Celestial Maps v.8.0 ********************** Author: Ovidiu Vaduvescu Collaborators: Mirel Birlan, Lucian Curelaru (c) 1992-2002, Romania, Canada http://www.geocities.com/ovidiuv/maps.html Contents: ********* Using Help Brief Description Running Maps Saving and Loading Maps Saving Maps Images Printing Maps The Polar Projection The Zenithal Projection The Equatorial Projection The Database Center Maps Zooming Maps The Search System Object Information Basic Astrometry Hardware Requirements Former Versions References and Patents Acknowledgements References Contact Addresses Using Help *********** Celestial Maps provides user with a complete documentation, being equipped with a user friendly help embedded within the software. The help is available at any time by one of the following modes: >> Through the main Help functions (under the Help item on the main bar menu); >> Locally, with each (sub)menu item, pop up the mouse without clicking then press F1; >> Locally, within each form, click the Help button or press F1. Brief Description ****************** Celestial Maps is an astronomical software that produces accurate maps of the sky in five types of projections. The software runs 15 astronomical catalogues organized in a Small Database up to the magnitude 7.5 or a Large Database including four professional star catalogues (SAO, PPM, GSC and Tycho), two catalogs of asteroids and comets (ASTORB and COMETS), and two deep sky catalogues (Messier and NGC2000). These catalogs add together about 22 millions of entries including stars up to magnitude 15, deep sky objects up to magnitude 17, and asteroids and comets as faint as the absolute maximum magnitude 20. Celestial Maps is very user friendly, a main menu being visible at any time on the top bar under the application title. Beside the application's main form, other 38 forms set the various options of the program. All the forms are easily accessible using the mouse or the keyboard. This can be done in three possible ways: >> Point and click by mouse to the main menu's items; >> Use shortcut key combinations noted nearby each menu item; >> Use "F" hot keys (for the main functions of the program). To optimize the various functions of the software, a few menu items are not accessible for a given type of projection. In this case, they will appear unable (diminished) in the menu. Three projection types are the most important functions to run charts with Celestial Maps. Available within Projection main menu item, these are: >> The Polar Projection >> The Zenithal Projection >> The Equatorial Projection While the first two are intended to produce maps for general planetarium purposes, the last one is built to run professional charts using the major astronomical catalogues available with the Large Database and taking into account fine astronomical phenomena as the precession, nutation, aberation, parallax or proper motions. Running Maps ************* There are three possibilities to run maps: >> Using the keyboard, press F9; >> Using the keyboard, press "Alt+R", then "R"; >> Using the mouse, on the main menu click Run, then Run Map. Any time one uses one of these options, a chart will be plotted accordingly to the actual values of the mapping parameters. Then any parameter can be modified (using the menu items or the forms), and another chart can be run (in the same way) with the new values. The mapping execution can be canceled any time by pressing the Escape key or clicking Run/Cancel Map (this function is especially good to adjust or modify a query). In order to let user more flexibility to the user to run a robust program (especially with complicated queries or Large Database), although F9/Run means one more key/command necessary to run maps, we decided to keep this function since the first version of the software (instead of updating the charts automatically after any change of a parameter). Saving and Loading Maps ************************ All the mapping parameters can be saved at any time within Maps/Save As... menu item by entering a chart name in the File Name edit box (the automate extension is ".map"). Any saved map (not image) can be loaded and run later by opening the appropriate ".map" file from the main menu Maps/Open... "Maps.ini" represents the initialization file residing within the program's main folder. It keeps the initialization data necessary to run the default chart at the beginning of any session (by pressing F9 right after entering the software). Saving Maps Images ******************* As with the version 8, Maps/Save Image... function saves maps as bitmap images (".bmp") to the program's folder \Images. A dialog box opens, prompting the user for the name of the image to be saved. Printing Maps ************** New printing facilities have been added to Celestial Maps under Windows. The Windows printer capabilities can be modified within File/Print... form. Moreover, other two internal printing functions have been added: Color (including the options Black & White and Color) and Resolution (including the options Screen and Printers), both of them being accessible through the File/Print Setup... menu. High resolution maps can be obtained setting Resolution to Printer and Scale between 3-6 (nevertheless a minimum memory of 32MB RAM is strongly recommended). The main function of Scale is to increase the resolution of the printed maps, enlarging them to include more accurate information. In Black & White mode the sky is printed in white and all other objects and labels in black. In Color mode, Maps 8.0 default colors are printed in 16-bit colors recognized by most of the printers (the sky being changed from black to white). In Color mode, the Custom colors are printed in the same colors as those appearing on the screen (customizable through Fonts and Colors options available since version 9). The Polar Projection ********************* The Polar Projection produces planetarium-style maps of the Boreal or the Austral sky centered on the North or the South celestial equatorial pole. It runs the Small Database including the following catalogs: SAO up to magnitude 7.5 (26,500 stars), Messier (110 deep sky objects), COMET (about 300 comets), and the small asteroid database selection from ASTORB catalogue up to absolute magnitude 10 (about 800 asteroids). The Polar Projection can be activated in one of the following ways: >> On the top of the keyboard, press F2; >> On the main menu, click with the mouse Projection, then Polar; >> On the keyboard, press "Alt+P" then "P". Within the Polar Projection form, the celestial Equatorial Pole (North or South) must be chosen by checking the appropriate radio button. Accordingly with this option, one of the two celestial equatorial poles (North or South) will be mapped in the center of the chart. The following menu items are active with the Polar Projection: Stars, Nonstellars, Constellations, Milky Way, Planets, Sun, Asteroids, Comets, Custom, Directory, Data Access, Grid, Names, Date, Field, Magnitude, Animation, Fonts, Colors, Star Symbols, Scale, Zoom Factor. Beside the Equatorial Pole, the most important items to run maps in Polar Projection are Field and Magnitude. The Star Colours have been chosen to match their spectral classes. A sample map in Polar Projection can be run loading Maps/Open..., then picking 'Polar.map' and pressing F9 (Run Map). Stars in Polar Projection ************************** Due to planetarium mapping purposes, only the Small Star Database (SAO catalogue up to magnitude 7.5) is available with this projection. Nonstellars in Polar Projection ******************************* As with version 8.5, the Messier database is available with the polar projection, accordingly to the limiting magnitude setup. Two Symbols options are available to draw the deep sky objects: Circles and Symbols. Circles draws the deep sky objects accordingly to their apparent radius (where available from the Messier catalog). Symbols represents the deep sky objects using six classic symbols matching the object type in the catalog: galaxies, nebulae, planetary nebulae, globular clusters, open clusters and others. Magnitude Options selects the option to display the nonstellar objects on the map. Choose Plot All Deep Sky Objects to do not matter their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match with the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. Constellations in Polar Projection *********************************** Starting with Celestial Maps 8.5, both constellations Figures and their Boundaries have become available to draw maps. Figures checked means the constellation figures will appear on the map. Boundaries checked means the constellation borders will be drawn accordingly to their IAU definition (Davenhall et.al, 1989) precessed to J2000. The constellation database is located within the files "const.dat" and "bounds.dat" and must be kept within program's \Data folder. As with version 8.5, the figures database is a typed file that can not be edited. Milky Way ********** Milky Way checked means the Milky Way will be represented on the map. This option is available to all projection using Small Database. There is no definition of the limits of the Milky Way (the projection of our Galaxy on the celestial sphere). The database including the margin of the Milky Way has been derived from its inner limits used by the software "Hallo Northern Sky" (Kleijn et al, 2000). Planets in Polar Projection **************************** Planets checked means all the major planets (excluding the Earth) will appear on the map. Inside Planets form, Magnitude Options selects the option to display the planets on the map. Choose All Planets to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match with the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. Sun in Polar Projection ************************ Sun checked means the Sun will appear on the map. Asteroids in Polar Projection ****************************** Asteroids checked means the Small Asteroid Database (the ASTORB selection including minor planets up to absolute magnitude 10) will be run with the query. The asteroids will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options set to display the minor planets. Choose Plot All Asteroids from DB to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match them by the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. The asteroids database is flexible, the user having the possibility to update (replace) it each time a new catalogue becomes available from Lowell Observatory (Bowell, 2001). This can be done using the embedded Build Asteroid DB function. Comets in Polar Projection *************************** Comets checked means the COMET Catalogue (MPC, 2001) will be run with the query. The comets will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options option set to display the comets on the map. Choose Plot All Comets to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match them by the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. The comets database is flexible, the user having the possibility to update (replace) it each time a new catalogue becomes available from MPCORB (Minor Planet Centre, 2001). This can be done using the embedded Build Comet DB function. Grid in Polar Projection ************************* Grid checked means the equator, the ecliptic and the main lines of right ascension (from 6 to 6 hours) and declination (from 20 to 20 degrees) will appear on the map. To improve the capabilities of the maps (especially for the printed ones), three new grids have been added with Celestial Maps 8.5: Ticks have been marked on the margin of the map at interval of 10 min in the right ascension. The right ascension lines has been added at interval of one hour between declinations 0 and -30 degrees (for the Boreal hemisphere) and +30 and 0 degrees (for the Austral one). The intervals representing the visibility of the sky at midnight (0h UT) for each month have been marked also at the exterior of the map. Names in Polar Projection ************************** Names let user label various names of the Sun & Moon, planets, comets, asteroids, stars, constellations, deep sky objects nearby their positions on the map. Within the Solar System, the Planets, Sun, Asteroids and Comets can be labeled with Polar Projection. Since version 9, both Asteroids and Comets can be labeled using either their Names or Numbers. Three options are available to label Stars since version 8.5: >> The common star names (contained within the "ssecn.txt" custom database) can be plotted by choosing the Common Names option from the combo box. >> The Bayer denominations of the stars (their Greek names) and their Flamsteed numbers (both contained within the "ssebf.txt" custom database) can be drawn by picking the Bayer/Flamsteed option. >> Moreover, one can label both common and Bayer/Flamsteed names by choosing Both Names option from the Stars combo box. The Constellations can be labeled using two options: >> Their official IAU denominations in Latin; >> Their Symbols (three letters coming from their official denomination). The deep sky objects from the Messier database can be labeled by checking Label Deep Sky option available with the Polar Projection. Date in Polar Projection ************************* Date represents the calendar date corresponding to the first position of the planets on the map. Therefore, this item is available only when Database\Planets\Plot Planets is checked. By default, the program loads the actual date and time from the computer operating system. This can