Find dialog box (Edit menu)

Use this dialog box to locate an object in TheSky's databases by selecting it's name or catalog number a tree list, or manually entering the object's name or catalog number in the Find text box.

Using the tree list

The Find dialog box tree list provides access to every object in TheSky's databases. The table below lists the components in this list.

Object Type	Catalog/Cross Reference	Description
Stellar		Lists databases of stars
	Bayer	Bayer catalog designations
	Common name	Common star names
	DM	Bonner Durchmusterung number
	Flamsteed	Flamsteed designations
	GCVS	General Catalog of Variable Stars
	GSC	Guide Star Catalog
	HD	Henry Draper Number
	NSV	Catalog of Variable Stars
	SAO	Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
	Struve	Struve Catalog stars
	WDS	Washington Double Star catalog

Non-stellar		Lists databases of non-stellar objects
	Caldwell	Caldwell Catalog objects
	Common names	Names of common non-stellar objects
	Herschel	Herschel 400 catalog
	IC	Index Catalog
	Lorenzin	Tomm Lorenzin Catalog
	Messier	Messier Catalog
	NGC	New General Catalog
	PGC	Principle Catalog of Galaxies
	PGC cross reference	Cross references to the Principle Catalog of Galaxies
	PLN	Planetary Nebulae
	SAC	Saguaro Astronomy Club Deep Space Object catalog

Solar System		Lists objects in our solar system
	Comets	Names of comets selected in the Comet Input dialog box.
	Extended minor planets	Names of minor planets imported from the Extended Minor Planets dialog box.
	Minor planets	Names of minor planets selected in the Minor Planet Input dialog box.
	Moon	The Earth's Moon.
	Satellites	Names of satellites imported from the Satellites dialog box.
	Sun	The Sun.
	Mercury	The planet Mercury.
	Venus	The planet Venus.
	Earth	The planet Earth (visible in the 3D Solar System Mode).
	Mars	The planet Mars.
	Jupiter	The planet Jupiter.
	Saturn	The planet Saturn.
	Jupiter	The planet Jupiter.
	Uranus	The planet Uranus.
	Neptune	The planet Neptune.
	Pluto	The planet Pluto.

Constellations		List the names of the 88 constellations.

Sky Databases	Contents defined by the user.	Lists Sky Databases imported from the Sky Database Manager dialog box.
	Asterisms and other	Contains the names of common asterisms and other not-so-common objects. This Sky Database is loaded automatically and cannot be removed using the Sky Database Manager.
	David Malin Images 2003	List photographs from the David Malin collection. This Sky Database is loaded automatically and cannot be removed using the Sky Database Manager.

Observed objects	Contents defined by the user.	Lists objects added to the Observer Log dialog box.

To Find an Object by its Common Name

Select the desired object category in the Common Names list. Then click the name of the object you wish to find in the list on the right. This displays the selected object in the Find box. Click Find to display the Object Information dialog box for this object, or Center and Frame to automatically zoom and center this object.

To Find an Object by Catalog Number

Select the catalog prefix from the Databases group box (for example, NGC). Then, type in the desired catalog number of the object you wish to locate in the Find box. You can also use the on-screen number pad to edit the desired catalog numbers. This is handy at the telescope when seeing the keyboard may be difficult.

Note on Cross-References

TheSky uses several core stellar and non-stellar database catalogs, such as the Hipparcos and Tycho catalogs, the Guide Star Catalog and the Principle Catalog of Galaxies. Smaller catalogs that are subsets of these larger catalogs (such as the SAO stellar catalog) are all cross-referenced. This means, for example, you can find the star SAO 184014 by entering SAO 184014, GSC 6779:2194, HIP 78401, PPM 264979, HD 143275 or P-22 6106.

If you have entered a catalog prefix followed by catalog numbers, clicking on a different catalog prefix replaces the existing prefix in the Find box. Double-clicking a catalog prefix will replace the entire Find text with just the catalog prefix.

