While posting my pictures, and describing the photographed objects, I noticed they are already deeper than most of the shallow catalogs and softwares go. Stellarium has its strengths but also its weaknesses. Astrometry.net’s plate solver also has its limits. The database behind Simbad and the Aladin viewer their website has embedded is great in many ways – on the desktop edition I can point with the mouse, and the pointer’s coordinates get resolved into an object, but no such feature in the web version (I added it, see below). A weakness is that both the web version and the desktop edition are slow to render the sky, I wonder whether they have any caching or the tiles are morphed real time. Anyway, I wanted something more personal, integrated into my website.
So I made csillagtura.ro/dso. I think I am bad at naming my programs :P. I found this database on github, with more than 200k objects. This database should cover my deeper photographs for a long time. I converted the CSV into an SQL, and extended it with popular names for objects mainly in English, many in Hungarian and some in Romanian. I also added functionalities like search by virtually any aspect of an object, and, very important: cone search around each result, or just a cone search around some coordinates. I also added some virtual sky features: based on UTC time and the visitor’s gps coordinates retrieved from the browser, my program also calculates the objects’ alt-az coordinates.
Something simple to begin with: Messier objects in Andromeda,Triangulum, Ursa Maior and Canes Venatici:
Location: Cluj / Kolozsvár 47.6,23.6
DSO data |
M 31, NGC 224, UGC 454, LEDA 2557 the Andromeda Galaxy, Androméda-galaxis |
M 33, NGC 598, LEDA 5818 Triangulum galaxy, Triangulum-galaxis, Galaxia Triunghiului |
M 3, NGC 5272, Mel 119 |
M 81, NGC 3031, UGC 5318, LEDA 28630, 2MASX J09553318+6903549 Bode's Galaxy, Bode Galaxisa, Galaxia lui Bode |
M 101, NGC 5457, Arp 26, LEDA 50063 (the) Pinwheel Galaxy, Szélkerék-galaxis, Galaxia Vârtelniței |
M 94, NGC 4736, LEDA 43495 Cat's Eye Galaxy, Macskaszem-galaxis |
M 110, NGC 205, LEDA 2429 satellite of {{the Andromeda galaxy}}, az Androméda kísérője |
M 32, NGC 221, Arp 168, LEDA 2555 satellite of the {{Andromeda galaxy}}, az Androméda kísérője |
M 51, NGC 5194, UGC 8493, LEDA 47404, APG 85 Whirlpool galaxy, |
M 106, NGC 4258, UGC 7353, LEDA 39600 |
M 82, NGC 3034, LEDA 28655 Cigar Galaxy, Szivar-galaxis |
M 63, NGC 5055, LEDA 46153 Sunflower galaxy, Napraforgó-galaxis, Galaxia Floarea-Soarelui |
M 40 Winnecke 4, Winnecke 4 is a binary star |
M 97, NGC 3587 Owl nebula, Bagoly-köd |
M 109, NGC 3992, LEDA 37617 |
M 108, NGC 3556, LEDA 34030 |
So, for example, listing all the nebulous Messier and Caldwell objects from my vantage point, above 8 magnitudes, is a simple query, like below.
Location: Cluj / Kolozsvár 47.6,23.6
catalogs | name | type | mag | eq coords | alt:az | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 31, NGC 224, UGC 454, LEDA 2557 | the Andromeda Galaxy, Androméda-galaxis | Gxy | 3.6 | 0h42'44.3", +41°16'05.88" | 72, 258 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 42, NGC 1976, SH2-281 | Orion Nebula, Orion-köd, Nebuloasa din Orion, Sharpless 281, SH2-281 | OC +Neb | 4 | 5h35'17.2", -5°23'26.99" | 21, 125 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 20, NGC 7000, SH2-117 | North America nebula, Észak Amerika-köd, Észak Amerika köd, Sharpless 117, SH2-117, Cygnus Wall | Neb | 4 | 21h01'48", +44°12'00" | 38, 297 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 50, NGC 2244, Col 99, Mel 47 | with surrounding nebula extending over a field 1d square. | OC +Neb | 4.8 | 6h31'55.6", +4°56'35.02" | 21, 106 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 33, NGC 598, LEDA 5818 | Triangulum galaxy, Triangulum-galaxis, Galaxia Triunghiului | Gxy | 5.8 | 1h33'50.8", +30°39'37.08" | 71, 209 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 31, IC 405, SH2-229 | Flaming Star nebula, Lángoló Csillagköd, Sharpless 229, SH2-229 | Neb | 6 | 5h16'12", +34°16'00.12" | 54, 95 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 4, NGC 7023, Col 429, LBN 487, VDB 139 | Iris Nebula, Írisz-köd | OC +Neb | 7 | 21h01'35.4", +68°10'10.92" | 47, 327 