be changed in the Date form, accessible from the menu Options\Date or by pressing the F10 key. Field in Polar Projection ************************** Field is counted in degrees and runs from 0.0001 to 360.0 degrees. Due to the general planetarium purposes aimed by Polar Projection, the usual values for Field run from 90 to 360 degrees. To get the planets and the Sun in the field, a value between 180-240 degrees is recommended. Magnitude in Polar Projection ****************************** Magnitude represents the limit visual magnitude up to which stars will appear on the chart. As Polar Projection uses the Small Database, Magnitude counts from -1.0 to +7.5. The bigger Magnitude will be chosen, more stars the map will include. For general planetary purposes, a recommended value would be between 5-6, this providing a minimum run time (because the query runs a single star database). Animation in Polar Projection ****************************** The apparent motions through the stars of the Planets, Sun, Comets and Asteroids can be simulated starting with version 9. To activate any option, the appropriate item has to be checked, then a step time has to be entered in Step (any non-null value, negative or positive) and Unit (sec, min, hrs, days or years). For a continuous tracking of the movement, a small value of Step (for example one day) is recommended. Once a map query is run, the animation continues until the Esc key is hit. Scale ***** In order to print maps at higher resolution, Scale lets user to enlarge maps displaying them on a "virtual screen". Using this option, maps will be plotted within an image larger than the screen in a scrollable window, the value of Scale ranging from 1.0 to 6.0. Scale can be used in correlation with the resolution capabilities of the printer. Given the usual mapping purposes and basic computer memory requirements, keeping the initial Scale value of 1 is recommended. Since version 8.0, the Zoom In function has been implemented with the program. Using it, the user can enlarge a custom portion of the map by a factor between 1-10. Given some basic memory/run time requirements, it is not recommended using simultaneously big values for Zoom Factor and Scale. The Zenithal Projection ************************ The Zenithal Projection produces general maps of the sky as seen from a given place on the Earth any given date and time. It runs the Small Database including the following catalogs: SAO up to magnitude 7.5 (26,500 stars), the Messier catalogue (110 deep sky objects), COMET database (about 300 comets), and a small asteroid database selection from ASTORB catalogue up to absolute magnitude 10 (about 800 asteroids). The center of the map represents the zenith of the given place (the point in the sky right above observer's head), the horizon being represented through a circle (South to the bottom, East to the left). Therefore, the field of this type of projection is 180 degrees, and can not be modified by the user. The Zenithal Projection can be activated in one of the following ways: >> On the top of the keyboard, press F3; >> On the main menu, click with the mouse Projection, then Zenithal; >> On the keyboard, press "Alt+P" then "Z". Since version 8.0, there are two possibilities to enter a location within Zenithal Projection form: >> Pick up a Location from the list and click OK; >> Enter a given geographical place: Longitude, Latitude, Altitude, Name and Time Zone (the longitude and the time zone being counted Eastward from Greenwich). If one plans to save this location for a future use press Save, otherwise press OK. The following menu items are active with the Polar Projection: Stars, Nonstellars, Constellations, Milky Way, Planets, Sun & Moon, Asteroids, Comets, Custom, Directory, Data Access, Grid, Names, Date, Magnitude, Animation, Fonts, Colors, Star Symbols, Scale, Zoom Factor. Beside the location, the most important items to run maps in Zenithal Projection are Date and Magnitude. The Star Colours have been chosen to match their spectral classes. A sample map in Zenithal Projection can be run loading Maps/Open..., then picking "Zenithal.map" and pressing F9 (Run Map). Stars in Zenithal Projection ***************************** Due to the planetarium mapping purposes, only the Small Star Database (SAO catalogue up to the mag 7.5) is available with this projection. Nonstellars in Zenithal Projection *********************************** As with version 8.5, the Messier database is available with the zenithal projection, accordingly to the limitting magnitude setup. Two Symbols options are available to draw the deep sky objects: Circles and Symbols. Circles draws the deep sky objects accordingly to their apparent radius (where available in the Messier catalog). Symbols represents the deep sky objects using six classic symbols matching the object type in the catalog: galaxies, nebulae, planetary nebulae, globular clusters, open clusters and others. Magnitude Options selects the option to display the nonstellar objects on the map. Choose Plot All Deep Sky Objects to do not matter their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match with the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. Constellations in Zenithal Projection ************************************** Starting with Celestial Maps 8.5, both constellations Figures and their Boundaries have become available to draw maps. Figures checked means the constellation figures will appear on the map. Boundaries checked means the constellation borders will be drawn accordingly to their IAU definition (Davenhall et.al, 1989) precessed to J2000. The constellation database is located within the files "const.dat" and "bounds.dat" and must be kept within program's \Data folder. As with version 8.5, the figures database is a typed file that can't be edited. Planets in Zenithal Projection ******************************* Planets checked means all the major planets (excluding the Earth) will appear on the map. Inside Planets form, Magnitude Options selects the option to display the planets on the map. Choose All Planets to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match with the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. Sun & Moon in Zenithal Projection ********************************** Sun & Moon checked means the Sun and the Moon will appear on the map. Nevertheless, their presence depends on their positions for the given Place/Location and Date/Time, above or bellow the horizon. The Moon will be represented in its phase, accordingly with its age at the given time. Asteroids in Zenithal Projection ********************************* Asteroids checked means the Small Asteroid Database (the ASTORB selection including minor planets up to absolute magnitude 10) will be run with the query. The asteroids will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options set to display the minor planets. Choose Plot All Asteroids from DB to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match them by the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. The asteroids database is flexible, the user having the possibility to update (replace) it each time a new catalogue becomes available from Lowell Observatory (Bowell, 2001). This can be done using the embedded Build Asteroid DB function. Comets in Zenithal Projection ****************************** Comets checked means the COMET Catalogue (MPC, 2001) will be run with the query. The comets will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options option set to display the comets on the map. Choose Plot All Comets to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match them by the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. The comets database is flexible, the user having the possibility to update (replace) it each time a new catalogue becomes available from MPCORB (Minor Planet Centre, 2001). This can be done using the embedded Build Comet DB function. Grid in Zenithal Projection **************************** Grid checked means the "local meridian" (the big sky circle North-Zenith-South), the "first vertical" (the big sky circle West-Zenith-East) and two "almucantarat circles" (circles of iso-zenithal distances of 30 and 60 deg) will appear on the map. Names in Zenithal Projection ***************************** Names let user label various names of the Sun & Moon, planets, comets, asteroids, stars, constellations, deep sky objects nearby their positions on the map. Within the Solar System, the Planets, Sun, Asteroids and Comets can be labeled with Zenithal Projection. Since version 9, both Asteroids and Comets can be labeled using either their Names or Numbers. Three options are available to label Stars since version 8.5: >> The common star names (contained within the "ssecn.txt" custom database) can be plotted by choosing the Common Names option from the combo box. >> The Bayer denominations of the stars (their Greek names) and their Flamsteed numbers (both contained within the "ssebf.txt" custom database) can be drawn by picking the Bayer/Flamsteed option. >> Moreover, one can label both common and Bayer/Flamsteed names by choosing Both Names option from the Stars combo box. The Constellations can be drawn using two options: >> Their official IAU denominations in Latin; >> Their Symbols (three letters coming from their official denomination). The deep sky objects from Messier database can be labeled by checking Label Nonstellar Objects option available with the Zenithal Projection. Date in Zenithal Projection **************************** Date sets the calendar date and the local time to which the sky will be mapped, as seen from the given place (to be set in Zenithal Projection form). By default, the program loads the actual date and time from the computer operating system. This can be changed in the Date form, accessible from the menu Options\Date or by pressing the F10 key. Check Saving Time only if the summer (saving) time convention applies to the given location for the given date (for most of the countries, this option must be checked between April-October). Magnitude in Zenithal Projection ********************************* Magnitude represents the limiting visual magnitude up to which stars will appear on the chart. As Zenithal Projection uses the small stellar database, Magnitude counts from -1.0 to +7.5. The bigger Magnitude will be chosen, more stars the map will include. Given the planetary purposes of this projection, a recommended value would be between 5-6, this providing a minimum run time (because the query runs a single data file). Animation in Zenithal Projection ********************************* The apparent motions through the stars of the Planets, Sun & Moon, Comets and Asteroids can be simulated as with with version 9, keeping the stars and the sky fixed at the starting time. To activate any option, the appropriate item has to be checked, then a step time has to be entered in Step (any non-null value, negative or positive) and Unit (sec, min, hrs, days or years). For a continuous tracking of the movement, a small value of Step (for example one day) is recommended. Once a map query is run, the animation continues until the Esc key is hit. This function is helpful in planning observations, for example to trace the apparent motion on the sky of a comet at a given time (e.g. 22h local time) during a week or a month. In this case a time step of one day could be chosen for the animation. The Equatorial Projection ************************* The Equatorial Projection produces professional maps of the sky in three geometrical projections. The maps are centered in a given point of the sky defined through its celestial equatorial coordinates (alpha = the right ascension and delta = the declination). The Equatorial Projection runs the following databases: >> The Small Database including the following catalogs: SAO up to magnitude 7.5 (about 26,500 stars), Messier catalogue (110 deep sky objects), COMET (about 300 comets), and the small asteroid database selection from ASTORB catalogue up to absolute magnitude 10 (about 800 asteroids). >> The Large Database including the following catalogues: SAO (about 260,000 stars), PPM (470,000 stars), GSC (19,000,000 stars and deep sky objects), Tycho (2,500,000 stars), Messier (110 deep sky objects) NGC2000 (13,000 objects), COMET (300 comets) and ASTORB (175,000 asteroids). The Equatorial Projection can be activated in one of the following ways: >> On the top of the keyboard, press F4; >> On the main menu, click with the mouse Projection, then Equatorial; >> On the keyboard, press "Alt+E" then "E". Inside the Equatorial Projection form, the most important item is the projection Center that will become the centre of the map. It is defined by the equatorial coordinates (alpha, delta) of a given point in the sky and must be chosen by the user. Northern declinations mean the Austral hemisphere, while Southern ones mean the Boreal hemisphere. On the same form, Projection defines how the spherical portion of the sky will be represented on the flat map. Three types of geometrical projections are available with the Equatorial Projection: >> The Rectangular Projection; >> The Conical Projection; >> The Central Projection. Beside Centre and Projection, the last item in Equatorial Projection form is Image. While Normal stands for maps as seen with the naked eye, Overturned stands for maps represented as seen through an astronomical instrument that overturns the image. The following menu items are active with the Equatorial Projection: Stars, Nonstellars, Constellations, Milky