Carte du Ciel advice sought

[iamjulian]

Hello, I decided to look at this software when I heard you can have it draw a circle showing the EP view. A feature definitely lacking in Stellarium.

Could someone please advise me on extra star catalogues please? The pre installed only seem to go to about mag 6 or 7. I want to increase it to about mag 13. I have found some extra catalogues but they seem to be random, like everything brighter than mag 8, and stars between mag 9 and 11. I don't want any gaps. What should I be installing? Thanks!

[peeceeTal2M]

Hi, the new version od CdC goes down to mag 16

Quote

"The UCAC3 star catalog was published by USNO at the end of august 2009.

Its main characteristics are:

• <LI class=level1>Full sky coverage
  <LI class=level1>100 million stars
  
• Complete down to magnitude 16"
  

[peeceeTal2M]

here is the link

http://www.ap-i.net/skychart/en/news/ucac3_catalog

[kniclander]

I think the way it works is that you set it to use different catalogues depending on the angle of the sky you're looking at - ie if you've got a 60 deg view, you don't want to see all stars down to mag 12 (for example) as it'll be way too busy and run too slow. The help function is good - the subject (I think( is "catalogues")

sorry if this is a bit brief -it's bedtime (kids not mine)

[iamjulian]

Thanks both.

I saw the mag 16 catalogue, but didn't really want to go that deep if I can help it. I cannot see much beyond mag 12 so all those millions of extra stars are a bit pointless.

I'll take a look in the help, thanks.

[Merlin66]

I use the USNO A2 catalogue which goes down to 18mag, but in the settings only call it up for fields less than one degree. For 1 to < 10 degree fields the Tycho is very good.

[ngwillym]

Merlin, same here - also have the HubbleGSC but only for narrow fields of view.

And needed it when I realised my Watec vid camera gets down somehwere around 17th mag!!