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ExtraSolar Planets
51 Pegasi b example

Background on dataset new as of August 1, 2007


http://exoplanets.org/

©2007 California and Carnegie Extrasolar Planet Search

 

The above source is the most complete up-to-date I have found. Although the dataset was last updated on May 3, 2007 I will attempt to update the SDB on a semi regular basis. Note there is a SECOND dataset with the Extra Solar Planet by name but that data  not contain the star name/coordinates!

How to use the SDB

First download the SDB file "NEWESP.ZIP" containing the two text files 2007ESP.TXT and ESP2007Labels.TXT with their respective SDB files and UNZIP or EXTRACT them to the default SDB's folder

 

\My Documents\Software Bisque\TheSky6\Sdbs folder.

 

Then Just highlight them and click Add to move them into your active list of Sky Database Files. See below.

Data | Sky Database Manager

Browse folder highlight the files and Add

How do I search the SDB?

Edit | Find

Identifiers shown

Because one of the SDB's is of type label when it is active you can have the star ID's labeled on the main display whenever common labels are enabled.

 

For even more flexibility you can also

Pick more advanced labeling

Check the ones you want

Here is exactly how do add an Extra Solar Planet manually

First find the star in TheSky (Edit | Find) by name or catalog number which the Extra-Solar planet orbits. In this example we are using the Extra Solar Planet designated 51 Pegasi b orbiting the the star "HIP 113357" also cataloged as "SAO 90896".

 

Edit | Find 51 Peg (or Edit | Find HIP 113357/SAO 90896).

Edit | Find 51 Peg

Expanded Pegasi entries
under Stellar | Flamsteed | Pegasi

NOTE: To automatically center the star after the find check "Frame Object" as shown above. If you want to see the stars information displayed also check Object Information.

 

HINT: You can also EXPAND the group Pegasi found under Stellar | Flamsteed | Pegasi. As shown above. Then just go down the list to the entry 51 Pegasi.

Edit | Find 51 Peg

Center button on lower left

  • Download SDB - 28K  178 Extra-Solar Planets August 1, 2007

Add User-Defined Data

Now setup the User-Define Data as follows. Enable "Visible", Snap to Nearest Star, Data Class Labels, and object type Reference Point.

Data | User-Defined Data

Snap to Nearest Star Data Class Labels

After centering the star in the field simply hold down CONTROL + Left Mouse Click. You will be prompted for a label. Type in the name of the ExtraSolar planet here.

Add the label

you want to appear

The Label will  now appear next to the star

Star 51 Peg and planet 51 Pegasi b

Save the text to a file

Next it is best to Save the data to a text file. That way you can compile the text into an SDB file. Basically you are going to "EXPORT" the User-Defined Data into a text file. Use the Browse button the User-Defined Data dialog to assign the PATH and text file name. Use the SDB's folder under My Documents\Software Bisque\TheSky\SDB's. In this example the text is named "Extra-Solar Planets.txt.

Use Browse button

Assign a name to the text file here after Browsing

The text created

The following is the text that is created. This text will then be compiled into an SDB file to use with TheSky.

;Copyright, Software Bisque, Inc.
>LABEL 62,82
>ALIAS 19,35
>RAHOURS 37,47
>DECDEGREES 49,60
>CATALOG CLASS=LABELS
>LOADMEMORY
>IDENTIFIER Extra Solar Planets
>OBJECT TYPE 55
;ExtraSolar Planets <--- This is a "comment"
   1            SAO 90896         22.95780278  20.76894444 30.00 ExtraSolar Planet 51 Peg b

There is 1 entry created in our example. The star "snapped to" is SAO 90896 at RA:22.95780278, Dec:20.76894444, the magnitude assigned is the default 30.00 or Unknown (change accordingly), followed by the label "ExtraSolar Planet 51 Pegasi b". The object type is 55 Reference Point <--- Click here for details on how to enable REFERENCE POINT.

Compile the text into and SDB file

The final step is to compile the text above into and SDB file of type "LABEL". Use Data | Import then again Browse for the text file you have created. In our example the text file is named "ExtraSolar Planets.txt" and is located in the \My Documents\Software Bisque\TheSky6\SDB's folder.

Find text file by name using Browse

Change the identifier field
and then press Define Fields

Make sure you change the Identifier field above to something logical like "ExtaSolar Planets". This will then be how you search for the ExtraSolar Planets later.

 

After you press the "DEFINE Fields" button highlighted above you will see the following dialog. You must SCROLL to the right to see the labeling field starting in column 68. Left mouse drag the field and then press the Label button to assign the Label field.

Assign the LABEL field!

Left mouse drag the field columns 68-93

Now Compile the text into an SDB file

Change the identifier and then Compile

Enabling Object Type Reference Point - Must be enabled to see!

Because the object type for our labels is "Reference Point" they MUST be enabled to show!

Enabling Reference Point

Type Reference Point to get there directly!

Ok how do I label the Extra-Solar Planets?

Since the text is compiled as type LABELS by enabling the Common Names the labels will appear.

Enabling Common Names

View | Labels and check Common Names

Better yet!

 

Compile the text into a newly created object type named Extra Solar Planets with it's own unique symbol.