Way, Planets, Sun & Moon, Asteroids, Comets, Custom, Directory, Data Access, Grid, Names, Date, Field, Magnitude, Animation, Precession, Origin, Fonts, Colors, Star Symbols, Scale, Zoom Factor. Beside the Centre, the most important items in the Equatorial Projection are Stars, Field, and Magnitude. The Star Colours have been chosen to match their spectral classes or their classification codes. For professional astrometrical purposes, each time a map is run in Equatorial Projection, an output data file containing the stars in the field will be automatically saved with the \Data\Output folder. Given one session, the name of the saved files will be: "stars1.out", "stars2.out", ..., etc. To save this information, these files must be moved to another folder or renamed after each session (otherwise they will be deleted by the program in the next session). A sample map in Equatorial Projection (with Small Database option) can be run loading Maps/Open..., picking "Equatorialsd.map", then pressing F9 (Run Map). A sample map with large database option can be run loading "Equatorialld.map". The Rectangular Projection ************************** Represents linearly both right ascension and declination. This is the most approximate Equatorial Projection (especially near the poles). The following formulae are used to transform the equatorial coordinates (alpha, delta) to screen coordinates (X, Y): X = k (alpha - alphac) Y = k (delta - deltac) where (alphac, deltac) represents the equatorial coordinates for the center and k a constant computed in function of the field and the dimension of the screen. The Conical Projection ********************** It computes the right ascension as a function of the cos(declination). Therefore, closer to the pole the user will choose the center, tighter the map will be. The following formulae are used to transform the equatorial coordinates (alphac, deltac) to screen coordinates (X, Y): X = k (alpha - alphac) cos(delta) Y = k (delta - deltac) where (alphac, deltac) represents the equatorial coordinates for the center and k a constant computed in function of the field and the dimension of the screen. Central Projection ****************** It uses the projection of the celestial sphere to a plane tangent at the sphere in the Center of the map. This is the most precise type of projection. Accordingly with Montenbruck and Pfleger (1991), the central projection uses the following formulae to transform the equatorial coordinates (alpha, delta) to screen coordinates (X, Y): cos(d)sin(a - ac) X = k --------------------------------------------------------------- cos(dc) cos(d) cos(a - ac) + sin(dc) sin(d) sin(dc) cos(d) cos(a - ac) - cos(dc) sin(d) Y = k ---------------------------------------------------------------- cos(dc) cos(d) cos(a - ac) + sin(dc) sin(d) where (alphac, deltac) represents the equatorial coordinates for the center and k a constant computed in function of the field and the dimension of the screen. Stars in Equatorial Projection ******************************* Stars sets the database option for the stellar data used to plot the map. At user's choice, the equatorial projection uses one of the following two main database: >> The Small Database (about 27,000 stars selected from SAO catalogue up to mag 7.5); >> The Large Database (available only with the Equatorial Projection, including five astronomical catalogues with a total of about 22 millions of objects). The Database section includes detailed information about the astronomical catalogues/database used by the software. To represent a map, only one catalogue/database can be activated at a time (inside Data form, press Large radio button, then choose SAO, PPM, GSC or Tycho). To have available all catalogues, the full Large Database must be installed on disk (recommended) or the software must be run directly from CD-ROM. The large database has been selected from the following CD-ROMs (for exact references, see References): >> "Selected Astronomical Catalogs", Vol. 2 (PPM Cat # 1146, 1193, 1206, 1208); >> "Selected Astronomical Catalogs", Vol. 4 (SAO J2000 Cat # 1131A); >> "Selected Astronomical Catalogs", Vol. 4 (NGC 2000 Cat # 7118); >> "The Guide Star Catalog", Version 1.1 (STScI, AURA, 1992; two volumes); >> "The Tycho-2 Catalogue" (Hog E, et.al, 2000). The original data were converted using a total of about 30 additional data-flow programs. Working with this selection instead of rough data has a triple advantage: less needed space, faster run and data protection. Nonstellars in Equatorial Projection ************************************* Depending on the database option chosen, two nonstellar catalogues can be run in the equatorial projection: >> Messier (110 sources), available with the Small Database option; >> Messier or NGC 2000 (including NGC and IC catalogues, 13,226 sources), available with the Large Database option; The nonstellar database is located within the file "Messier.dat" (Messier catalogue) and "\Ngc" folder (the original NGC2000 catalogue was transformed into 788 files), both within the program's "\Data" directory. These are typed data. As with version 8.5, two Symbols options are available to draw the deep sky objects: Circles and Symbols. Circles draws the deep sky objects accordingly to their apparent radius (where available in the catalogs), and Symbols represents the deep sky objects using six classic symbols matching the object type in the catalogs: galaxies, nebulae, planetary nebulae, globular clusters, open clusters and others. Magnitude Options selects the option to display the nonstellar objects on the map. Choose Plot All Deep Sky Objects to do not matter their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match with the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. Constellations in Equatorial Projection *************************************** Starting with Celestial Maps 8.5, both constellations Figures and their Boundaries have become available to draw maps. In order to optimize the software, the constellations are available only with the Small Database option (there is no need to draw constellations with the small field maps with the Large Database). Figures checked means the constellation figures will appear on the map. Boundaries checked means the constellation borders will be drawn accordingly to their IAU definition (Davenhall et.al, 1989) precessed to J2000. The constellation database is located within the files "const.dat" and "bounds.dat" and must be kept within program's \Data folder. As with version 8.5, the figures database is a typed file that can't be edited. Planets in Equatorial Projection ********************************* Planets checked means all the major planets (excluding the Earth) will appear on the map. Inside Planets form, Magnitude Options selects the option to display the planets on the map. Choose All Planets to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match with the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. In present (version 9) the planets ephemeris are computed by resolving analytically the classical "two-body problem" (involving only the Sun and the planet). This method does not include perturbations due to the other planets, therefore being fast in execution (necessary e.g. in animation) but reaching moderate precision in positions (about 1 arcmin). Although the two-body model ensures accurate precision in mapping the larger fields, it is not very accurate for plotting small field charts (less than 10 degrees). In other words, the smaller the field of view, the larger the error in the positions of the planets. For example for a 10 degrees field of view measuring 600 pixels the maximum error in the planets' positions would be 1 pixel, but for a 1 degree field the error could reach up to 10 pixels. A numerical integration model for the Solar System bodies is planned to be implemented in the near future. This way an alternate method will become available in order to compute accurate positions down to about 1 arcsec. Sun & Moon in Equatorial Projection ************************************ Sun & Moon checked means the Sun and the Moon will appear on the map. Nevertheless, their presence on the map depends on their positions for the given date and time to be set up by Date. The Moon will be represented in its phase, accordingly with its age at the given time. In present (version 9) the Sun ephemeris are computed by resolving analytically the classical "two-body problem" (involving only the Sun and the Earth), while the Moon ephemeris is modeled by truncating some series to their first main terms. These methods do not include perturbations due to the large planets, therefore being fast in execution (necessary e.g. in animation) but reaching moderate precision in positions (about 1 arcmin). Although these models ensures accurate precision in mapping the larger fields, they are not very accurate for plotting small field charts (less than 10 degrees). In other words, the smaller the field of view, the larger the error in the positions of the Sun/Moon. For example for a 10 degrees field of view measuring 600 pixels the maximum error in comets' positions would be 1 pixel, but for a 1 degree field the error could reach up to 10 pixels. A numerical integration model for the Sun and Moon is planned to be implemented in the near future. This way an alternate method will become available in order to compute accurate positions down to about 1 arcsec. Asteroids in Equatorial Projection ********************************** Asteroids checked means the ASTORB catalogue of the asteroid orbits (Bowell, 2001) will be run with the query. In order to optimize the software, the original ASTORB catalog has been divided in two major databases: >> The Small Asteroid Database (asteroids from ASTORB up to absolute mag 10); >> The Large Asteroid Database (including itself three catalogues, namely the Numbered asteroids, the Un-Numbered asteroids or Both). The asteroids will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options set to display the minor planets. Choose Plot All Asteroids from DB to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match them by the querying magnitude set in Magnitude option. The asteroids database is flexible, the user having the possibility to update (replace) it each time a new catalogue becomes available from Lowell Observatory (Bowell, 2001). This can be done using the embedded Build Asteroid DB function. In present (version 9) the minor bodies ephemeris are computed by resolving analytically the classical "two-body problem" (involving only the Sun and the asteroid). This method does not include perturbations due to the large planets, therefore being fast in execution (necessary e.g. in animation) but reaching moderate precision in positions (about 1 arcmin). Although the two-body model ensures accurate precision in mapping the larger fields, it is not very accurate for plotting small field charts (less than 10 degrees). In other words, the smaller the field of view, the larger the error in the positions of the asteroids. For example for a 10 degrees field of view measuring 600 pixels the maximum error in the asteroids' positions would be 1 pixel, but for a 1 degree field the error could reach up to 10 pixels. A numerical integration model for the Solar System bodies is planned to be implemented in the near future. This way an alternate method will become available in order to compute accurate positions down to about 1 arcsec. Comets in Equatorial Projection ******************************** Comets checked means the COMET Catalogue (MPC, 2001) will be run with the query. The comets will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options option set to display the comets on the map. Choose Plot All Comets to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match them by the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. The comets database is flexible, the user having the possibility to update (replace) it each time a new catalogue becomes available from MPCORB (Minor Planet Centre, 2001). This can be done using the embedded Build Comet DB function. In present (version 9) the comets ephemeris are computed by resolving analytically the classical "two-body problem" (involving only the Sun and the comet). This method does not include perturbations due to the large planets, therefore being fast in execution (necessary e.g. in animation) but reaching moderate precision in positions (about 1 arcmin). Although the two-body model ensures accurate precision in mapping the larger fields, it is not very accurate for plotting small field charts (less than 10 degrees). In other words, the smaller the field of view, the larger the error in the positions of the comets. For example for a 10 degrees field of view measuring 600 pixels the maximum error in the comets' positions would be 1 pixel, but for a 1 degree field the error could reach up to 10 pixels. A numerical integration model for the Solar System bodies is planned to be implemented in the near future. This way an alternate method will become available in order to compute accurate positions down to about 1 arcsec. Grid in Equatorial Projection ****************************** A Grid marking the map (in lines of equal alpha and delta) using a Grid Unit (expressed in arc minutes) can be plotted with this type of projection. In order to optimize the run time, a maximum of 20 grid lines per map can be drawn. Each time this condition is over passed, the software change automatically the Grid Unit to a new value, informing