Cartes du Ciel Comets & Manual Positioning

[groberts]

Having looked into imaging Comet C/2015 V2 Johnson on my desktop version of CdC which has the comet in the objects, I did not check it was in my guiding laptop version of CdC.  Set everything up this evening went to find the comet and there's nothing there!!!  I presume there's a catalogue missing - any thoughts please what I need to do and where I can find it?

Notwithstanding, I had the comet's emphemeris at hand and figured I could input the numbers and slew manually.  However, it must be three years since I last did this and could not find / work out what to do - got too used to just clicking on stuff and slewing.  Help again please.

Talk about the best laid plans....!!

Thanks, Graham

PS had at least earlier imaged Jupiter with some success I think.      

[SonnyE]

I don't use Cartes du Ciel, Graham. So no clues there.

But I recently did discover how to make Stellarium behave with RA and DEC inputs.

I use this site to get up to the second settings.  Or: https://theskylive.com/c2015v2-tracker

[groberts]

For anyone interested after spending a few hours today, I'll answer my own questions.

I have been using v 3.10 so first updated to V4.0 but still no comets in the object list.  But now noticed an Update tab along the top - don't know if it was there before - and lo-and-behold the drop-down menu includes comets.  After pressing the aforesaid update the comets appeared.  On the one hand I feel a bit stupid, on the other, it's been a few years since I went comet hunting but at the time I think I was using the same version on the same laptop - so where did the comets go?

Meanwhile, I've also re-discovered the manual entry for objects, which is: Set-up / Catalog / User defined objects.  Enter the relevant emphemeris and that's it - I think, as I haven't tried it yet.

Whilst I have routinely used CdC for a few years, I really use what I need and like so much software continue to find surprises + had done this before but being three years ago was inevitably rusty - if not seized-up!   

Anyhow, I hope that's solved + will give it a try this evening again.

Graham

 

       

 

[iamjulian]

ha, I was typing while you answered your own question   glad you found it.

If the comets bit is anything like the asteroids bit, you then have to let it calculate the next x months positions based on your location, so make sure you mark your observing location in CDC, else your comet position may be slightly off.

[groberts]

31 minutes ago, iamjulian said:

ha, I was typing while you answered your own question   glad you found it.

If the comets bit is anything like the asteroids bit, you then have to let it calculate the next x months positions based on your location, so make sure you mark your observing location in CDC, else your comet position may be slightly off.

Thanks all the same, I'll watch out for that.