Astronomical calculator (degree separation of objects)?

[Alfian]

Hi all,

This could be one of those that I feel stupid about later, but is there a simple way (software/App) that will enable me to simply calculate the separation between stellar objects in degrees/minutes. I can get coordinates easily enough with Stellarium and I'm sure if I sit down and think about it I can work it out myself - but is there an easier way?

[ronin]

From the description given - any two stars, I would doubt it. Simply because there are a lot of stars and your requirement is for any 2. If you consider say just the great square of Pegasus there are 12 values, and that is on just 4 stars.

The "best" would be an application which takess the RA+Dec of 2 and as a byproduct coughs up the seperation, the problem is that to many that seperation is of little revevance. Seperation is usually applicable to double stars or specifically close ones - perhaps the Orion belt stars, but I cannot think of any reason for wanting the seperation of the Summer Triangle stars.

Options to produce something would be a spreadsheet where you input the data and out comes an answer. An app for a phone or tablet would need to take 2 stars to compare and just as a value output the seperation simply because with the data it may as well.

For a comparison the main information would be Constellation, where, colour temp, size, RA/Dec, Mag, Distance. Because you are comparing 2 it may as well output the seperation, although to many it would be of little use.

[Alfian]

Thanks Ronin, perhaps I didn't explain myself so well but you got my drift anyway! Yes a spreadsheet could do it well enough - which although I'm a bit rusty on Excel these days I'm sure I could sort it. There is no specific bustin' reason - other than in one or two books I have there are mini-charts giving separation between specific  stars in connection with field of view. I just wanted to work it out for myself.

[Stu]

In SkySafari plus, if you click on one star, then a second and go to the information for that second star then it gives you the separations from various objects, including the previous one highlighted. Example below.

Stu

[Andrew*]

Hi all,

This could be one of those that I feel stupid about later, but is there a simple way (software/App) that will enable me to simply calculate the separation between stellar objects in degrees/minutes. I can get coordinates easily enough with Stellarium and I'm sure if I sit down and think about it I can work it out myself - but is there an easier way?

There's a really easy way!

[Alfian]

Thanks BigMak' , thats the sort of thind I though must exist. I will have to beg the use of my Good Lady's IPad to use SkySafari - unless there are similar apps written for PC or Android.

[Alfian]

Andrew, you're a star! What did I say about feeling stupid! Never mind one lives and learns - thanks all.