the user about it. Names in Equatorial Projection ****************************** Names let user label various names of the Sun & Moon, planets, comets, asteroids, stars, constellations, deep sky objects nearby their positions on the map. Within the Solar System, the Planets, Sun, Asteroids and Comets can be labeled with Equatorial Projection. Since version 9, both Asteroids and Comets can be labeled using either their Names or Numbers. Different names/numbers of Stars can be plotted in Small Database and Large Database options: With Small Database, three options are available to label stars since version 8.5: >> The common star names (contained within the "Ssecn.txt" custom database) can be plotted by choosing the Common Names option from the combo box; >> The Bayer denominations of the stars (their Greek names) and their Flamsteed numbers (both contained within the "Ssebf.txt" custom database) can be drawn by picking the Bayer/Flamsteed option; >> Moreover, one can label both common and Bayer/Flamsteed names by choosing Both Names option from the Stars combo box. With Large Database, the following catalogue names/numbers are available to label stars: >> The Common names; >> The Bayer/Flamsteed names/numbers; >> Both common and Bayer/Flamsteed numbers; >> For SAO J2000 catalogue: SAO, HD and DM names; >> For PPM (4 catalogues): PPM, SAO and HD names; >> For GSC catalogue: GSC names; >> For Tycho (2 catalogues): Tycho and Hipparcos names. The Constellations can be labeled (only with Small Database) in two options: >> Their official IAU denominations in Latin; >> Their Symbols (three letters coming from their official denomination). The deep sky objects from Messier or NGC database can be labeled by checking Label Deep Sky option available with the Equatorial Projection. To activate any of the name options, the check boxes (Draw Star Names, Draw Constellations) must be first checked, then the desired name must be picked from the appropriate Name drop combo box. Date in Equatorial Projection ****************************** Date sets the calendar date and the universal time (UT). There are three cases when Date matters with the Equatorial Projection: >> To calculate the positions of the Planets, Sun & Moon, Asteroids, Comets; >> To correct the absolute positions to their apparent positions (the Options\Precession option); >> To correct the geocentric positions to the topocentre (the Options\Origin\Topocentre option). By default, the program loads the actual date and time from the computer operating system (converting it to UT). The date and time can be changed in the Date form, accessible from the menu Options\Date or by pressing the F10 key. Field in Equatorial Projection ******************************* Field is counted in degrees and runs from 0.0001 degrees to a value equal with the double of the absolute distance of the map centre to the nearest pole. The closer the Centre to one of the poles will be, the smaller the maximum value for Field will get. With the Small Database, a recommended value for Field would be 40 degrees. With the Large Database, this would be 10 degrees. A map that include the poles can be draw using Polar Projection. Since version 8.0, the new database architecture does not limit any more the field of the map with the Equatorial Projection (due to the former sky database "strips" the program could run before a maximum field of 10-20 degrees with Large Database). Nevertheless, a large map overcrowded with thousand of stars would not be reasonable, therefore small values for Field are expected to run Large Database. The user does not need to carry about the maximum value for Field (giving the maximum field required by the pole condition). Once a constraint happens, the Field value will be changed automatically, a message informing the user about the adjusted value. Magnitude in Equatorial Projection *********************************** Magnitude represents the limiting visual magnitude up to which stars will appear on the chart. With Small Database option Magnitude runs from -1.0 to +7.5. With Large Database option Magnitude runs from -1.0 to +25.0. Nevertheless, the superior limit does not mean that any given catalogue is complete up to mag +25; we set up this high limit just to be sure that all the asteroids and comets will be plotted given the limiting magnitude query. The bigger Magnitude will be chosen, more stars the map will include. To represent all the stars and other objects in the databases inside a given field, the maximum value of +25 is recommended. Nevertheless, a given limiting magnitude (e.g. +25 or +17) means that all the objects within the quered catalogue(s) will be displayed on the map (not all the objects from the sky, because the catalogues are not "complete" up to the higher limits)! Animation in Equatorial Projection *********************************** The apparent motions through the stars of the Planets, Sun & Moon, Comets and Asteroids can be simulated in the Equatorial Projection too, starting with version 9. To activate any option, the appropriate item has to be checked, then a step time has to be entered in Step (any non-null value, negative or positive) and Unit (sec, min, hrs, days or years). For a continuous tracking of the movement, a small value of Step (for example 1 hour for a 10 degrees field) is recommended. Once a map query is run, the animation continues until the Esc key is hit. This function is helpfull to predict some apparent phenomena (for example the asteroid appulses or stellar occultations), where one needs to trace the apparent motion of an asteroid in a star field for a given night. For a small Field query (e.g. less than one degree) additional precision is necessary in order to get an accurate path (i.e. to activate Precession and Origin\Topocentre options). Precession ********** Precession function allows the user to represent very accurate positions of the celestial bodies at a different epoch (calendar date) than that of the astronomical catalogues used (J2000.0). For general purposes (a field of view larger than 10 degrees or epochs within 5 years of 2000), Precession should not be used. When checked, Precession will enable calculus of the corrections for the effects of precession, nutation, annual aberration, annual and diurnal parallax, and the proper motions (where available), all corresponding to the calendar date and UT set in Date. The further epoch will be chosen (for example the year 2500), the more distant stellar positions one will get (from those at J2000). Origin ******* This new function has been added in order to represent more accurately the positions of the Planets, Sun & Moon, Asteroids and Comets, as observed from a given place on the Earth. The following two options are available with Origin function: >> The Geocentre, representing the positions of the bodies as seen from the centre of the Earth; >> The Topocentre, correcting the calculated geocentric positions to the topocentre (the observing place situated on the Earth whose geographic coordinated are set within Location). The correction to Topocentre is recommended to be used especially with a small field of view (less than one degree) and/or for objects close to the Earth (less than 0.01 AU). Star Symbols ************* Since version 5, Star Symbols option draws stars using three symbol systems: >> Points (plots all stars as points); >> Maps v.4.5 (plots stars in six classes: ..., 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, ... used formerly of version 4.5); >> Circle (plots stars in symbols accordingly to their magnitudes). Circle is a customizable option that lets user to represent stars using between 1 and 9 different symbols (circles with radius of maximum nine pixels). The values of Minimum Magnitude, Maximum Magnitude and Range set the margins of the star symbol system (that therefore becomes customizable by the user). A possible set values for these parameters is (3, 10, 7). As with version 8.5, all Star Symbols options are available with all three projections under Celestial Maps. Star Colours ************* With four star database (Small Database, SAO, PPM and Tycho) the stars are being plotted in colours, accordingly either to their spectral classes (in the first three cases) or to the B-V difference color (Tycho's case). A legend of these colours is provided at the left part of the map when using the Equatorial Projection. Because GSC catalogue does not include star spectral classes, in this case the colors have been chosen to reproduce the objects catalogue classification (as star, galaxy, blend or possible artifact). Database ********* Given both the general planetarium mapping requirements and the smaller field professional ones, Celestial Maps was designed to access its data from two main database: >> The Small Database; >> The Large Database Through both database, the following two extensions have been used to suggest the type of the data contained within: >> ".dat" - typed (encrypted) data that can not be modified by the user; >> ".txt" - text (ASCII) data that is customizable (can be modified) by the user. Most of the data files accessed by the software have been typed (extension ".dat"), because of their triple advantage: they need less hard disk space, run faster and protect data. Where applicable, some database have been designed as text (extension ".txt"). These files can be modified by the user (using any ordinary text editor or within the embedded functions, where available), with the strict condition to keep the same formats as those of the original files. The following Data Tables include the main detailed information about the whole database used with the software. The following Hardware Requirements include information about the minimum necessities to install and run the software. The Small Database ****************** The Object Information Help. Table 2 of the Data Tables section includes information about the small database used by the software. Since version 8.0, the former limit magnitude of 6 (5104 stars) has been increased to 7.5 (26,598 stars). To optimize the data management, three data files are being used: >> File "Stars1.dat" containing 5,104 stars up to 6th mag; >> File "Stars2.dat" containing 10,841 stars between 6-7 mag; >> File "Stars3.dat" containing 19,653 stars between 7-7.5 mag. For example, a star mapping request of limiting magnitude 5.5 will run only the first data file (thus gaining in running time), but one with a limiting magnitude of 7.2 will run all three data files. A new option, Data Access, has been implemented under version 8.5 to improve the execution time with the Small Database. "Messier.dat" includes the deep sky catalogue of Messier (110 nonstellar objects). This is the only deep sky catalogue accessible through Small Database option. "Const.dat" includes the constellations figures built from an "XEphem" database (Marriott and Downey, 2000) using SAO J2000 positions to improve the accuracy in star positions to about 0.1". As with version 8.5, this database updated our former database (used up to version 8.0) constructed from the original bibliography (Ciobanu, 1991). "Bounds.dat" includes the constellations boundaries at epoch B1875.0 as taken from the original IAU database defined at epoch B1875.0 (Davenhall, 1989). To represent the boundaries at epoch J2000.0, Celestial Maps builds dinamically the J2000.0 boundaries database, by precessing a sufficient number of points from 1875 to 2000, based on the field quered with each map. Therefore, the plotted boundaries are those at epoch J2000.0. "Cse.dat" contains the names of the constellations and their centers, and it's used with Search/Constellations. "Ssecn.txt" includes stars with common names to be display when Options/Names/Stars/Common Names option is checked. This database has been built from the "FK5-SAO-HD Common Name Cross Index" catalog (Smith, 1996). This database is a customizable file holding up to max 1500 stars (usually entered in alphabetic order), strictly respecting the file format: star's common name (17 characters), its J2000 right ascension (hours with 5 decimals) and J2000 declination (degrees with 4 decimals) and the visual magnitude (one decimal). "Ssebf.txt" includes stars with Bayer and Flamsteed names/numbers to be displayed when Options/Names/Stars/Bayer/Flamsteed option is checked. This database has been built from the "Catalogue of the Brightest Stars" (Ochsenbein et al, 1988). This star database is a customizable file holding up to max 1500 stars (usually entered in alphabetic order), strictly respecting the file format: the Bayer name (3 letters constellation and other three representing the Greek letter), the Flamsteed number in the constellation (3 places), the J2000 right ascension (hours with 5 decimals), J2000 declination (degrees with 4 decimals) and the visual magnitude (one decimal). "Stars*.txt" is a custom database where user can add other stars or objects to the maps (not included with any of the software database). These files have no limit entries and represent a powerful tool to plot other sources on the maps. A useful application of the custom databases "Stars*.txt" is to simulate the path of a comet or asteroid not included with ASTORB or COMET database (whose ephemeridae is known by the user - by default, the databases includes two files: a sample of two stars and two positions of the comet Linear C/1999 S4). "Cities.txt" represents cities coordinates or locations with their correspondent geographical coordinates. This file has no limit entries and