Using Gaia DR3 catalog files in Cartes du Ciel

[diegorperegrin]

I have downloaded in my PC the three huge zip files containing over 1.8 billion stars from Gaia DR3, and I have unzipped theem into My documents. Now, there are 3 folders: Gaia1, Gaia2 and Gaia3. When telling CdC where to find them, I see the dialog box in red, so  I can't use that catalog. I can use Gaia DR3 via Virtual Observatory, but not offline as was my interest. Is there something I should verify in the downloaded files? Many thanks.

Edited January 6, 2023 by diegorperegrin

[symmetal]

You need to create a folder called something like 'Gaia DR3' and put the three Gaia1, 2 and 3 folders inside it. Then point CdC to the 'Gaia DR3' folder or whatever you've called it and it should work. 🙂

Alan

[diegorperegrin]

Yes, created /Documents/gaia and unzipped inside gaia1, 2 and 3 folders. Each contains 25 folders named nXXXX, and within them, many gaiaXXXX.dat files. The whole set is many GB long. Anyway, when directing CdC to the Gaia folder, the dialog box keeps in red, as to say something is wrong.

If you have a working example, may you please tell me your own setup? Many thanks.

 

 

[drjolo]

I have only first level for testing, but it works when put to the default location C:\Program Files\Ciel\cat\gaia\gaia1

And I am using Gaia DR2 in VO catalog tab on request for the specific field of view:

Edited January 7, 2023 by drjolo

[symmetal]

Did you use the torrent file to download them from here. Your three gaia folders should each have an gaia.hdr file in them which is needed to work with CdC. If you downloaded them from elsewhere they will just be the Gaia data without the CdC specific header file. I can upload the header files if you wish, to add them to your gaia folders, to save you having to do it all again.

I have mine located on a separate drive  at F:\Astro Catalogues\CdC Catalogues\Gaia_EDR3 and it works fine with CdC along with the others

Alan

 

Edited January 7, 2023 by symmetal

[diegorperegrin]

Hello, Alan. I just checked after your clue and I found that the folder gaia1 is in fact missing the gaia.hdr file you mentioned. I probably did something wrong unzipping them.

Fortunately, that's the smallest zip! So I just downloaded again from the official source to take only the hdr file, placed on gaia1 folder and... YESS! It works!

Now my computer shows more stars than I could imagine! Lucas, Alan,  many thanks for your help!

 

 

 

[symmetal]

Glad to see it's working now. 🙂 I think the three header files are actually the same, and you could have copied it from another folder but better to be safe.

It's surprising that having so many extra stars displayed it doesn't seem to slow the program down to any significant degree.

Alan 

[diegorperegrin]

Yes, it's quite surprising!

Otherwise, you can restrict further the use of the Gaia DR3 catalog to smaller fields of views. By default, it's limited to FOV numbers 0 (0-0.5º) to 6 (20-45º). Another restriction that may help just in case is to check the box to limit the use of faint stars from the gaia3 folder (level 3).  The only setback is that when Hipparcos and Gaia catalogs are ticked, the charts double all Hipparcos stars to show also their Gaia versions pretty close, but noticeably. Since all Hipparcos objects are also present in Gaia DR3, maybe some routine grouping common objects under Gaia DR3 header may help eliminate double dots.

All in all, one can only marvel at the DR3 achievements and the new refinements to come with future DR4 (60 months of data) and DR5 (120 months of data)!