           WIDE ANGLE STAR VIEW

This is the wide angle star view. It's
approximate dimensions are 2 hrs R.A.
along the horizontal axis by 30 deg.
Dec. along the vertical axis. Stars
are displayed to magnitude 6.5.
Star colours correspond to spectral
type according to the following table.

Spectral type       Star colour

     O,B             Light Blue
     A               White
     F               Green
     G0-G5           Yellow
     G6-G10          Bright Red
     K               Bright Red
     M               Dark Red
  all others         White

All the stars displayed in this view are
listed in the Yale Bright Star Catalogue.
As such there is extensive information
available for each star.  Click the left
mouse button while the mouse cursor is on
a star to see this information displayed
in the main text window below the wide
angle star view.

Clicking the right mouse button will
display the main and finder fields of
view centred on the position of the
mouse cursor.

Press <F2> to enable/disable the coordinate
grid.

           MAIN TEXT WINDOW

This is where all the information on stars
and deep sky objects (DSO's) is displayed.

To identify stars in the wide angle
star view click on the star with the left
mouse button. The first line then gives the
star name (proper name and Greek designation
ie. Alpha Centauri (Rigil Kentaurus) ). If
there is none then the star's Henry Draper
catalogue number is displayed.  The second
line shows the star's rank in the
constellation.  Alpha Centauri would be 01
Centauri.  The following lines give the star's
coordinates in R.A. and Dec. as well as
magnitude, distance and spectral type.  The
last line shows the magnitude difference and
separation of components (in seconds of arc)
in a binary system.  If any of this
information is not available that line will
be blank.

To identify DSO's in the main or finder fields
of view click on the object with the left
mouse button.  The first line in the main text
window will then show the objects name.  The
second line (AKA) shows other appropriate names
for the object (ie. NGC 224 is AKA M31).
The next line gives the object type. This
displays what type of object you have selected
(ie. Galaxy, Planetary Nebula etc.).  The
next line is for object class.  This is most
frequently when the object is a galaxy.
The object class then shows the Hubble
galaxy class.  The following lines show
R.A., Dec., magnitude and size.  Finally
the last two lines show what constellation
the object is in and its NGC description,
if any.  This description is fairly cryptic
but can be decoded using Appendix 1 in the
manual.

If you wish to identify a star in the main or
finder fields of view click on the star
with the right mouse button.  The information
is organized the same as stars identified
in the wide angle star view however many more
stars are available.  To save disk space
stars which are not displayed in the wide
angle star view (not Yale Bright Star
Catalogue) only show the SAO number,
basic spectral type, magnitude and
coordinates.  This information is derived
from the Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory catalogue.

           TOGGLE OBJECTS

Click on an object with the left mouse
button to toggle the display of that
object on or off.  When an object will
not be displayed it is grayed out.
After toggling an objects display status
use Replot to implement the change
immediately. Otherwise the change will
occur when the main and finder fields
are next redrawn.

           SCOPES

Use this menu to reconfigure the main
and finder scope fields to match your
own telescope(s).  As many configurations
as necessary can be set up and saved.
Use this menu to enable/disable DSO
magnitude filtering.  All DSO's with a
magnitude fainter than the magnitude limit
set for the main scope field of view will
not be displayed in either the main or
finder scope fields.

After enabling/disabling the DSO
magnitude limit the next question asks if
you wish to load a file. Press <enter>
to close the window.  If you answer <y>es
then you will be prompted for a file name.
File names are entered without an extension.
Once a save file is loaded Deep Sky will
display it for you to check. If you
answer <n>o then you will be prompted
for the required information.  The previous
values are shown. If these are OK press
<enter> to retain these values.  When
finished Deep Sky will ask if you wish to
save the configuration in a file.  Enter a
file name (without extension) and the
configuration will be saved to disk.  If
you name the file 'scopes' then this will
become the default configuration and will
be loaded whenever Deep Sky is run.

Note that whenever you make a change to
the scope parameters you must select
REPLOT to implement these changes
immediately.  Otherwise Deep Sky uses the
changes when it next plots the finder/main
scope fields.

           PLOT

If you know the coordinates of the area
of sky you wish to display you can
enter the coordinates directly using this
option.  Enter the coordinates in decimal
degrees and decimal hours.  The
coordinates entered will be for the lower
right corner of the displayed area.

