.
  3. Once done click on the Generate File button to create the Google Earth file. After a few seconds at most, the Save File… button will be activated: you can then save your file at your designated location.

The stepsize increment for the equal magnitude (isomagnitude) curves must be between 10 and 50%.
The stepsize increment for the equal duration (isotemporal) curves must be between 1 and 60 seconds.
The stepsize increments for the penumbral shadow, umbral shadow or ant-umbral shadow animations must be between 1 and 1,800 seconds (30 minutes).
The altitude value must be between 0 and 500,000 feet (152,400 meters).
The ΔT value must be between -100,000 and 100,000 seconds.