Declination Zero

Declination Zero (celestial equator)
SDB's for labeling and plotting

As requested here is exactly how you can make an SDB to mark Declination Zero - the Celestial Equator along with a download for the precompiled SDB files for use with TheSky.

Additional SDB files back to
Compiling the text into an SDB
Changing the display properties Make it really stand out
DEC zero line text
DEC Zero Labeling text
Download the SDB files now!
Don't see the lines or labels
How do I add the files?
How can I make the line larger and more visible?
How do I recompile the text?
How can I make a new object type? This is handy!
How can I label Declination Zero?
What is an SDB file anyway?

Download the SDB files now!

In order to access the downloads from the Software Bisque site make sure you have created an account and signed into the site http://www.bisque.com/SC.

Click here to download the DEC ZERO line and labels - only ~2K!

Default SDB folder

After downloading the ZIP file "DEC0.ZIP" above UNZIP the 4 files (two text files and two SDB files "DECZERO" and "LABELDECZERO") into the SDBs folder (see below) then add them to the Active List of SDB's using Data | Sky Database Manger. The default folder for user supplied SDBs is

"\My Documents\Software Bisque\TheSky6\SDBs"

Now what do I do with these files?

How do I add the SDB's to the Active List? - Easy

Data | Sky Database Manager | browse to files

Then Add highlighted above < Click for more on SDB's

Wait no SDB's are listed here?

If no SDB files are listed you are not looking in the right folder OR you did not download them into this folder. Double check the location you are "browsing". Use the Windows Right Mouse Click Start and "Search" your computer for the files if necessary. Or just re-download them again noting where you put them.

The Dec Zero line text file - Defined or how the data was created

By using something like say Microsoft Excel you can easily create a list of RA hours from 1 to 24 stepping by 0.5 easily enough. Then the declination field is simply 0 for all hours of RA you create. You can also easily add the necessary plotting field "LINETO" in each record in the text using Excel by simply copying the field then pasting it down.

The header text below defines the data and allows the text file to be easily compiled into and SDB directly using Data | Import | then simply press Compile. That is because the SDB header does all the work for you by predefining the fields.

NOTE the text in italics below is NOT used it is for reference here only!

>RAHOURS 17,24               <---- Columns with RA
>DECDEGREES 33,40            <---- Columns with DEC
>CATALOG CLASS=LINES         <-----Type of objects
>LOADMEMORY                  <-----Load all data into memory
>IDENTIFIER Declination Zero <-----SDB identifier
>OBJECT TYPE 55              <-----Object Type Reference Lines
; Comments ignored
MOVETO           24.0000         0.00000
LINETO           0.00000         0.00000
LINETO           0.50000         0.00000
LINETO           1.00000         0.00000
LINETO           1.50000         0.00000
LINETO           2.00000         0.00000
LINETO           2.50000         0.00000
LINETO           3.00000         0.00000
LINETO           3.50000         0.00000
LINETO           4.00000         0.00000
LINETO           4.50000         0.00000
LINETO           5.00000         0.00000
LINETO           5.50000         0.00000
LINETO           6.00000         0.00000
LINETO           6.50000         0.00000
LINETO           7.00000         0.00000
LINETO           7.50000         0.00000
LINETO           8.00000         0.00000
LINETO           8.50000         0.00000
LINETO           9.00000         0.00000
LINETO           9.50000         0.00000
LINETO          10.00000         0.00000
LINETO          10.50000         0.00000
LINETO          11.00000         0.00000
LINETO          11.50000         0.00000
LINETO          12.00000         0.00000
LINETO          12.50000         0.00000
LINETO          13.00000         0.00000
LINETO          13.50000         0.00000
LINETO          14.00000         0.00000
LINETO          14.50000         0.00000
LINETO          15.00000         0.00000
LINETO          15.50000         0.00000
LINETO          16.00000         0.00000
LINETO          16.50000         0.00000
LINETO          17.00000         0.00000
LINETO          17.50000         0.00000
LINETO          18.00000         0.00000
LINETO          18.50000         0.00000
LINETO          19.00000         0.00000
LINETO          19.50000         0.00000
LINETO          20.00000         0.00000
LINETO          20.50000         0.00000
LINETO          21.00000         0.00000
LINETO          21.50000         0.00000
LINETO          22.00000         0.00000
LINETO          22.50000         0.00000
LINETO          23.00000         0.00000
LINETO          23.50000         0.00000
LINETO          24.00000         0.00000
MOVETO          24.00000         0.00000

The first command "MOVETO" and last command too (see TheSky documentation) drops the pen down at RA 24 hours and 0 degrees Declination. Following a line is then drawn to all points. You can refine the resolution of the line further if you like be making a smaller step size and increasing the number of points. However I found that the 0.5 step works well enough.

