Windows

[KvickFlygarn87]

How would I be able to recognize a transfer window in Kerbin orbit?

I have Protractor, but my brain is overheating when trying to make sense of the numbers.

[lumpman2]

I would assume you've already used the interplanetary window calculator. If not, use this: ksp.olex.biz/

Just pop in your destination and the height of your orbit. The phase angle is the angle that you need the planets to be apart. For example, if the phase angle is positive on the diagram, you need your destination to be that many degrees IN FRONT of Kerbin. Likewise, any negative numbers mean that the target planet needs to be BEHIND Kerbin. The ejection angle is the angle at which you need to burn relative to Kerbin's prograde direction. Move the camera so that Kerbin's prograde (the direction it's going in) is at the top, and measure the ejection angle FROM the prograde line. That's where you put a manuever node.

[Kasuha]

I do it by setting up the transfer maneuver for the target orbig and checking how far the planet will be. Then I time warp to close the angular difference and try again.

[Dave Kerbin]

If I'm not mistaken you look at the orbit of the inner planet and draw a line perpendicular to its orbit - basically an imaginary line showing which direction the planet would go if the sun suddenly disappeared and it just kept flying in the direction it had been moving at that instant. You want that imaginary line to line up with your target planet to achieve the optimum transfer window (assuming you don't have a window that makes use of gravity assists from other planets). Anyway, I think that was the way you figure it out manually.

Quick picture

[Kasuha]

For Duna and Eve it is probably a good approximation, but it definitely did not work when going to Moho.

[Umlüx]

i use this: http://i.imgur.com/dXT6r7s.png and just eyeball it in the mapview.

[SandMan13]

If I'm not mistaken you look at the orbit of the inner planet and draw a line perpendicular to its orbit - basically an imaginary line showing which direction the planet would go if the sun suddenly disappeared and it just kept flying in the direction it had been moving at that instant. You want that imaginary line to line up with your target planet to achieve the optimum transfer window (assuming you don't have a window that makes use of gravity assists from other planets). Anyway, I think that was the way you figure it out manually.

Quick picture

Unfortunately that's wrong, as not all planets in the Kerbol system move at the same rate through their orbits. Just estimating the orbits with the link provided in the 2nd post is your best bet. ~45 degrees for Duna, ~90 for Jool. It varies drastically from planet to planet.

Also any planet with an orbit lower than the current bodies orbit you are at (ex, Eve is lower than Kerbin.) needs to be behind you when you burn. Anything higher will need to be in front of you.