2022-07-19, 04:27 PM
I know sometimes people who are used to other software think that data needs to be added to SkyTools externally. In case that's what you are thinking, the entire NGC/IC catalog already resides in SkyTools, along with all of the cross references and other associated data.
The only advantage of an observing list is that you can put it into the Nightly Planner. But of course, nobody can observe the entire NGC in one night, so that doesn't really make sense to do. I do not recommend making observing lists that long. The Nightly Planner has to do calculations for each object in the list, and it will bog down if your list is too long. There are better ways to accomplish whatever you are trying to do.
1. There are observing lists created as subsets of the NGC/IC, such as the Herschel catalogs. These tend to be the more brighter and interesting objects. You could use one of these.
2. You can use tools such as the Nightly Observing List Generator, or the Database Power Search, to generate a list of NGC objects that are good for your location on a specific night, or to find any subset of the NGC, such as only the open clusters, or nebulae, or those available at specific times of the year, only those that are easy in your scope, or whatever criteria you want to apply.
3. Some software basically limits you to the NGC/IC, but there are a lot of interesting objects out there that are not in these catalogs, and more importantly SkyTools has the ability to figure out which of these you can actually see in your telescope. So unless you have a specific purpose in mind, such as seeing every NGC object, it makes more sense to search the entire database rather than limit yourself to only the NGC.
Regardless, the better procedure is: SkyTools Database --> smaller curated observing list.
The only advantage of an observing list is that you can put it into the Nightly Planner. But of course, nobody can observe the entire NGC in one night, so that doesn't really make sense to do. I do not recommend making observing lists that long. The Nightly Planner has to do calculations for each object in the list, and it will bog down if your list is too long. There are better ways to accomplish whatever you are trying to do.
1. There are observing lists created as subsets of the NGC/IC, such as the Herschel catalogs. These tend to be the more brighter and interesting objects. You could use one of these.
2. You can use tools such as the Nightly Observing List Generator, or the Database Power Search, to generate a list of NGC objects that are good for your location on a specific night, or to find any subset of the NGC, such as only the open clusters, or nebulae, or those available at specific times of the year, only those that are easy in your scope, or whatever criteria you want to apply.
3. Some software basically limits you to the NGC/IC, but there are a lot of interesting objects out there that are not in these catalogs, and more importantly SkyTools has the ability to figure out which of these you can actually see in your telescope. So unless you have a specific purpose in mind, such as seeing every NGC object, it makes more sense to search the entire database rather than limit yourself to only the NGC.
Regardless, the better procedure is: SkyTools Database --> smaller curated observing list.
Clear skies,
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound
Greg
Head Dude at Skyhound