Entering Catalog Numbers

Catalog or Object	Format	Example
Hipparcos	HIP nnnnn, where nnnnn is the Hipparcos number of the star.	HIP 40990
Tycho	Use the corresponding GSC number.	GSC 6001:510
PPM	PPM nnnnnn, when nnnnnn is the PPM number of the star.	PPM 220006
Guide Star	GSC bbbb.oooo, where bbbb is the guide star block number (1-9537) and oooo is the offset of the object in the block.	GSC 6001:510
SAO	SAO nnnn, where nnnn is the SAO catalog number (1-258997)	SAO 154159
Messier	Mnnn, nnn is the Messier number of the object (1-110)	M31
NGC	NGCnnnn, where nnnn is the NGC catalog number (1-7840).	NGC224
PGC	PGCnnnn, where nnnn is the PGC catalog number.	PGC02557
IC	ICnnnn, where nnnn is the IC catalog number.	IC434
Planetary Nebulae (PLN)	PLN plus the desired number.	PLN 118 +2
Variable Stars	The star designator, followed by the constellation abbreviation.	Enter GCVS RR AND to locate GCVS RR Andromeda,
Uranometria charts	URAnn+, where nn is the chart number desired. The Virtual Sky will be centered on the area covered by this star chart.	URA26+

More Find examples

Stars	Type of query
Polaris	Common name
SAO 308	Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
GSC 4628:237	Guide Star Catalog number
HIP 11767	Hipparcos ID
PPM 431	Positions and Proper Motions (PPM) number.
HD 8890	Henry Draper number.
B+88 8	Bonner Durchmusterung
C-34 12784	Cordoba Durchmusterung
P-42 7856	Cape Durchmusterung

Flamsteed/Bayer (Use constellation abbreviation)
ALPHA UMI	(Alpha Ursae Minoris)
25 PSI 1 ORI	25 Psi 1 Orionis

Non-stellar Objects
Great Nebula in Andromeda
M31	M31 Messier
NGC 224	NGC (New General Catalog)
IC 434	Index Catalog
PGC 18508	Principal Galaxies Catalog
GCVS GK ORI	General Catalog of Variable Stars
NSV	New Suspected Variable catalog
PLN 194+2.1	Planetary Nebula

Solar System Objects
Saturn	Finds Saturn
Wild 4	Finds the comet named "Wild 4"
Ceres	Finds Local Minor Planet named "1 Ceres"
MPL 835 OLIVIA	"MPL" prefix finds Extended Minor Planet named "835 Olivia".

Uranometria Star Charts
URA 36	Centers on Uranometria star chart number 36
URA 36+	Centers on Uranometria star chart number 36 and sets Uranometria-like chart attributes.

Satellites
SAT COSMOS 100	Searches for the satellite named "Cosmos 100".

Miscellaneous Objects
ZENITH	Moves to 90 degrees altitude.
AAVSO A	Sets field width to AAVSO type A (accepts a-g).
12.3, 13.4	Moves to RA 12.3 and Dec 13.4
Z2.5	Zooms to 2.5 degree field of view.
Z2.5m	Zooms to 2.5 minute field of view.
Z200s	Zooms to 200 arcsecond field of view.
SCALE 2.5	Sets the screen scale to 2.5 arcseconds per pixel.

0-9 Back and Space Buttons

Use these buttons to enter numbers using the mouse (rather than the keyboard, which can be hard to see when observing in thhe dark). Back is equivalent to the Backspace button on the keyboard. Space is equivalent to pressing the Space Bar.

Find

Use this text box to enter an object name, catalog number or find command. The previous ten queries are saved.

Center & Frame

Click this button to automatically center the object and zoom so that the object is visible.

Finding Double Stars

To locate objects from the Washington Catalog of Double Stars (WDS), enter WDS followed by the WDS prefix (A, ABH, AG, AGC, etc.) followed by the WDS number. Or, use the Find tree to list and select the desired double star.

Automatic Centering

Type a period (.) following any query text to center on the object without displaying the Object Information dialog box. For example, type Venus., then click Find. The Virtual Sky will be adjusted so that Venus is centered.

Keyboard Shortcut

CTRL+F