can be customizable/updatable in two different ways: >> Directly using any text editor (strictly keeping its format), not recommended; >> Interactively from the program (in Zenithal Projection or from Location button in Origin with Equatorial Projection), changing the existing coordinates of a locations or defining and saving others new. Messier Catalogue ***************** The Object Information Help. The Messier database contains J2000 positions, magnitudes, apparent diameters, types and cross identification names of the 110 deep sky objects included in the famous Messier catalogue. The original data was transformed into a type file ("Messier.dat" located in \Data folder). The Large Database ******************* Since Celestial Maps 8.0 the database architecture of the catalogues SAO and PPM used with the previous versions has been changed. This leads to two main advantages: more flexibility of the software (maps of any field could be run now in equatorial projection, instead of the former maximum of 10-20 degrees), and a dramatic decrease of the running time in running small fields (by a factor of about 10). Both SAO and PPM catalogues have been divided in 788 sky regions (files) each, these being accessible by the software upon request (map center, field, etc), using some special indexes. The other two star catalogues have been introduced with the actual version. These are GSC and Tycho, and consists in 9537 sky regions (files) each, based on the model of the original GSC. The "background" database management consisted in coding and running about 30 additional programs that successively transformed the original catalogues (a total of about 2 GB of data) into the actual database to be used by Celestial Maps (about 0.5 GB), all this job being performed on a small PC. Table 3 of the following Data Tables includes information about the large database used with Celestial Maps 9.0. The following links include information about the astronomical catalogues used with the Large Database option: >> SAO J2000 Catalogue >> PPM Catalogues >> GSC 1.1 Catalogue >> Tycho-2 Catalogue >> NGC 2000 Catalogue >> ASTORB Catalogue Data Tables [PLEASE SEE THE HELP FILE MAPS.HLP] Table 1 - Astronomical database used by Celestial Maps Table 2 - The database used with the Small Database option Table 3 - The database used with the Large Database option Table 4 - Additional input/output data run with Small and Large Database options SAO J2000 Catalogue ******************** The Object Information Help. The SAO star catalogue has been released in 1966 by Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) at the epoch 1950. The original positions were transformed by Clayton A. Smith from U.S. Naval Observatory to the epoch J2000, then added to a new catalogue, named SAO J2000 (USNO, ADC 1990). This has been included within Volume 4 CD-ROM published by NASA and ADC (1997). With Celestial Maps 8.0, SAO J2000 has been divided into 788 sky regions (data typed files) that were placed into 18 directories. This database contains 258,997 stars up to about visual magnitude 11.0 (although the star catalogue is not "complete", e.g. not all the stars from the sky up to mag 11 have been included in the catalogue). Astrometricaly speaking, SAO J2000 stars have a mean error of about 1" (0.9" in the North, 1.2" in South), therefore their mapping being exact for fields larger than about 10' (based on a 600 pixel wide map). Astrophysicaly speaking, including information about duplicity, variability and two stellar magnitudes, SAO J2000 continues to be an important database still used in many applications. The SAO Database of Celestial Maps contains the following information: >> SAO star number (1-258997); >> Right ascension (FK5 system, epoch J2000); >> Declination (FK5 system, epoch J2000); >> Proper motion in right ascension (FK5 system, epoch J2000); >> Proper motion in declination (FK5 system, epoch J2000); >> Magnitude (photographic and/or visual); >> Spectral type; >> Variability and/or multiplicity; >> HD (Henry Draper) and/or DM (Durchmusterung) cross identification numbers. PPM Catalogues ************** The Object Information Help. The "Positions and Proper Motions" (PPM) catalogues were constructed by two European teams: >> "PPM North" (Roeser and Bastian, 1989): 181,731 stars of the Northern hemisphere; >> "PPM South" (Bastian and Roeser, 1992): 197,179 stars in the Southern hemisphere. Both catalogues were included in Volume 2 CD-ROM published by NASA and ADC (1995). The same CD-ROM includes other two PPM catalogues: >> "90,000 Stars Supplement to the PPM Star Catalogue" (Roeser et al, 1994): 89,676 stars from the Astrographical Catalogue originally not included in PPM; >> "Bright Stars Supplement, PPM and PPM South Catalogue" (Bastian et al, 1993): 275 bright stars not included in PPM catalogues (because of their poor precision), that complete the sky up to visual mag 7.5. Celestial Maps combines all the four PPM catalogues in a single database, named PPM. Starting with the version 8.0, the original PPM catalogues (4 ASCII files) have been selected and joined in a common format, then divided into 788 sky regions (data typed files) that were placed into 18 directories. The full database contains 468,861 stars up to about visual magnitude 12.0 (although the star catalogue is not "complete", e.g. not all the stars from the sky up to mag 12 have been included in the catalogue). With a good budget in position errors of max 0.3", PPM can be successfully used mainly for the astrometrical applications, the stars being plotted exactly for fields larger than about 3' (based on a 600 pixel wide map). The PPM records of Celestial Maps database contain/display the following information: >> PPM star number (1-181731 N, 181732-378910 S, 400001-400321 BSS, 700001-789676 90,000S); >> Catalogue name (displayed in "type"); >> Right ascension (FK5 system, epoch J2000); >> Declination (FK5 system, epoch J2000); >> Proper motion in right ascension (FK5, epoch J2000); >> Proper motion in declination (FK5, epoch J2000); >> Mean error in right ascension (FK5, epoch J2000); >> Mean error in declination (FK5, epoch J2000); >> Mean error in proper motion in right ascension (FK5, epoch J2000); >> Mean error in proper motion in declination (FK5, epoch J2000); >> Magnitude (most photographic, some visual marked as visual); >> Spectral type; >> Variability and/or multiplicity (and a few astrometrical special cases); >> SAO (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) and/or HD (Henry Draper) cross identification numbers. The original errors in positions were given at the epoch of the observations and were transformed to epoch J2000 using the classical formula (Roeser and Bastian, 1989): GSC 1.1 Catalogue ****************** The Object Information Help. The first version of "The Guide Star Catalog" (GSC 1.0) was released in 1990 with the mainly purpose to guide Hubble Space Telescope (HST) in its space operations. It has been prepared by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc. (AURA), under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). GSC is primarily based on an all-sky, single epoch, single collection of Schmidt photographic plates taken mainly from five major observatories: Palomar (epoch 1982), UK Schmidt Telescope (epoch 1975), Cerro Tololo, Sacramento Peak and Mount Lemmon. Therefore the positions are given at the epochs of the individual plates included in the original GSC, and do not include proper motions. The second release, namely GSC 1.1, performed some revisions of the known and later reported problems, and was included with two CD-ROMs (AURA, 1992), containing data in FITS format. To prepare GSC database used with Celestial Maps, first we transformed FITS data to ASCII, then we eliminated from the original GSC 1.1 all double entries (keeping for each source only the entry having the smallest positional error). Then we selected the necessary columns and finally we converted the data into GSC database (9537 typed files placed in 24 directories), using the same sky regions as those in the original catalogue. Astrometrically speaking, with its positions at equinox J2000 given at the epochs of the individual plates (mainly 1975 and 1982) GSC has a mean error varying between 0.5"-1.1" in the North and 1.0"-1.6" in the South, therefore not being recommended as a reference catalogue for precise astrometrical applications. Used with Celestial Maps, GSC can be mapped exactly for fields wider than 15' (given a field 600 pixel wide). The GSC Database contains 18,839,509 sources (including about 15 millions stars and 4 millions galaxies) up to about visual magnitude 16.0. With a mean density of about 457 stars/sqr(degree), GSC is broadly used among the astronomical community for small field identification and other purposes. The GSC records of Celestial Maps database contain/display the following information: >> GSC source number (it the format "rrrr-nnnnn" with "rrrr" the region number and "nnnnn" an ordinal within it); >> Classification code (following the internal object classification types, mostly as star or galaxy); >> Right ascension (equinox J2000, epoch of the plate, not included with the database); >> Declination (equinox J2000, epoch of the plate, not included with the database); >> Magnitude (mostly visual, in the system defined by the individual plates); Tycho-2 Catalogue ***************** The Object Information Help. Tycho-2 is a modern reference catalogue of the 2.5 million brightest stars covering the entire sky. The catalogue contains positions, proper motions, visual and photographic magnitudes derived from observations made with the Hipparcos satellite of The European Space Agency (ESA) in combination with the "Astrographic Catalogue" and 143 other ground-based star catalogues. It was released recently by an European-American team (Hog et al, 2000) and included in a CD-ROM. Two Tycho-2 catalogues (ASCII files) were used to build Celestial Maps Tycho Database: >> "Tycho-2 Catalogue" (2,539,913 stars); >> "Tycho-2 Supplement-1" (17,588 good quality Hippacos and Tycho-1 stars that were not included with the main Tycho-2); The files were transformed and selected, then appended in a common format into 9537 sky regions (typed files) placed in 18 directories. The sky region system is the same as the one used in GSC catalogue. The total database includes 2,557,501 stars up to about visual magnitude 12.5 (although the star database it is not "complete", e.g. not all the stars of the sky up to mag 12.5 have been included in the catalogue). The positions are given in the modern ICRS reference system defined by the former Hipparcos Catalogue at epoch J2000. The catalogue includes proper motions for about 96% of stars. Tycho-2 has a standard error of only 0.007" for stars with mag<9, and 0.06" for stars fainter than 9. Therefore, with a good density of about 62 stars/sqr(deg) and an accurate mapping for fields larger than about 36" (based on a 600 pixel wide map), it represents an excellent catalog for astrometrical applications. Also, with its photometric standard errors of only 0.013 mag for stars with mag<9 and 0.1 mag for the stars with mag>9, Tycho-2 is a great catalog also for astrophysical applications. The Tycho-2 records of Celestial Maps database contain/display the following information: >> Tycho-2 catalogue number (in the format "rrrr-nnnn-c"); >> Right ascension (ICRS, J2000 epoch for 96% of stars or the observed epoch for the rest); >> Declination (ICRS, J2000 epoch for 96% of stars or the observed epoch for the rest); >> Proper motion in right ascension (ICRS, J2000 epoch for 96% of stars, unknown for the rest); >> Proper motion in declination (ICRS, J2000 epoch for 96% of stars, unknown for the rest); >> Mean error in right ascension (J2000 epoch for 96% of stars or the observed epoch for the rest); >> Mean error in declination (J2000 epoch for 96% of stars or the observed epoch for the rest); >> Mean error in proper motion in right ascension (J2000 epoch for 96% of stars, unknown for the rest); >> Mean error in proper motion in declination (J2000 epoch for 96% of stars, unknown for the rest); >> Tycho VT (visual) and/or BT (blue) magnitudes, and V Johnson magnitude; >> Spectral class (B-V); >> Hipparcos cross identification number (where available); With the notation of the star numbers, "rrrr" means the sky region, "nnnnn" an ordinal and "c" the component (normally being 1). For about 96% of stars, the mean errors in positions were taken from the original catalogue at the observation epoch (Talpha or Tdelta) and transformed to J2000 mean errors using the following formula written with the classical notations (Hog et al, 2000): About 4% of stars include only positions and mean errors given at the mean observed epoch, e.g. 1991.25. For these stars the proper motions and errors in proper motions are unknown. Most of the stars include both VT and BT magnitudes expressed in Tycho photometry (filter) system. When both of them were available, the approximate Johnson V (visual) magnitudes have been calculated using the formula: V = VT - 0.090(BT-VT). NGC 2000 Catalogue ****************** The Object Information Help. The NGC 2000 catalogue is a modern compilation of the following catalogues: >> "New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars", abbreviated NGC (Dreyer, 1888); >> "Index Catalogue", abbreviated IC (Dreyer, 1895); >> "Second Index Catalogue" (Dreyer, 1908). NGC 2000 has been provided by Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press (1988), and was