Now this allows you to display a line at declination zero

Compiling the text into an SDB

Use Data | Import to compile the text file with the above header and following text.

Data | Import | Browse file

Then Compile

Screen Shot showing reference line

Looking due South Voila! - Look Ma Dec 0!

How can I make the line larger and more visible? - And or Why is my Reference line a different color?

Don't see the DEC zero line or the labels?

First make sure that Object Type "Reference Line" and Object Type Reference Point for the labels are both set to visible. See Below. View | Display Explorer type in Reference Line or Reference Point to be taken there directly.

View | Display Explorer

Enable Reference Line
and Reference Point for labels

But what about the labels?

The labeling is also handled by an SDB of Object Type "Label". The following places the label DEC ZERO at every 5 hours of RA. If you wish to increase the number of labels or change the label itself you can simply remove the semi colons commenting out the other hours of RA - then recompile the SDB for the change(s) to take effect. I found that too frequent labeling becomes cluttered so I skipped 5 hours and shortened the name to just Dec Zero.

The Labeling text file - Defined

NOTE! Here the label SDB is specified as object type "Reference Point"

>OBJECT TYPE 55

Therefore make sure that Object Type Reference Point is enabled using View | Display explorer as per the above.

;Copyright, Software Bisque, Inc.
>RAHOURS 17,24
>DECDEGREES 33,40
>CATALOG CLASS=LABELS
>LOADMEMORY
>IDENTIFIER Declination Zero Labels
>OBJECT TYPE 55
;Label DEC 0 every 5 hours of RA
DEC ZERO          1.0000 15.00000
;DEC ZERO          2.0000 15.00000
;DEC ZERO          4.0000 15.00000
DEC ZERO          5.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO          6.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO          7.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO          8.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO          9.0000 2.00000
DEC ZERO         10.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         11.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         12.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         13.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         14.0000 2.00000
DEC ZERO         15.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         16.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         17.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         18.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         19.0000 2.00000
DEC ZERO         20.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         21.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         22.0000 2.00000
;DEC ZERO         23.0000 2.00000

WARNING!

When removing semi colons make sure the text is aligned properly! The columns must remain EVEN. When the semi Colon is present the columns are not evenly spaced!

Check that the Common Name labels are set to visible. View | Labels | Common Names is checked. See below.

Enabling Common Names

Labels | Common Names - Checked

How can I make a new object type?

Best to not use the default Object Type "Reference Line" but rather you can make your own unique Object Type with its' own attributes. For example a new object type called "DECLINATION ZERO". Then you can enable and disable the line more easily by using its' name in View | Display Explorer. And secondly you can really make it stand out by setting the preferences to a thicker line or a color other than the default. This will differentiate the DECLINATION ZERO line from the other lines. The tools are there be creative!

Click here for exactly how to create the new custom object type.

Next just recompile the two text files as Object Type "DECLINATION ZERO" or whatever you created instead of "Reference Line" as shown below. You MUST recompile the text for the NEW object type to take effect. Click the DOWN arrow to access the additional object types and/or change the header in text accordingly. When using "CUSTOM MADE OBJECT TYPES" the Object Type depends on whether or not you not have other new types already.

Click here for a detailed explanation on the use of custom object types <- Click and how to access them in the header.

Data | Import change object type here

then press Compile

After compiling the SDB as the new object type make sure it too is enabled! View Display Explorer and type in Declination Zero to be taken directly there.

Enable the object type here

Check mark Declination Zero

Changing the display properties and or font size and color

Now after compiling the SDB when you right mouse click on the DEC ZERO line in TheSky display you can get directly to the lines' properties allowing you to change the line type and font labeling (make sure you compile BOTH text files!).

Right Mouse Click on the line!

Choose Display Properties from there

Note: The line type above will be "Reference Line" by default since that is how it is compiled, not object type DECLINATION ZERO until you have created this custom object type and recompiled the data.

Set line type and font settings here

Custom object type

Declination Zero (celestial equator) SDB's for labeling and plotting