Cartes Du Ciel and asteroids - Are there Catalogues?

[swag72]

I think I may be developing an interest in looking at some asteroids! I've got CdC and want to know how I can download the latest Asteroid catalogue from the Minor Planets center. 

I've searched on Google and looked in CdC catalogue setup but really can't find anything that tells me how to do it.

Hope someone has some ideas?

[Bizibilder]

Setup > Solar System > Asteroids and then Load MPC file.  Once downloaded it will prompt you to "compute" their positions which only takes a few seconds.  Then > Apply and they will appear.

If you wish you can go into data maintenance and delete any old download files - or just set it up to delete any more than "X" months old. Saves clagging up file space with old data

[SilverAstro]

In CdC go to Setup ( next to File and Edit top left on mine ) > drop down to Solar System > 4th tab Asteroid > 2nd tab Load MPC file > Download, check where it wants to default save the file cos when I look at my current installation it wants to save to C: Users etc but I have it all as a portable on a usb Hmmmmm ! thank you Sara for the prompt summat aint rite wiv my portable !!! Good luck.

 

[Freddie]

In CDC if you click on help, then help contents then scroll down a bit to The Astronomical Calendar, then click on asteroids it gives you the info. you want there. Hope that helps.

[swag72]

Brilliant Roger thank! I was looking in the wrong place!

Is there any other tips for setup in CdC to make these things a little easier to see / find? Also I notice that there's only 5000 records, but there's more asteroids than this?

[SilverAstro]

9 minutes ago, swag72 said:

only 5000 records, but there's more asteroids than this?

In my (previous) > sequence above, the same tab as download, underneath it there is a check box to enable user defined number to download (default is 5000)

[swag72]

I changed that to 25000, but it still only downloaded the first 5000

[SilverAstro]

Odd, did it write a new file, is it downloading to and reading from the same folder as expected ( see my prob of unexpected file location !)

[swag72]

I'm looking at this link http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB/MPCORB.DAT and I can get all of the data - How do I load that into CdC? Can I just save that complete document, including text and it will work OK?

@SilverAstro Yes it seemed to be doing as it should. The file name says it's only 5000 too

 

[SilverAstro]

3 minutes ago, swag72 said:

I'm looking at this link http://www.minorplanetcenter.net/iau/MPCORB/MPCORB.DAT and I can get all of the data - How do I load that into CdC? Can I just save that complete document, including text and it will work OK?

@SilverAstro Yes it seemed to be doing as it should. The file name says it's only 5000 too

 

Odd, that checkbox doesnt change the download pointer from the 5000 file !! The second of the two tabs invites to download from a local file, so give it a whirl with the MPCORB.DAT big un ?? dunno

 

[swag72]

How do I get the data from that link so that I can use it in CdC? Do I have to convert it to anything, or is it fine as it is?

[SilverAstro]

3 minutes ago, swag72 said:

How do I get the data from that link so that I can use it in CdC? Do I have to convert it to anything, or is it fine as it is?

That's above my pay-grade now Gosh, it's a big file, locked up my lappy for a few mins,,, I would imagine right-click, save target as , then navigate CdC to where you saved it ? It looks to be the same format as the 5000.dat file so should work ?

 

[Bizibilder]

I think (hope !!) if you save your minorplanet file, CdC has an "Or use local file" tab on the "Load MPC file" drop down box.  Find your download file using that and then load the asteroid data.

[swag72]

It does Roger, but I'm downloading the compressed version and then I have no idea what to open it with to preserve the DAT file ........ Once i have that sorted then I'm sure I can do the next bit  Well I hope so!!!!

[swag72]

OK folks many thanks for all your help - It's all now done and I have over 700,000 asteroids in CdC!! Now to work out what magnitude I can image! Any thoughts?

[SilverAstro]

2 hours ago, swag72 said:

 what to open it with to preserve the DAT file ........ Once i have that sorted then I'm sure I can do the next bit

They are in fact plain text files but with a .dat extn instead ( which is why I said earlier that they "be the same format " ) So you can open them and have a look-see in for.ex. Wordpad. In them you will find a description of the file (at the top of the files) in which it says that an explanation of the format can be found at http://www.minorplanetcenter.org/iau/info/MPOrbitFormat.html

Anyway, good news that you have it sorted,, and good news also that along the way I have discovered why my portable install on USB sometimes defaults to settings I had years ago when I had CdC 2.7 in my C:programs tree !! Thank you !!

 

[uhb1966]

Hi Sara! I am always stunned by your images I'm just reading myself into the minor planet subject. Ive read on SGL that you can get down to mag 18 with an 8" f5 newton, a canon dslr, and astrometrica for asteroid-centered stacking..

[swag72]

@uhb1966 - Thanks! I've not managed to get anything that faint yet! Here's my asteroid adventures if you are interested  

[Davey-T]

Today 29/06/16 is Asteroid Day ?

Dave