included with Volume 4 of "Selected Astronomical Catalogs" under the number 7118 (NASA, ADC, 1997). With its 13,226 deep sky sources (7840 NGC and 5386 IC), NGC 2000 is broadly used by the astronomical community worldwide. The NGC database used by Celestial Maps contain/display the following information: >> NGC 2000 source number (in NGC or IC catalogues); >> Right ascension (equinox 2000); >> Declination (equinox 2000); >> Integrated magnitude (specified as visual or photographic); >> Largest dimension (given in arc minutes); >> Object classification; >> Description of the object (as given by Dreyer, encrypted for space reasons in the NGC2000 abbreviated form); NGC 2000 Abbreviated Form ************************** The following list provides the abbreviated codes used in NGC 2000 object description. The list is reproduced from the original "ReadMe" file (NGC2000 Cat # 7118, "Selected Astronomical Catalogs", Vol 4, NASA, ADC, 1997): ab about alm almost am among annul annular or ring nebula att attached b brighter bet between biN binuclear bn brightest to n side bs brightest to s side bp brightest to p side bf brightest to f side B bright c considerably chev chevelure co coarse, coarsely com cometic (cometary form) comp companion conn connected cont in contact C compressed Cl cluster d diameter def defined dif diffused diffic difficult dist distance, or distant D double e extremely, excessively ee most extremely er easily resolvable exc excentric E extended f following (eastward) F faint g gradually glob. globular gr group i irregular iF irregular figure inv involved, involving l little (adv.); long (adj.) L large m much m magnitude M middle, or in the middle n north neb nebula nebs nebulous neby nebulosity nf north following np north preceding ns north-south nr near N nucleus, or to a nucleus p preceding (westward) pf preceding-following p pretty (adv., before F. B. L, S) pg pretty gradually pm pretty much ps pretty suddenly plan planetary nebula (same as PN) prob probably P poor (sparse) in stars PN planetary nebula r resolvable (mottled, not resolved) rr partially resolved, some stars seen rrr well resolved, clearly consisting of stars R round RR exactly round Ri rich in stars s suddenly (abruptly) s south sf south following sp south preceding sc scattered sev several st stars (pl.) st 9... stars of 9th magnitude and fainter st 9..13 stars of mag. 9 to 13 stell stellar, pointlike susp suspected S small in angular size S* small (faint) star trap trapezium triangle triangle, forms a triangle with triN trinuclear v very vv _very_ var variable * a single star *10 a star of 10th magnitude *7-8 star of mag. 7 or 8 ** double star (same as D*) *** triple star ! remarkable !! very much so !!! a magnificent or otherwise interesting object COMET Catalogue *************** The Object Information Help. The "COMET.DAT" catalogue/data file is maintained online by Minor Planet Center Orbit Database (MPC, 2001). In Dec 2001 COMET catalogue included 311 orbits of comets (most having elliptic orbits, but also a few with parabolic or hyperbolic orbits, e.g. probably non-periodic with one entry to the Solar System). These 311 bodies have been included with the default Celesial Maps 9.0 database. In order to update the comet database with a new version of the catalog, one can donwload a new catalogue (data file), then re-built a new Celesial Maps database using its embedded Build Comet DB function. The COMET records of Celestial Maps database contain/display the following information about the orbits/bodies: >> Number and name; >> Right ascension (calculated based on the chosen query); >> Declination (calculated based on the chosen query); >> Distance to Earth (in astronomical units and Km); >> Phase angle (the angle Sun-Comet-Earth in degrees); >> Total and nuclear apparent magnitude; >> Perihelion passage (year, month, day with decimals); >> Argument of perihelion (omega in degrees); >> Longitude of ascending node (Omega in degrees); >> Inclination of the orbit on the ecliptic (i in degrees); >> Eccentricity of the orbit (e, no units); >> Semimajor axis (a) or perihelion distance (q, both in AU); >> Period (in years, only for elliptic orbits); >> Osculation epoch (the epoch of the original catalog). The total and nuclear apparent magnitudes were calculated using the following formulae: T-mag = M1 + 5 * log10(delta) + k1 * log10(r) N-mag = M2 + 5 * log10(delta) + k2 * log10(r) + phcof * beta where M1 is the total absolute magnitude, M2 the nuclear absolute magnitude (both available from the catalog), delta the distance comet-Earth, r the distance comet-Sun, and beta the phase angle. k1 and k2 are the total and nuclear magnitude scaling factors and phcof is the phase coefficient for k2=5. Because k1, k2 and phcof are not included in the present with the original catalogue, in order to report the magnitudes these were assumed to be constant: k1=8, k2=5, phcof=0.03 (the Halley comet values). Build Comet Database ******************** The flexibility to update the comet database used by Celestial Maps has been included with version 9. Each time a new COMET catalogue becomes available from Minor Planet Center (MPC, 2002) it can be downloaded on the Internet from ftp://cfa-ftp.harvard.edu/pub/MPCORB (the file "COMET.DAT" - 37 KB in Dec 2001). The file must be placed in the program \Data\Download directory (but not necessarily), then it can be built using the program's embedded Build Asteroid Database function. The output files will replace (upon confirmation) the old comet database of Celestial Maps. Important: To keep the original database available, it is strongly recommendable to backup (or rename) the original database "Comets.dat" and "IndexCom.dat" (from your "\Data" folder) before pressing the Build DB... button to update your comet database (otherwise your original "Comets.dat" database will be erased and you might need it back in case things go wrong with your new downloaded file)! We implemented this function for a double reason. Firstly to let user to keep step with the continuing new discoveries of comets. Secondly because the MPCORB database is updated monthly by MPC. Moreover, all the orbits in a given version of the original catalogue have an epoch of osculation near the present, therefore an ephemerida calculated for a given epoch will be more accurate for a querying date closer to that of the osculation epoch (thus of the original catalogue). ASTORB Catalogue **************** The Object Information Help. The ASTORB catalogue is maintained online at Lowell Observatory (Bowell, 2001). In March 2002 ASTORB catalogue included 175,565 orbits of all numbered and the vast majority of the un-numbered asteroids available at that date. These minor planets have been included with the default Celesial Maps 9.0 database. In order to update the asteroid database with a new version of the catalog, one can donwload a new catalogue (the archived data file), then unzip it and re-built a new Celesial Maps database using its embedded Build Asteroid DB function. The ASTORB records of Celestial Maps database contain/display the following information about the orbits/bodies: >> Number and Name; >> Right Ascension (calculated based on the chosen query); >> Declination (calculated based on the chosen query); >> Distance to Earth (in astronomical units and Km); >> Phase Angle (the angle Sun-Comet-Earth in degrees); >> Apparent (V), absolute magnitude (H), slope parameter (G); >> Physical diameter (in Km) and apparent diameter (in arc seconds); >> Mean anomaly (M in degrees); >> Argument of Perihelion (omega in degrees); >> Longitude of Ascending Node (Omega in degrees); >> Inclination of the Orbit on the Ecliptic (i in degrees); >> Eccentricity of the Orbit (e, no units); >> Semimajor Axis (a in astronomical units); >> Period (in years); >> Osculation epoch (the epoch to which the orbit was calculated, in year-month-day format); >> Orbital arc spanned by observations used in orbit calculations (days); >> Number of observations used in orbit computations; >> Planet-crossing code (see Asteroid Orbit Codes); >> Orbit computation code (see Asteroid Orbit Codes); >> MPC critical-list code (see Asteroid Orbit Codes). Where available in the original catalogue, the physical diameters represents the IRAS values. Otherwise the diameter D in Km is calculated using the following formula (Harris, 2001): D = 1329 * [10^(-H/5)] / sqrt(pV) where H represents the absolute magnitude (from the catalog) and pV the albedo (assuming here a constant mean value pV = 0.1). The apparent magnitudes V are calculated using the following formula: V = H + 5 * log10(r *d) + P(alpha) with r the distance asteroid-Sun, d the distance asteroid-Earth and P(alpha) the "phase relation" from: P(alpha) = -2.5 * log[(1-G) *PHI1 + G *PHI2] PHI1 = exp {-A1 * tan(alpha/2)]^B1} PHI2 = exp {-A2 * tan(alpha/2)]^B2} with alpha the phase angle and the constants A1 = 3.33, A2 = 1.87, B1 = 0.63, B2 = 1.22. Build Asteroid Database *********************** The flexibility to update the asteroid database used by Celestial Maps has been included with version 9. Each time a new ASTORB catalogue becomes available from Lowell Observatory (Bowell, 2002) it can be downloaded on the Internet from ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html (the file "astorb.dat.gz" - about 12MB archived in March 2002). The file must be unzipped and placed in the program's \Data\Download directory (but not necessarily), then it can be built into the asteroid database using the embedded Build Asteroid Database function. The output files will replace (upon confirmation) the old asteroid database of Celestial Maps. Important: To keep the original database available, it is strongly recommendable to backup (or simply rename) the original database "Aster#.dat" and "IndexAst.dat" (from your "\Data" folder) before pressing the Build DB... button to update your asteroid database (otherwise your original "Aster#.dat" database will be erased and you might need it back in case things go wrong with your new downloaded file)! We implemented this function for a double reason. Firstly to let user to keep step with the continuing new discoveries of minor planets. Secondly because accordingly to its author (Bowell, 2002), ASTORB database is updated daily. Moreover, all the orbits in a given version of the original catalogue have an epoch of osculation near the present, therefore an ephemerida calculated for a given epoch will be more accurate for a querying date closer to that of the osculation epoch (thus of the original catalogue). Asteroids Orbit Codes ********************** Planet-Crossing Asteroid Codes: 1- Earth-crossing asteroid (ECA), according to Shoemaker et al.'s definition (In "Asteroids", pp. 253-282, T. Gehrels, ed., The University of Arizona Press, Tucson, 1979 ). Some ECAs are currently Amors (q.v.). ECAs have been identified prior to May 1991. After that date, asteroids having q < 1.0167 AU have been assumed to be ECAs. Thus, in the latter group, some may not be ECAs, and some asteroids assumed to be Amors may be ECAs. 2 - Asteroids having perihelia less than the aphelion distance of the Earth (1.0167 AU), but which are not ECAs. 4 - Amors (1.0167 < q < 1.3 AU) (but see also type 1). 8 - Mars crossers (1.3 < q < 1.6660 AU). 16 - Outer-planet crossers (excluding Jupiter Trojans). n Asteroids (excluding Mars and Jupiter Trojans) that cross both inner- and outer-planet orbits. For example, n = 24 crosses the orbits of Mars (q < 1.6660 AU) and Jupiter (Q > 4.950 AU). Orbit Computation Codes: 1 - Orbits derived from uncertainly, perhaps erroneously linked observations. 2 - Eccentricity assumed. 4 - Eccentricity and semimajor axis assumed. 8 - For numbered asteroids, omitted observations have resulted in degradation of a so-called orbit-quality parameter (OQP, see K. Muinonen and E. Bowell, Icarus 104, 255-279, 1993), generally by more than 0.1. The corresponding ephemeris uncertainty has increased by about 25% or more. 16 - OQP degrades by more than 0.1 if unsubstantiated observations (e.g., one-night apparitions) are omitted. 32 - Orbit derived from data containing observations not in Minor Planet Center files 64 H is unknown; H = 14 mag assumed. 128 - Asteroid sought, but not found. n Sum of preceding entries. For example, n = 3 pertains to an uncertainly linked orbit for which the eccentricity was assumed. MPC Critical-List Numbered Asteroids Codes: 1 - Lost asteroid. 2 - Asteroids observed at only two apparitions. 3 - Asteroids observed at only three apparitions. 4 - Asteroids observed at four or more apparitions, last more than ten years ago. 5 - Asteroids observed at four or more apparitions, only one night in last ten years. 6 - Other poorly observed asteroids observed at four or more apparitions. 