Labeling Objects in TheSky6

TheSky6 can label objects in its databases using Common Name labels and/or Extended Labels. Understanding the difference between the two is important when you want to display a particular label for the name, catalog number (or other catalog specific information) for a celestial object.

Common Name Label Notes

Common Name Labels show labels for the more popular objects, such as the planets and Messier objects.
Common Name Labels are displayed only when the corresponding celestial object type is displayed. For example, Messier objects are of type Mixed Deep Sky. If a label does not appear, make sure to turn on the corresponding celestial object type.
Click View | Labels | Setup to configure which common names are shown.

Extended Label Notes

Extended Labels are shown when the current field of view is less than 50 degrees.
Extended Labels can be configured to show catalog specific information, such as catalog number and magnitude.
Click View | Display Explorer and navigate to the Core Databases | Extended Labels to turn on/off and configure extended labels.


Screen showing common name labels (Messier objects and the planets) at 100 degree field of view.	Screen showing extended labels (for stars) at 3 arcminutes field of view.

Troubleshooting

Symptom

Description and Resolution

Labels for Messier Objects do not appear

The Messier Catalog is a very small, but popular catalog of 110 deep-space objects. (TheSky6's core databases contain about one million deep-space objects.)

A separate Sky Database holds the labels for the objects in the Messier catalog. If this SDB is turned off, or removed from the SDB list, the Messier labels will not appear.

The following procedure will ensure that Messier Labels appear.

Click View | Labels | Setup.
On the Common Names tab, mark the Messier option and then click OK.
Click View | Labels | Common Names to show labels of common objects.

If labels still do not appear, verify that the Messier catalog is visible, and that color of the Messier labels:

Click View | Display Explorer.
Navigate to the Non-Stellar | Other Sources | Mixed Deep Sky node in the tree list.
Mark the Mixed Deep Sky check box so that objects in the Messier Catalog are visible.
Click the Display Properties icon to display the Display Properties dialog box.
On the Properties tab, verify the Font color. That is, make sure color of the font is visible on the current sky background. If the font color is black, and the sky background is black, the label will not be visible.

Extended Labels do not appear

Extended labels appear at 50 degrees or smaller fields of view. Zoom to a 50 degree field of view (or smaller) to display extended labels.