Object database vs what can be seen.

[Coastliner]

Hi All,

My Nexstar 4se has a 40,000 object database but, as Celestron say, I will not be able to see all of them given the size of my ota. This can make object selection/sky tour frustrating at times. Is there any way the database can be modified to only bring up the objects that the ota can actually image?

Ta,

Neil.

[ronin]

Doubt is as many will be repeated.

NGC and Messier for example, stars can be by name, SAO, HIP and other catalogues - so Betelgeuse will have about 5 or 6 different designations. It will be in the Celestron as Betelgeuse, SAO 113271, HIP 27989 and may be Alpha Orion and/or HR 2061. You can do the same for most other stars that are named.

The other aspect to be considereed is that Celestron have likely created a "tour" based on a dark sky, Cardiff is not dark.

You can I think make your own tour up, you will have to make up a list of bright objects, but that means surface brightness not magnitude alone.

[Coastliner]

Thanks Ronin, we are off to Brecon for Easter weekend. A lot darker than Cardiff, so trying to get a decent list together.

[ronin]

Not sure how easy it is to add a new "tour" to the scope.

They did not make it as easy as attach a lead and download from a PC.

All manufacturers at that time kept things very specific to themselves and using their special download tool which I think was a mistake.

You are probably better making a list of things yourself to print off and take those. I made myself some small lists of 5 cluster, double stars, galaxies, nebulas, and planetary nebulas. So I print off one or more and use that. Sized the lists/tables to fit on 6x4 inch cards. Biggest problem is getting them to come out of the printer far enough that I can gert hold of them to extract.

[Coastliner]

I have "Turn left...", so I'll make a list from that - I think it list objects according to brightness.

I recommend these : http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hospital-Stainless-Straight-Tweezers-Forceps/dp/B00BM3FZ0E/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1427665292&sr=8-1&keywords=long+tweezer

[ronin]

Dig out a site that list things by season - usually a US one. Although TLAO does (should do) a monthly constellation.

If it is Messiers that you are thinking of the go to the Wikipedia entry for "List of Messier Objects" the table they have can be ordered by Magnitude, then you can pick the ones that are in a prominent constellation at this time of year.

[Coastliner]

Many thanks, taking a look now.