7 - Absolute magnitude poorly known (not on MPC critical-list). Custom Database *************** Starting with version 9, the former "stars.txt" custom database has been replaced with a series of numbered files named "stars*.txt" ("stars1.txt", "stars2.txt", ...). Therefore this custom database has become a flexible tool to add additional objects, being not limited in number (of objects/files) or length (number of records per object/file). A new function, namely the embedded text editor titled "Custom Database", has been implemented to manage much flexibly the custom (external, user built) database. By using it, the databases can be displayed, edited and saved in a series of files to hold positions for any number of objects (stars, planets, asteroids, comets, galaxies, etc) to be run with any query. Each entry (line) of any custom database ("stars*.txt" file) must include the following data (columns) matching the object in cause. Each time when editing an entry, the user must follow exactly the formats of the data (columns) shown in the form header: >> The right ascension (Alpha(J2000), mandatory); >> The declination (Delta(J2000), mandatory); >> The geocentric distance (Geoc_Dist in AU if available or null otherwise for Solar System bodies or for stars); >> The apparent magnitude (Magn if available, null otherwise); >> The spectral class (Sp for stars if available, null otherwise) OR The code 'p' (for Solar System bodies); >> The proper motion in right ascension and declination (Miu_RA and MiuDec for stars with known proper motion, null otherwise or for Solar System bodies); >> A name or label (Name/Info if available, null otherwise). By default (as an example), two files have been included as the default custom database: "Stars1.txt" (including two stars), and "Stars2.txt" (including two positions of the comet Hale-Bopp in March 1997). Both stars and comet are being presumably not included with any other database. Any time the user enters the Custom Database function, all custom databases (files) available will be loaded by the embeded editor. By clicking one of the tabs on the bottom bar, the user can simply display and edit the associate database, then save or cancel it by using the built-in menu functions. To edit a new custom database, the File/New menu item has to be clicked, then the next available numbered database (i.e. "stars*.txt" file) will be created are ready to add new data. In order to facilitate the editting process, the classic edit functions (Copy, Paste, Cut, Undo, Find, Replace) have been implemented and can be accessed from the menu (or by using shortcuts), together with a Line/Column counting display in the bottom status line. The custom database can be quered based on the following plotting options: Checking Plot Custom Database means the Custom Database (all "Stars*.txt" files) will be run with the query. The custom database objects will appear on the map accordingly to the Magnitude Options. Choose Plot All Custom DB Objects to ignore their magnitudes or Select by Limiting Magnitude to match the objects to plot by the quering magnitude set in Magnitude option. Center Maps ************ This function has been implemented with version 8 and is accessible using the right mouse button with any projection. It centers any point of the sky (located under the mouse) into the center of a new map in equatorial projection. Center Maps lets one to maneuver maps visually, without having to query the program through numbers and menus. Therefore, this function embeds more strongly the main projections of the software. Each time when a constraint condition for field or grid is encountered, the program adjust their values, informing the user through a message box. Center Maps is especially useful to represent nearby portions of a map, to seek more information about a field or to change projections centering a given object. Zooming Maps ************* In order to have a better view of the crowded star field in some regions of the sky, all the projections were equipped with a user friendly zoom in facility. A two button mouse is necessary to use the zoom function. The following three simple steps are required to zoom maps: >> Click the left mouse button anywhere on the map and keep it pressed; >> Still pressing the button, drag (move) the mouse to any other point on the map; a red rectangular region will appear; >> Having selected the desired rectangular region, release the left mouse button; another window containing the zoomed map will appear. The size of the Zoom Window is proportional with the size of the initial rectangular region to be zoomed, the enlargement factor being the Zoom Factor. Within the zoomed window, the equatorial coordinates (alpha, delta) and their measured errors of the points located under the mouse continue to be displayed in the third and the fourth panels of the program status bar. Also, the fifth panel continue to express the screen coordinates (X, Y) of the point located under the mouse, relative to its top-left corner of the zoomed window. Moreover, the Object Info function continue to work within the zoomed map in the same way as in the main map. Zoom Factor *********** How to Zoom charts with Celestial Maps? The zoomed map will represent the red rectangular region on the original map enlarged by a scalable factor (between 1-10), named Zoom Factor. The zoomed map will be drawn in a Zoom Window. In order to changed the zoom factor, the user must pick the Zoom Factor, (run the map) and then zoom in the desired region. The Zoom Window can be closed by pressing Esc or click its right-top corner. Search System ************** Celestial Maps has been equipped with a user friendly search system to access easely all its astronomical sources included in its databases. There are six types of search available: >> Search Stars; >> Search Nonstellars; >> Search Constellations; >> Search Comets; >> Search Asteroids; >> Search Planets, Sun, Moon. This search system is accessible through the Search main menu item. Once an object being searched for, a map will be returned in the equatorial projection centering the searching object. Given the faint brightness of most of the searchable objects, the search will be mapped taking a default Field of 40 degrees for Constellations and 10 degrees for Stars, Nonstellars, Asteroids, Comets, Planets, Sun and Moon. To enlarge the map after a search, one must simply increase the Field, then rerun the query with F9. The user will be informed any time when an inconsistency of the installed database with the search would appear. This situation won't happen whether the complete large database has been installed or the software is being run direct from the CD-ROM or the Directory option has been corectly specified (in case of running Large Database from other drive/directory than the one holding the executable). Search Stars ************* Six different functions are available to search stars under Celestial Maps: >> Common Name (stars from the custom database "ssecn.txt" within "\Data" folder); >> Bayer/Flamsteed (stars from the custom database "ssebf.txt" within "\Data" folder); >> SAO Stars (requiring the integer catalogue number for the SAO star to search); >> PPM Stars (requiring the integer catalogue number for the PPM star to search); >> GSC Stars (requiring the GSC catalogue number in the format NNNN-NNNNN); >> Tycho-2 Stars (requiring the Tycho-2 catalogue number in the format NNNNN-NNNNN-N). Search Nonstellars ****************** Four possibilities to search deep sky objects under Celestial Maps: >> Name (max 1500 common names in the customizable text file "\Data\Ngc\Common.txt"); >> Messier objects (requiring the Messier catalogue number of 110 deep sky objects); >> NGC Number (requiring the NGC catalogue number of 7840 deep sky objects); >> IC Number (requiring the IC catalogue number of 5386 deep sky objects); Search Constellations ********************** Search Constellations provides user a lists of constellation to look for (the typed file "\Data\Cse.dat"). Search Comets ************* Starting with version 9, one can search any comet from the COMETS database whose position corresponds to the specified Date and Time. Search Asteroids ***************** Starting with version 9, one can search any asteroid from ASTORB database whose position corresponds to the specified Date and Time. There are two options to specify the minor planet to search for: >> Search by Name; >> Search by Number. Moreover, there are two options to search for an asteroid name: >> Select the asteroid from a list (including the Small Asteroid Database); >> Type the full name of the asteroid (working on the full ASTORB database, both for numbered and un-numbered bodies, be aware to correct spelling). Search Planets, Sun, Moon ************************** Starting with version 9, one can search for the major planets, Sun and Moon whose position corresponds to the specified Date and Time. Basic Astrometry ***************** Two of the functions implemented with Celestial Maps 8.0 refer to basic astrometry. To operate them, a two-button mouse is necessary. Available with all types of projections, these functions are: >> Measuring equatorial coordinates (alpha, delta); >> Measuring angular separations between two points on the map. Additional information about the objects under the mouse can be obtained through the bottom right panel of the status bar. Each time the mouse is moved above an object, the message "Object found" or "Object centered" appears. Then additional information about the object can be displayed, using the right mouse button and the Object Info function on the pop up menu. Object found is useful to locate objects and get information about then through Object Info function. Object centered is useful to locate objects exactly under the mouse point, in order to measure Angular Separations between two objects on the map. Given some professional reasons, both basic astrometric functions are given together with their measurement errors. These errors are needed to approximate the "real sky coordinates" (e.g. with many decimal figures) through the "screen coordinates" (expressed in pixels, e.g. integer numbers). These errors are computed accordingly to the projection type used, in real time, then displayed nearby the coordinates and separations on the status bar. The Equatorial Coordinates *************************** The celestial position of the point under the mouse is displayed in the third and fourth panel on the status bar located at the bottom of the window, in real time. To see it, the user just have to move the mouse above the map (without clicking it). This position is given in the celestial standard coordinate system, e.g. the equatorial system (alpha the right ascension, delta the declination). Similar information about the screen coordinates (X,Y) expressed in pixels and related to the center of the map is also given in the fifth panel on the bottom status bar. Angular Separations ******************** Four simple steps are required to measure the angular separation between two points (usually stars) on a map: >> Move the mouse above the starting point but do not press any mouse button; >> Press Ctrl key and keep it pressed, then click the left mouse button and keep it clicked; >> Drag the mouse to the second point; a red line between the first point and the current mouse position must appear; >> With the mouse above the second point, release the mouse button and read the separation between the two points; Object Info ************ Important catalogue information about the object located under the mouse can be displayed and print using the following procedure: >> Move the mouse (but do not click) until an object comes under the mouse's point. When located, one of the messages "Object found" or "Object centered" must appear to the bottom right panel of the window; >> With one of the two messages displayed, click the right mouse button and choose from the pop up menu the Object Info function. An Object Information window will appear, including exact information about the object, as taken from the appropriate database/catalogue. This information can be printed using Print button located on the same window. To close the Object Information window, click the OK button or press Escape. If more than one object happen to be located in the same place on the map, the following object information will appear next. To cancel multiple objects information simply click the Cancel button. Object Info works on both main maps and the zoomed windows. Fonts ****** Two options are available to set labels to appear on maps starting with version 8.5: >> Maps 8.0 (the default fonts and their colors used with version 8.0); >> Custom Fonts... (the customizable function to set any fonts and their colors available with the operating system); To activate the second option, one must activate the Custom Fonts... radio button, then click the Edit... button, then a new box titled Custom Fonts will appear. Custom Fonts ************* The following labels can be customized since version 8.5: Constellations, Star Common Names, Bayer/Flamsteed Labels and Deep Sky Labels. In order to change one of the labels, one has to click on the appropriate button to the right, then a new box titled Choose Font will appear. From the new box, the user has to pick up the font from the Available Fonts box, its size from the Size box, and colour by pressing Color button. Press OK when ready and repeat if necessary for another label. The Custom Fonts option enlarges the capability to build (large Scale) maps to match any specific color of the editing or plotting process. It should be used in conjunction with Custom Colors. Colors ******* Three options to set colors of the celestial objects and backgrounds are available starting with version 8.5: >> Maps 8.0 (the default colors used with version 8.0); >> Black & White (to create black and white maps); >> Custom Colors... (a customizable option to set any colors for the objects to map). To activate the third option, one must activate the Custom Colors... radio button, then clcik the Edit... button, then a new box titled Custom Colors will appear. Custom Colors ************* The following colours can be customized since version 8.5: Sky, Milky Way, Grid, Stars & Nonstellars. In order to change one of the