Adding objects
User-Defined Data
TheSky has many ways to
add stellar and non-stellar data. If the data exists as a standard ASCII text
file it can easily be compiled into a compatible
Sky Database file (SDB) using the Database Compiler.
Or objects and/or coordinates (Equatorial/Horizon) can also easily be added
using the option Data| User-Defined Data.
To access the User Defined Data
use Data | User Defined Data. Manually adding objects here is easy. Simply enter
the coordinates (Equatorial RA/DEC or Horizon Alt/Az) manually or you can choose
to snap to the nearest existing object by using CONTROL+LEFT Mouse click to add
entries.
Choose the options here
Pick Data Class and Object Type
More details regarding the
User-Defined Data can be found in TheSky's documentation.
If you wish to simply type in the
coordinates rather than using the "Snap To:" option press the "Add Entry"
button. A BLANK record is created. Now for entry number 1 just enter the
coordinates here. Select Equatorial or Horizon accordingly.
Record 1
Precess if necessary!
If the input coordinates are Epoch
1950 (or other than Epoch 2000 you can use the "Precess" Button to have them
automatically refined to Epoch 2000 coordinates. This EPOCH is then used when
compiling the data into
and SDB file.
The Label field can be used for
comments. For example let's say entry 1 is a Gamma Ray Burst. Add a label Gamma
Ray Burst in the Label field. Then enter a magnitude if you have one. The
default 30 is used for non existent magnitudes. See example below.
Object 1 Gamma Ray Burst 18
mag.
RA/DEC entered manually!
A nice handy feature here is the "CENTER"
button on the User-Defined Data dialog. After "adding" a set of coordinates
these can be spot checked by going directly to them in TheSky display. Just
press Center and you are taken there. See below.
User-Defined object #1 - Gamma
Ray Burst
Note the Label entered here!
And there you have it. A newly added object to TheSky.
Make sure the Object Type
(Reference Point in example) is set to "Visible". Use View | Display Explorer as
shown below. Type in Reference Point and you are taken directly there.
Display Explorer
Check it!
And, make sure the "Visible"
option is also checked in the User-Defined Data dialog. Upper left corner.
Is Visible checked here?!
Visible must be checked
When TheSky document is saved
(File Save or File Save As) the User-Defined Data is also saved. You should give
it a name that reflects the objects! Or better yet,
export the data to an ASCII text file
for easy compiling.
The data will be saved in an ASCII
text file for easy compiling by using the EXPORT feature.
Export text using Browse!
Choose file name and folder then EXPORT!
Browse | Save As using default
SDBs folder
Give it a name here then Save
;Copyright, Software Bisque, Inc.
>LABEL 1,30
>ALIAS 19,35
>RAHOURS 37,47
>SEARCH 1,30 <-------------------Add this in order to SEARCH the data!
>DECDEGREES 49,60
>CATALOG CLASS=OBJECTS
>LOADMEMORY
>IDENTIFIER Gamma Objects <------Enter a unique Name here!
>OBJECT TYPE 55 <----------------Object Type Reference Point 55
;My Gamma <----------------------This is the COMMENT entered above!
1 2.03944444 33.52583333 18.00 Gamma Ray Burst
Now this ASCII text file
named "GAMMA.TXT" is ready to be compiled automatically
into a compatible Sky Database file (an SDB) to be searched, labeled, slewed to,
and so on. Cool!
NOTE:
Before you can Search your data (Edit | Find) a Find field needs to be
specified! There are two ways to accomplish this. First you can "ADD" the Search
field in the above header text. Make a new entry.
See the above denoting the newly
added >SEARCH entry to the header.
Or at the point of compiling the
data you can DEFINE the search field. To compile the text into an SDB use Data |
Import | Browse and located the file name (gamma.txt) in the SDBs folder.
On the Import Dialog use the
"Define Fields..." button as highlighted below.
Define a "Search" Field here
Create Search Field - then Compile
Define Fields
Highlight columns dragging mouse - then press Find
NOTE: The "Find" field has
been assigned to columns 68-81 as shown in the highlighted Columns Section. You
can use a SHIFT+Left Mouse Click to see what columns are assigned to what
fields.
Left Mouse Click+SHIFT on RA
Hours button
Columns 37-47 are highlighted for you
I prefer to ALWAYS add the
SEARCH field into the header text! This way it can
always be recompiled without being concerned.
Edit | Find your data
Expand Sky Databases (SDBs)
The individual entries are now
shown under the SDB name Gamma Objects.
NOTE: Another handy feature
is the ability to scroll a list of objects by choosing the Frame Object and/or
Object Information. Placing checks here will automatically center the object in
the field and also you can have the Object Information dialog shown. Nice!
Certainly.
The Messier object labels are an example.
Because the Messier objects are nebulae, clusters, and galaxies they were
compiled as object type "Mixed Deep Sky". This allows them all to be disabled at
once.
Mixing object types can become
confusing depending on the data. Better to use an SDB for a single object type
whenever possible.
Adding existing objects to a list
is quite simple. Let's say you have a list of stars with Extra Solar Planets
around them. Or a list of alignment stars you want to use and be able to easily
identify. Just use the Snap To: Nearest Star as shown here.
Snapping to stars!
Find Star and CONTROL+Left Mouse Click
Snapping to nearest Star
Arcturus example
Ready to start Snapping
(CONTROL+Left Mouse Click on stars)
Data from
Arcturus by snapping to
Arcturus example - Snapped to
(CONTROL+Left Mouse Click on star)
See coordinates stamped above
Yep works equally well for
Non-Stellar objects as well. Making custom datasets using TheSky is FUN and
easy!
Now just add the
Search field then compile
the data into
and SDB file.
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