Readme for NexStar 50 List External Data Catalogue for SkyMap Pro 6 and above


Installation

Unzip the file to a directory, where other EDCs are locted. If not exist, make a new directory into SMP directory.

Run SMP Data Catalogue Preparation Tool, open NexStar50.sdd.

In the menu, choose Operations, then General. In the Data file line, type in the correct path and file name of the nexstar50_.dat file, or click on the button with three dots, and browse the file as usual.

Hit OK.

In the menu, choose Tools, then Compile, hit Save. Remember the folder and name of the .sdc file (probably the same where .dat and .sdd located, and the file name is NexStar50.sdc).

Close Data Prep window.


Start SMP, choose File, Preferencies, External Data, Data Catalogs. On the mask, hit ADD. In the "Path to SkyMap Data Catalog (.sdc) file" line type the correct path and file name of the NexStar50.sdc file, which was made by Data Preparation Tool mentioned above. Of course, you can hit the button with three dots, and browse the folder as usual.

On the Add New Catalog box, you'll find two values, which can be used as you can read in the Help of SMP. I suggest to use the original setting (1 and 10).

Hit OK, and then exit from SMP.



Usage

Start SMP again, press Z for example (Zenith view), hit the Catalog and overlays button on the right of the screen, select the requested catalogs. In this list, NexStar 50 List represents this catalogue. If you don't see the mark, click into the empty box, then hit OK or Enter. I suggest to turn off all other Catalogs before using this, especially with smaller magnifications (Levels 0 to 3).

In Deep Sky Object setting window, select All objects and deselect all others.

Now you'll see all NexStar 50 List object market with object-type related shapes with different sizes (depends on the size of the object) and orange colour with a green label with the NexStar 50 List ID.

If you don't see these object, hit "M" for turn off the Magnitude filter.

If you click on the object with right mouse button, and choose "About NexStar ...", you'll get the usual information window with the informations related to the object. (Other data contains the informations from the html source).

You can search for NexStar 50 List object with the usual way, typing NEXSTAR ## in the search dialog panel. Whatch for the double number format: Orion Nebula is NEXSTAR01 for example!



Comments

I used the html file from the NexStar discussion group database. During this giant work, maybe some problem happened (inproper values for example). I checked all items in SMP, and found some inproper coordinates, which are all corrected in v1.0.

There are a little difference between the coordinates of this Catalog and the original Catalog of SMP. This is because of the lesser precise coordinate data of original source file (hh mm.m vs. hh mm ss.s). This means, most object are in the same "FOV" in common used levels (3-6).


Because there is no way to calculate the exact RA/Dec coordinates of muving object, NS 50 IDs 4, 5 and 9 (Saturn, Moon and Jupiter) not exists in this Catalogue.


When two independet object was listed with the same NS 50 ID, I used the avarage coordinates of two objects, and calculated an object size, which covers both two objects.

For the sizes and Magnitudes, I always used the higher number.

If there were no size or Magnitude information, the field left empty (13 -- Albireo-Double).

There are a few objects, whichs Type not relevant to their original. I mean, the Trapezium in Orion is a Globular Cluster, instead of a Star or Asterism. The size of the symbol covers the whole object.

There is a file in the zip, called NexStar50.tgl. This is a SMP Target List, which must be copied to the right folder, where all these files are located (probably \SMP\Data\Target). If you load this file with Planning then Target list menu item, you'll be able to check the ideal visibility of all NexStar 50 List object (including the Saturn, Jupiter and the Moon).


Questions and requests

I warmly wellcome all comments on my work.

If you have any idea to help got better this, please write me to prof@prof.hu.

And of course, if you find any incorrect information, write it to me!

I plan to build a little database of Notes, based on Don Signoris NexStar50 Club Encyclopedia, a great discussion about this catalogue.



Acknowledgement

I want to thanks a lot for all readers and writers of NexStar 50 list, to build and "heat up" my rising astronomy mania. First of all, to Don Signori, for the useful informations.



Prof -- Tamas Szekffy

Ps. Sorry, my englis is still terrible. But probably you can understand everyting. ;-) 
