Utility Tab (Object Information dialog box) 

 

This tab contains miscellaneous options for the current object.

 

Object

This list box contains the objects located near the mouse cursor, or that closely match the Find dialog box text query. Up to 10 objects are listed.

 

If there are no objects near the mouse cursor when you click on the Virtual Sky, an object named Cursor Position is displayed. The displayed coordinates are for this point on the screen.

 

Type

Shows the object type classification for this object.

 

Right Ascension

Displays the object's right ascension for the current Epoch. See the Object Information report on the General tab to view Epoch 2000 coordinates.

 

Azimuth

Displays the object's azimuth.

 

Magnitude

Displays the object's magnitude.

 

Declination

Displays the object's declination for the current Epoch. See the Object Information report on the General tab to view Epoch 2000 coordinates.

 

Altitude

Displays the object's altitude.

 

Change Properties Group

 

Properties

Click this button to display the Properties for this object type.

Add Object Path

Click this button to displays the Object Path dialog box.

 

Lock On

Use this command to center the selected object. During a time skip animation, this object remains fixed at the center of the screen. This way you follow its motion through the solar system. You must right-click a solar system object to make this command available.

 

View From

Use this command to change your view point to one that is on the selected object, looking back at the Sun. During a time skip animation, you can get the sensation of being on the surface of the object, traveling through space. You must right-click a solar system object to make this command available. This button is only available for solar system objects, such as the moon and the planets in the 3D Solar System Mode.

 

Hint: The View From and Lock On commands can be used simultaneously to create exciting time skip animations. For example, you could Lock On comet Enke and View From minor planet Ceres!

 

Replace Image

Click this button to retrieve an image from the Digitized Sky Survey to replace an existing PGC, NCG, IC or PLN Digitized Sky Survey thumbnail image.

 

Procedure:

  1. Make sure that TheSky6 is configured to retrieve images from the 100x compressed RealSky or 10x compressed Digitized Sky Survey.

  2. Click Tools | Ellipse Tool to define ellipse around an existing PGC, NCG, IC or PLN Digitized Sky Survey thumbnail image.

  3. On the Utility tab, click Replace Image.

 

TheSky6 will:

  1.  

  1. Automatically retrieve the Digitized Sky Survey image that covers the ellipse and display it on the Virtual Sky.

  2. Add this new image to TheSky6's Compressed Images folder ("C:\Program Files\Software Bisque\TheSky6\Data\Pictures\Compressed Images" by default).

  3. Always display this new image in place of the previous image.

 

Time Skip Label

Click this button label the selected time skip object.

 

Show Orbit/Clear Orbits

Click this button to display the orbit that the selected comet or minor planet makes around the Sun. The current object must be a comet or minor planet before this button is available. A partial orbit is displayed for comets, such as comet Hale-Bopp, having orbits that carry them far outside our solar system.

 

Copy To Local

Click this button to copy the selected 3D Solar System Mode to the list of local minor planets.

 

Deactivate

If the selected object is part of a Sky Database, click this button to hide the SDB.

 

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