plotthink.py

import numpy as np
import pylab as plt
import ephem
import datetime
# Setup lat long of telescope
oxford = ephem.Observer()
oxford.lat =41.840
oxford.long =  -87.640
oxford.date = datetime.datetime.now()
# Load Satellite TLE data.
l1 = 'NOAA 15'
l2 = '1 25338U 98030A   17365.61696846 +.00000044 +00000-0 +37566-4 0  9998'
l3 = '2 25338 098.7770 016.8714 0010501 359.5344 000.5824 14.25833252020880' 
biif1 = ephem.readtle(l1,l2,l3)

# Make some datetimes
midnight = datetime.datetime(2018,01,01,11,33)
dt  = [midnight + datetime.timedelta(minutes=x) for x in range(0, 20)]

# Compute satellite locations at each datetime
sat_alt, sat_az = [], []
for date in dt:
    oxford.date = date
    biif1.compute(oxford)
    sat_alt.append(biif1.alt)
    sat_az.append(np.rad2deg(biif1.az))
# Plot satellite tracks
plt.subplot(211)
plt.plot(dt, sat_alt)
plt.ylabel("Altitude (deg)")
plt.xticks(rotation=25)
plt.subplot(212)
plt.plot(dt, sat_az)
plt.ylabel("Azimuth (deg)")
plt.xticks(rotation=25)
plt.show()

# Plot satellite track in polar coordinates
plt.polar(np.deg2rad(sat_az), 90-np.array(sat_alt))
plt.ylim(0,90)
plt.show()