Common Non-Stellar
Searching/image assignment
Background
The Common Names
used for Non-stellar objects - i.e. galaxies, nebulae, and clusters is an
arbitrary list of names associated with the non stellar objects. Like the
Whirlpool galaxy - M51 or NGC 5194. This allows objects to be found by using a
name rather than just a hard to remember catalog number or ID. Just like stellar
common names as in Arcturus instead of "HIP 69673". Names are easier to remember
then numbers.
If you wish to see
all the individual "Common Non-Stellar names" distributed with TheSky use Edit |
Find as shown below.
Edit | Find
Expand Non-stellar - "Common Names"
The common names used by TheSky for Non-Stellar
objects is then presented in a list sorted alphabetically. This makes finding
objects easy especially if you don't know the spelling or use of special
characters like apostrophes " ' " example, Al Sufi's
Cluster, Ambartsumian's Knot, or Thor's Helmet.
HINT: A very handy feature is
If you have checked Frame Object on the Find dialog and/or Object Information
the image and/or object information are shown as you arrow down the list of
entries.
Frame Object Feature
Frame Object
And/Or Object Information checked.
Object Information
M27 details shown when checked
An SDB (Sky
Database) file was created to allow searching by common names. The names are
then cross referenced to the objects by their Messier, NGC/IC, or PGC catalog
ID's. The cross referencing is called the "ALIAS" field.
You can simply load the existing ASCII text file
named "Common Non-Stellar.TXT" using NotePad/WordPad or equivalent text editor
and make changes if you like. After making changes you need to recompile the
text file using Data | Import | Sky Database
Manager <--- Everything you want to know. The header in the
beginning of the text file takes care of everything!
WARNING! Be
sure not to change the format of the existing text when making changes. ALWAYS
backup the original data just in case! One extra space in the wrong place will
cause issues! DO NOT USE Tabs either. Again do not use the TAB character when
editing the text!
The format of the Common Non-Stellar text file is
shown below. Note Header below in bold takes care of field definition.
;Copyright Software Bisque 1992-2006
>LABEL 28,56
>ALIAS 57,78
>RAHOURS 3,13
>DECDEGREES 15,26
>CATALOG CLASS=LABELS
>LOADMEMORY
>IDENTIFIER Common Non-Stellar
>PARSE "Common Name" 28,56
>MAGNITUDE 1,1
>OBJECT TYPE 20
;
0 20.19944444 26.48333333 20 Vulpeculae Cluster NGC6885
0 5.64647888 -69.08522222 30 Doradus NGC2070
0 0.40114877 -72.09118786 47 Tucanae NGC104
;
0 19.44403056 20.06530556 Al Sufi's Cluster NONE
0 11.18703333 28.69688889 Ambartsumian's Knot NGC3561
0 0.76106111 38.04100000 And I (LG) PGC2666
0 0.58965000 36.50469444 And III (LG) PGC2121
0 23.86288056 24.58630556 And VI (LG) PGC2807158
0 23.44213889 50.67580556 And VII (LG) PGC2807155
1 0.71235422 41.26852180 Andromeda Galaxy (LG) NGC224
0 16.28713333 -51.98780556 Ant Nebula PLN331-1.1
1 12.03188431 -18.87869051 Antennae NGC4038
0 10.06776111 -27.33369444 Antlia Dwarf (LG) PGC29194
0 22.34580000 -24.67927778 Atom's for Peace Galaxy NGC7252
0 5.87175000 32.55305556 Auriga salt-and-pepper NGC 2099
......................... and so on.
Basically if you don't like a default entry change
it then recompile the text file "Common Non-Stellar.txt" located in the
\TheSky6\Data\Auxiliary Files folder. See below.
Data | Import
Browse text file to compile
Easy enough!
For example if you
Edit | Find "Thor's Helmet" in TheSky it returns the following.
If you do not use the " ' "
apostrophe in the find the object is not found. When you are unsure of the
common name use the
list option to see the common names uses by TheSky.
Edit | Find "Thors Helmet" does not work!
You could change the common non-stellar text
file and remove the " ' " apostrophe or make two entries one with the character
and one without. Then BOTH Thors or Thor's would then work but you would also
have TWO common name labels. See below!
Double labels shown
Thor's and Thors Helmet
The assignment of images to non stellar objects is
handled by an Image Group.
Data | Image Manager
Image Groups used for pictures
Click image to see how to add your own!
Antennae example
Note Properties!
The filename of the image is shown in the list. If
there is a check mark the image is set to visible. No check mark and the image
will not show.
Toggling Images on and off
Turn OFF image
Right Mouse Click on the object choose Toggle
Assuming an object has an image associated with it
you can also turn the image on and off by simply right mouse clicking on the
object and choosing "Toggle" on the name. If the image is on it goes off. It is
off it comes on.
No Image Visible
Toggle Turns Image on
Toggle image will come on when off
The Non-Stellar Color Pictures.Img.Grp
Copyright (c) 2004 Software Bisque (www.bisque.com) image group file
GROUP VISIBLE 1
1|Helix.tif|ngc7293|22.494271|-20.848900| 1.744258|-1.100000|808|643| 0.000000|28.000000|
1|Eskimo.tif|NGC2392| 7.486333|20.909854| 0.201099| 0.000000|480|600| 0.000000|360.000000|
1|lmc.tif|PGC 17223| 5.375308|-69.499288|27.927957|-6.000000|715|573| 0.000000|360.000000|
1|Tarantula.tif|ngc2070| 5.648383|-69.071481| 1.539778| 0.000000|638|808| 0.000000| 3.000000|
1|Thors-Helmet.tif|ngc2359| 7|-13| 2.341876| 0.000000|782|661| 0.000000|360.000000|
... and so on.
NOTE: The
filename used in the Image Group is completely independent of the objects name
in TheSky. For example, regardless of what the filename is the object is found
using TheSky's Common Non-Stellar names.
The image information in the Image Group contains the
filename used for the image first (arbitrary), the cross reference to the catalog
(i.e. NGC etc), RA and DEC coordinates, placement information - the position
angle of the image, and the physical image size in pixels.
How do I place my own images? <-- Click here.
1|Thors-Helmet.tif|ngc2359| 7|-13| 2.341876| 0.000000|782|661| 0.000000|360.000000|
Because the default "Image Group" specifies the
filename as "Thors-Helmet.tif" the file must be present with this name in the
folder. Renaming the image file to "Thor's-Helmet.tif" for example
WILL NOT work unless you make the
same change in the Image Group as well.
1 | Thor's-Helmet.tif | ngc2359| 7|-13| 2.341876| 0.000000|782|661| 0.000000|360.000000|
You can change
the filename (rename) the file using Windows Explorer to match the new name
found in the Image Group. See below showing the new name "Thor's-Helmet.tif".
Changing the filename
Using Windows Explorer
The Windows filename must be the
same name found in the Image Group.
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