colors, the user has to click on the appropriate button to the right, then a new box titled Color will be displayed. From this box one has three possibilities to set the color: >> Pick up a color from the available in the Basic Colors box, then click OK; >> Press the mouse in the cross symbol in the color region and move it to change the color, then adjust its intensity from the scale to the right; >> Enter the color by typing in its appropriate three color composition in the Red-Green-Blue boxes (there are 256^3 = 16,777,216 possible combinations). Custom Colors enlarge the capability to build (large Scale) maps to match any specific color of the editing or plotting process. It should be used in conjunction with Custom Fonts. Directory ********* Starting with version 8.5, this option has been added in order to increase the flexibility of the program. It gives the user the possibility to run the program from a drive/directory different than the Large Database location. Here are two specific examples: >> One has not much space on the hard drive to install the Large Database that need to run sometime. Then one can copy only the Small Database on the hard drive (needs less than 3 MB of space) and change the Directory option to access the large database from the CD; >> A new version has become available and needs to replace a previous one that uses the same Large Database. Instead of buying a new CD and waiting for the post to bring it, the user can simply replace the executable (and other small database) with the new one downloaded from the Internet, then set up the Directory option to use the Large Database from the CD-ROM including the previous version. Data Access *********** In order to improve the speed of the software to run maps with Small Database, this new option has been added with version 9. It gives user the choice to load the Star Small Database, Constellations, Milky Way, Asteroids and Comets from the hard drive or from the memory. If the RAM resources are limited (less than 32MB with Windows 98/NT or 64MB with Windows 2000), then the Disk option is recommended, otherwise loading the database into Memory could improve the speed of the software by about a factor of 2x. Hardware Requirements ********************* The following equipment is required to run Celestial Maps (versions 7, 8 or 9): >> PC x86 or Pentium (min 486 or Pentium with 32MB RAM recommended); >> Display xGA (min 15" SVGA at 800x600 with 2MB video memory recommended); >> Windows 9x, 2000 or Windows NT; >> Mouse (strongly recommended); >> Printer (jet/laser/color recommended); >> Hard Disk space: 4 MB (small database) or 560 MB (full large database); The program can be run from one of the following media: >> From the hard drive (recommended, necessary 560 MB disk space for all databases). In this case the user must simply copy the whole CD-ROM (for example to the \Maps90 folder, but not necesarly) to any partition/unit of the computer (C:, D:, etc); >> Directly from the CD-ROM. In this case, the software creates automatically C:\Maps80 directory and places some running data to it (this directory can be deleted after finishing); >> From the hard drive and the CD-ROM. Starting with version 9 it is possible to install only the Small Database on the hard drive and set Directory to run the Large Database (when necessary) from another media (for example the CD-ROM). The following space is required to install Celestial Maps 9.0 on the hard disk: >> Small Database (Table 2 in Data Tables): 4 MB; >> Full Large Database (Table 3 in Data Tables): 560 MB; >> Partial Large Database (any catalogue/combination): between 4 - 560 MB. We left the user two possibilities if the hard disk is limited or the Large Database is run only occasionally (or/and partially): >> Install only the Small Database (and the other program files, including the executable) on the hard disk and run the Large Database from the CD (setting the Directory to the Large Database location); >> Install only the necessary data/catalogs from the Large Database (to be run with the appropriate catalogue query). For example, if 50 MB are available on the hard disk, only the SAO and PPM directories can be copied from the CD, then the software must run with the appropriate database checked (Large Database\SAO or ...\PPM); Former Versions **************** Soon to celebrate its 10 years birthday anniversary, Celestial Maps has been developed since 1992 by three enthusiasts professional astronomers and programmers now living in Canada, France and Romania. The software was started in 1992 by Ovidiu Vaduvescu and Mirel Birlan of The Astronomical Institute of The Romanian Academy in Bucharest, Romania. It was written in Turbo Pascal 6.0 (under DOS) with the aim to learn the Pascal language and built as a tool to help with the data reduction in the observatory. Celestial Maps 3.1 was the first public release of the software in 1993. It has been written in Turbo Pascal 6.0 (DOS) and used FK5 catalogue (about 1500 stars :-) Celestial Maps 4.5 was completed in 1994 by the same authors. It has been written in Turbo Pascal 7.0 and used SAO and PPM catalogues (260,000 and 310,000 stars). Celestial Maps 5.0 was completed in 1996 by Ovidiu Vaduvescu of The Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy in Bucharest and included with his PhD Thesys with Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. The first Windows version of the software, Celestial Maps v.7.0, was released in Spring 2000 by Ovidiu Vaduvescu, Software Developer with Financial Models in Mississauga, Canada. It has been written in Delphi 4. Celestial Maps 8.0 was deployed in Fall 2000 by Ovidiu Vaduvescu in Canada. It includes more than 22 millions of stars and deep sky objects extracted from 10 astronomical catalogues. It has been continued in Delphi 4 (under Windows). A preliminary new version, namely Celestial Maps 8.5, was packed in Summer 2001 by Ovidiu Vaduvescu of York University in Toronto, Canada and Lucian Curelaru, Software Developer with Deuromedia S.R.L. in Brasov, Romania. Most of its functions were designed to produce the printed Map of the Northern Sky published by The Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy (Vaduvescu, Curelaru, Grigore, 2001), http://www.geocities.com/valisarm/skymap.htm. Celestial Maps 9.0 was deployed by Spring 2002 by Ovidiu Vaduvescu and Lucian Curelaru. It has been continued in Delphi 4 under Windows and added the custom database, more than 300 comets and 175,000 asteroids, increasing the number of databases to 15. References and Patents *********************** >> In April 1994 Celestial Maps v.3.1 was registered with La Maison de l'Astronomie Devaux-Chevet, Paris, France - Astro News no. 37, 1994; >> Since 1996 Celestial Maps v.4.5 computer aided graphics The Astronomical Yearbook published by The Astronomical Institute and Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania - http://www.astro.ro; >> In December 1996 Celestial Maps v.5.0 has been predicted for the first time appulses of the famous comet C/1996 O1 (Hale-Bopp) to PPM stars. These were published by International Occultation Timing Association (IOTA, courtesy of Dr. David Dunham) and referenced by other authors (European Southern Observatory, University of Maryland, Angelo State University, etc) - Occultation Newsletter, 6, 12, IOTA, 1996; >> In March 1998 Celestial Maps v.5.0 was included into the Astronomical Software Documentation Service published by NASA Astrophysics Data Program at Space Telescope Science Institute, MD, US - http://asds.stsci.edu Acknowledgements ***************** >> Back in 1992, The Department of Mathematics and Computer Sciences of University of Craiova, Romania granted the main author precious computer time to finish version 3.1; >> Special thanks to Liviu Ivanescu, PhD student from l'Universite de Montreal, Canada for providing GSC database; >> Dr. Mirel Birlan from l'Observatoire de Meudon, France for promptly providing Tycho 2 catalogue; >> Mrs. Deak Zoltan and Adrian Sonka from Bucharest Astroclub of Romania have suggested interesting topics and performed some beta-testing; >> Thanks to Florin Geana, former colleague of Financial Models Co. in Mississauga, Canada, who kindly performed some beta-testing for version 9; >> Thanks to Alin Tolea, PhD student with Johns Hopkins University, for some discussions, suggestions, and some testing; >> Dr. Fanel Donea formerly of the Astronomical Institute in Bucharest, Romania kindly supplied some formulae, as well as computer assistance to install and run Linux and C (at some point necessary to prepare GSC database); >> Astronomical Data Center, NASA and National Space Science Data Center of U.S. distributes an exceptional amount of scientific data to the astronomical community through their Selected Astronomical Catalogs published both on CD-ROM and on the Internet. Contact Addresses ****************** The website of Celestial Maps is located at: >> http://www.geocities.com/ovidiuv/maps.html For a copy including the program and its full database, please contact the author: >> Ovidiu Vaduvescu, email ovidiuv@yahoo.com Any suggestion, bug report or other enquiries related to the software are welcomed. My collaborators can be contacted at the following address: >> Lucian Curelaru: cluci@deuroconsult.ro >> Mirel Birlan: http://despa.obspm.fr/~mbirlan References *********** >> Alexescu M, 1986 - The Laboratory of the Amateur Astrophysicist, Albatros Publishing House, Bucharest, Romania; >> Astronomical Data Center and the National Space Science Data Center, 1995, 1997 - Selected Astronomical Catalogs Volumes 2,4, Greenbelt, MD, U.S.A. (4 CD-ROMs, ASCII version) or online http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov; >> Astronomical Institute of the Romanian Academy, 1999 - The Astronomical Yearbook, Bucharest, Romania; >> Bastian U, Roeser S, 1993 - Positions and Proper Motions - South (PPM South), Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany; >> Bastian U, Roeser S, 1993 - Bright Stars Supplement, PPM and PPM South Star Catalogue, Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany; >> Bowell E, 2002 - The Asteroid Orbital Elements Database (ASTORB), ftp://ftp.lowell.edu/pub/elgb/astorb.html; >> Ciobanu M, 1991 - The Boreal Sky Map, The Astronomical Yearbook, Astronomical Institute of Romanian Academy, Bucharest, Romania; >> Davenhall A.C, Leggett S.K, 1989 - Catalogue of Constellation Boundary Data (unpublished, included with Selected Astronomical Catalogs), based on Delporte E, 1930, Delimitation Scientifique des Constellations, Cambridge University Press; >> ForeFront Inc, 1993, 1995 - ForeHelp, Version 2.1.1, Boulder, CO, U.S.A (software); >> Harris A. W, 2001 - Formula to Estimate the Physical Size of an Asteroid, http://www.bitnik.com/mp/archive/Formula.html; >> Hog E, et. al, 2000 - The Tycho-2 Catalogue. Positions, proper motions and two-colour photometry of the 2.5 million brightest stars, Copenhagen University Observatory et. al, Denmark (CD-ROM); >> Inprise Corporation, 1983, 1998 - Borland Delphi Professional Version 4.0, Scotts Valley, CA, USA (software); >> Inprise Corporation, 1996 - Delphi User's Guide (version 2.0), Scotts Valley, CA, U.S.A; >> Inprise Corporation, 1998 - Delphi Developer's Guide (version 4.0), Scotts Valley, CA, U.S.A; >> Kleijn H, Olivier A, Vieira J.R, Mellinger A, 2000 - Milky Way Supplementary File for Hallo Northern Sky Software; >> Marriott, C, Downey, 2000 - XEphem 3.2.2 Software , U.S.A; >> Meeus J, Societe Astronomique de France, 1986 - Calculs astronomiques a l'usage des amateurs, Paris, France; >> Meeus J, 1991 - Astronomical Algorithms, Willman-Bell, Inc, Richmond, Virginia, U.S.A; >> Minor Planet Center, 2001 - Minor Planet Center Orbit Database (MPCORB), COMET database, http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/iau/info/OrbFormat.html; >> Montenbruck O, Pfleger T, 1991 - Astronomy on the Personal Computer, Springer Verlag, Germany; >> Ochsenbein F, Halbwachs J.L, 1988 - Catalogue of the Brightest Stars, Strasbourg Observatory, France; >> Oproiu T, Pal A, Pop V, Ureche V, 1989 - Astronomy. Problems and Exercises, University of Cluj-Napoca, Romania; >> Pal A, Ureche V, 1983 - Astronomy, The Ministry of Education, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; >> Roeser S, Bastian U, 1988 - Positions and Proper Motions (PPM North), Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany; >> Roeser S, Bastian U, Kuzmin A, 1993 - 90000 Stars Supplement to the PPM Star Catalogue, Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Heidelberg, Germany, Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Moskow, Russia; >> Sky Publishing Corporation and Cambridge University Press, 1988 - NGC 2000.0, The Complete New general Catalogue and Index Catalogue of Nebulae and Star Clusters by J.L.E. Dreyer, edited by Sinnott R.W, Belmont, MA, U.S.A; >> Smith W.B, 1996 - FK5 - SAO - HD - Common Name Cross Index (unpublished, included in Selected Astronomical Catalogs, U.S.A; >> Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, 1966, U.S. Naval Observatory, 1990 - SAO Star Catalog J2000 (ref Roman N, Warren W, Jr, Clayton A for 2000 version), Washington, U.S.A; >> Space Telescope Science Institute, Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1989, 1992 - The Guide Star Catalog Version 1.1, Baltimore, MD, U.S.A. (2 CD-ROMs); >> Vaduvescu O, Curelaru L, Grigore V, 2001 - The Map of the Northern Sky, Published by The Romanian Society for Meteors and Astronomy (SARM), http://www.geocities.com/valisarm/skymap.htm;