Location command (Data menu)

The first step in orienting the Virtual Sky is setting the point on the surface of the Earth from which you’d like to view the heavens. To begin, select the Location command from the Data menu. Your location can be selected from a list of pre-defined locations, or from a world map, or entered manually.

Predefined List tab

You can select a predefined location from the lists on this tab. The coordinates of many major cities, star parties and observatories are presented here.

To see if your city is listed, click the + at the right of the United States, World Observatories, World Cities or User-Defined Locations text and then scroll the listings. When you find your city, click on its name to highlight it. Then click Set Location to make it the default setting. (Click Cancel to quit without changing the location.)

You can jump to an entry by typing its name. Click the +, and then enter the first letters of the name. For example, typing DEN moves the list to the first entry starting with ‘DEN’ – that is, Denver, Colorado. Click OK to return to the Virtual Sky (or click Apply if you want to see the changes without exiting).

Use these options to enter a location on earth from which to view the sky.

World Map tab

The World Map tab lets you select your location from a map of the world. The brighter area represents the sunlight portions of the globe. The bright circle (in the South Pacific on the above screen) represents current position of the Sun. A small white dot represents the current location, with its details listed below the map. Click anywhere on the map to select your location, or click and drag on the map to find a city near you.

When you find your city, click OK to make it the default setting. (Click Cancel to quit without changing the location.)

User-Defined tab

Description

Enter the name of the location from which to view the sky. For example, type the name of your city and state.

Longitude

Enter the longitude of the location, in degrees, minutes and seconds. Don’t forget to specify East or West of Greenwich or you could end up on the wrong side of the earth! You might need to refer to a map if your city is not included in the provided list of locations.

Latitude

Enter the latitude of the location, in degrees, minutes and seconds. Also specify the northern or southern hemisphere.

Time Zone

Enter the time zone of this location.

Elevation

Enter the elevation, in meters, of the location.

Add to Predefined List

Click this button to add the current information to the Predefined List tab's list of cities. 

Daylight Saving Option

There are many countries that use different starting and ending dates for daylight saving time. If you are uncertain about which region to select, see the International Daylight Saving table for a list of these regions and the daylight saving dates.

Choose the No Adjustment option if daylight saving is not applicable at your location.

Click OK to apply these settings.