Skyhound Forums - Catalogs & Designations

Understanding the Criteria Behind Minor Planet Designations

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 21:10:20 -0400

Hi everyone, I’ve been exploring minor planet catalogs and noticed that some objects receive provisional designations for years before getting a permanent number. Could someone explain the exact criteria or process used to decide when a minor planet gets its permanent designation? Are there specific observational or orbital requirements that must be met?

Using SkyTools for Dark Nebulae – Any Tips?

Tue, 02 Sep 2025 22:34:41 -0400

Hi everyone,
I’ve been exploring SkyTools lately and I’m particularly interested in planning observations of dark nebulae. While the software is excellent for emission and reflection nebulae, I find dark nebulae a bit more challenging, especially in terms of visibility prediction and field placement.
For example, when I planned a session for Barnard objects last month, the suggested observing windows looked fine on paper, but at the eyepiece the contrast was lower than I expected. I suspect this may be more sensitive to sky brightness and transparency than other object types.
So I’m wondering:

How do you use SkyTools to optimize observing dark nebulae?
Do you tweak the software’s magnitude/surface brightness settings, or do you rely more on personal field notes and star charts?
Any recommended catalogues that integrate well with SkyTools for this purpose?

I’d love to hear your strategies, especially from those who have experience combining SkyTools planning with actual field results.
Clear skies,
Silverfish

NGC 7023 Iris Nebula

Thu, 12 Dec 2024 12:15:11 -0500

Iris Nebula is missing catalog number NGC 7023.

.skylist file

SkyObject=BeginObject
ObjectID=4,-1,-1
CatalogNumber=Iris Nebula
CatalogNumber=vdB 139
CatalogNumber=H IV-74
CatalogNumber=Bernes 39

Importing .skylist file to SkySafari 7 pro does not recognize vdB 139, H IV-74 or Bernes 39.
SkySafari does find NGC 7023.

I changed CatalogNumber to NGC 7023. Imported a new list to SkySafari and it worked.

SkyObject=BeginObject
ObjectID=4,-1,-1
CatalogNumber=Iris Nebula
CatalogNumber=NGC 7023
CatalogNumber=H IV-74
CatalogNumber=Bernes 39

Complete NGC catalogue

Thu, 15 Aug 2024 12:13:16 -0400

Good afternoon,
Is there a complete NGC catalogue available via Skyhound ? If there is one, where and how can i download it ?
Wouldn't it be usefull to have complete NGC-catalogue, so that you can see in 1 catalogue wich Ngc you already have observed.

thank you
Cis

Hyperleda

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 07:08:09 -0500

I note that many other planning software and charting programs are now using the 5 million strong HyperLeda galaxy catalogue. Although this is probably far more than myself as a visual observer would ever need I would have thought for the EAA version this might be something of interest. Do you have any plans to update these catalogues, perhaps for 4.2?

IC 4617 seems strangely absent? [Solved: will check]

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 14:39:27 -0500

First, let me say - this is a remarkable set of catalogs. It's -- rather amazing. So... this is just one tiny little detail. Please don't let it detract from the huge body of work represented by SkyTools. But... in the interest of even more amazing completeness....

I wonder why we can't find IC4617, a spiral galaxy in the same field as M13?

Doug

Bernes Catalogues

Mon, 04 Sep 2023 12:10:07 -0400

I have been trying to research Bernes 47 and 48 on the internet - unsuccessfully. How do I find copies of the Bernes catalogues?

Actually, it would be great if Sky Tools had links to all the catalogues it uses

Thanks,
Rich

RCW catalogue

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 05:10:10 -0500

Greg does ST4V contain the RCW catalogue of HII regions?

Pismis 27 / NGC 6882

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 17:16:12 -0500

ver 4.0j R19 Visual Pro

When doing a Designation Search for Pismis 27, in the "Search Results" box it returns Pismis 27, further down in "Data for Currently Selected Target" shows NGC 6882.

  SkyTools Pismis 27.jpg (Size: 61.43 KB / Downloads: 5)

However, using the Designation Search tool for NGC 6882, it cannot find it. The top entry in the "Search Results" box is NGC 6885.
And looking at the Info for 6885, it shows the "Also Known As" NGC 6882.

  SkyTools 6882 6885 info.jpg (Size: 85.89 KB / Downloads: 4)

In the Harold Corwin's NGC list he has 6882 and 6885 equal to each other.

  SkyTools Corwin 6882-6885.jpg (Size: 32.97 KB / Downloads: 2)

Furthermore, if I'm not mistaken, NGC numbers are basically in RA hour order. 6882 is near the end of the hour order at 20H. And Pismis 27 is at hour 6H

So, should Pismis 27 be linked to NGC 6882 as an Alternate ID?

Steve Goldberg

Pismis 1 / NGC 2568

Thu, 10 Nov 2022 11:14:09 -0500

ver 4.0j R19 Pro

In the database, object Pismis 1 has only an OCL for a secondary name. It is also an NGC object, NGC 2568.

Here is a NED reference that shows it has the same coordinates as Pismis 1.
https://ned.ipac.caltech.edu/byname?objn...4&corr_z=1

Please add NGC 2568 to Pismis 1.

Thanks,
Steve

NGC 281 / IC 1590

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:20:35 -0500

Greg
In ST, object NGC 281 also has an alternate name of IC 1590.

Those are actually 2 different objects.
NGC 281 is an HII region, whereas IC 1590 is an open cluster inside of 281.

Is there a way to separate these out? I presume in the next database release.

Thanks,
Steve
ver 4.0j R19 Visual Pro