           SEARCH

Search is used to find DSO's or stars if
you do not know their location or name.  As
well you can set a number of search parameters
to look for more than one object.  One example
would be to build an observing list.

Once Search is selected a menu pops up with
various options.
These are:
          1. Search for object
          2. Search for star
          3. Customize search
          4. Exit

When Search for object is selected a small
dialogue box pops up.  Enter the objects
catalogue number.  There are many different
catalogues in the database.  Most DSO's
appear in several of them. The most
familiar catalogues will be the NGC and
Messier catalogues.  Others are listed in
appendix C.  Searches are not case
sensitive. Spaces between the catalogue
(ie. NGC) and number(224) are optional.

One example would be to search for the
Andromeda Galaxy.  This is listed in the
database as M31 or NGC 224.  Entering
either number will find it.

Once the object is found a text window will
pop up with all the available information on
the object and you will be asked if you wish
to plot a finder chart.

Search for star works in a similar manner.
Here you enter a star's common name,
designation, Henry Draper or SAO catalogue
number.  You are also given the option of
plotting a finder chart.  Searches are
conducted in the following order; common
name, designation, catalogue number.

When a finder chart is plotted the main
screen replots with the star (or object)
roughly centred in the wide angle star
field.  The information available for the
star or object is also displayed.  As well
the main and finder scope fields are plotted
with the object centred.

Selecting Customize Search allows you to set
search criteria for DSO's.  Using this option
you can select the type of object, a magnitude
range for the objects, the constellation or a
range of coordinates.  Search criteria can be
combined in any way.  Thus, for example, you
can search for all galaxies in Auriga between
magnitude 5 and 9.  As each search criterium is
selected an asterisk will appear beside that
menu selection.  If you make a mistake
simply click on that menu item or enter its
number again to deselect it.

After the search starts each object's
information will be displayed in turn.  You
can then plot a finder chart or go on to
the next object.

           SKY

When you select SKY the screen will be redrawn
as a hemispheric map of the entire sky.  Each
hemisphere is divided by lines every 2 hrs. of
R.A. and every 30 deg. of Declination.  Lines
of R.A. are labelled.

When you move the mouse around the map the R.A.
and Dec. are constantly displayed.  These
coordinates are calculated to correctly display
the section of the sky the mouse is currently
pointing to.  When the left mouse button is
clicked this section will be displayed on the
main screen.

           REPLOT

Use this command to replot the main and finder
scope fields.

           FINDER SCOPE

Stars and DSOs are plotted according to the
parameters set out in the scope configuration
file.  The field can be inverted or reversed.
As well the field of view can be set (in
degrees) and a magnitude limit set.  This
magnitude limit applies to stars plotted
in the finder field of view.  Press <F8> to
show the main scope field size as a red circle
superimposed on the finder field.  Press <F8>
to remove the circle.

           MAIN SCOPE

Stars and DSOs are plotted according to the
parameters set out in the scope configuration
file.  The field can be inverted or reversed.
As well the field of view can be set (in
degrees) and a magnitude limit set.  This
magnitude limit applies to stars plotted
in the main field of view. If the DSO
magnitude filter is enabled then DSOs will
also have the magnitude filter applied to
them.  As well DSOs in the finder field of
view will be filtered.  If the object of
interest has not been centred in the main
scope field you can adjust the centring if
you wish.  Press "P" to enable panning then
using the mouse, move the cursor to the
desired main scope centre in the finder field
and click the left mouse button.  The field
will be replotted with the new centre.

           FINDER SCOPE INFORMATION

Information in this field gives the scope
parameters that apply to the finder scope
field.  These are inverted or reversed (i,r
or ir), magnitude limit and field of view.

           MAIN SCOPE INFORMATION

Information in this field gives the scope
parameters that apply to the finder scope
field.  These are inverted or reversed (i,r
or ir), magnitude limit and field of view.

           MAGNITUDE SCALE

This scale shows the size of stars plotted
in the main and finder fields related to
their respective magnitude.  The scale can
be adjusted by pressing the "+" or "-" keys.
Use REPLOT to make the changes visible
immediately.