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 19, IC 5146, Col 470, SH2-125 | Cocoon nebula, Báb-köd, Selyemgubó-köd, selyemgubo-köd | OC +Neb | 7.2 | 21h53'24", +47°16'00.12" | 47, 295 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 81, NGC 3031, UGC 5318, LEDA 28630, 2MASX J09553318 +6903549 | Bode's Galaxy, Bode Galaxisa, Galaxia lui Bode | Gxy | 7.3 | 9h55'32.92", +69°03'55.08" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 63, NGC 7293 | Helix nebula, Hélix-köd, Csiga-köd | PN | 7.3 | 22h29'38.4", -20°50'13.92" | 5, 231 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 27, NGC 6853 | Dumbbell-nebula, Súlyzó-köd, Nebuloasa Dumbbell, Nebuloasa Halterei | PN | 7.4 | 19h59'36.24", +22°43'17.04" | 14, 289 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 27, NGC 6888, SH2-105 | Crescent nebula, Sarló-köd, Nebuloasa Semiluna, Sarló-köd | Neb | 7.4 | 20h12'06.48", +38°21'18" | 27, 299 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 101, NGC 5457, Arp 26, LEDA 50063 | (the) Pinwheel Galaxy, Szélkerék-galaxis, Galaxia Vârtelniței | Gxy | 7.5 | 14h03'12.24", +54°20'54.96" | 12, 2 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 9, SH2-155, LBN 529 | Cave Nebula, Barlang-köd | Neb | 7.7 | 22h57'17.28", +62°28'33.24" | 59, 317 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 65, NGC 253, LEDA 2789 | Sculptor galaxy, Silver Coin Galaxy | Gxy | 7.8 | 0h47'33.1", -25°17'17.16" | 14, 201 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 78, NGC 2068 | | Neb | 8 | 5h46'45.8", +0°04'45" | 24, 119 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
Or planetary nebulae, geographically accessible, above 9m:
Location: Cluj / Kolozsvár 47.6,23.6
catalogs | name | type | mag | eq coords | alt:az | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 63, NGC 7293 | Helix nebula, Hélix-köd, Csiga-köd | PN | 7.3 | 22h29'38.4", -20°50'13.92" | 5, 231 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 27, NGC 6853 | Dumbbell-nebula, Súlyzó-köd, Nebuloasa Dumbbell, Nebuloasa Halterei | PN | 7.4 | 19h59'36.24", +22°43'17.04" | 14, 289 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 59, NGC 3242 | Ghost of Jupiter, Eye Nebula | PN | 7.7 | 10h24'46.08", -18°38'34.08" | -35, 79 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
SH2-71, LBN 103, PK 36-1.1 | Sharpless 71, SH2-71, | PN | 8 | 19h02'00.24", +2°09'10.98" | -11, 285 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
SH2-80, LBN 127, TYC 1586-411-1, PK 50 +3.1 | Sharpless 80, SH2-80 | PN | 8 | 19h11'30.84", +16°51'38.16" | 2, 293 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 55, NGC 7009 | Saturn nebula, Szaturnusz-köd | PN | 8 | 21h04'10.56", -11°21'48.96" | -0, 253 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
NGC 6572 | Blue Racquetball PN | PN | 8.1 | 18h12'06.12", +6°51'13" | -15, 298 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 6, NGC 6543 | Cat's Eye Nebula, Macskaszem-köd, Nebuloasa Ochi de Pisică, nice pair with NGC 6552 | PN | 8.1 | 17h58'33.24", +66°37'59.16" | 32, 337 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
C 22, NGC 7662 | Blue Snowball, Kék Hógolyó | PN | 8.3 | 23h25'53.76", +42°32'06" | 60, 276 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
NGC 7027 | PN | 8.5 | 21h07'01.56", +42°14'09.96" | 37, 295 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PK 357-4.3 | PN | 8.5 | 17h58'14.52", -33°47'24" | -47, 268 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
C 15, NGC 6826 | Blinking planetary, Blinking Planetary Nebula | PN | 8.8 | 19h44'48.12", +50°31'31.08" | 31, 313 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 57, NGC 6720 | Ring nebula in Lyra, Gyűrűs-köd, Ring Nebula, Nebuloasa Inel | PN | 8.8 | 18h53'34.8", +33°01'42.96" | 12, 307 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
NGC 6210 | Turtle Nebula | PN | 8.8 | 16h44'29.4", +23°48'00" | -11, 326 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
SH2-274, PK 205 +14.1, Abell 21 | Medusa Nebula, PN G205.1 +14.2 | PN | 10.3 | 7h29'04.49", +13°14'54.96" | 18, 89 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
Abell 36, ESO 577-24, PK 318 +41.1 | PN G318.4 +41.4, | PN | 11.8 | 13h40'41.16", -19°52'57" | -61, 17 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
Abell 43, PK 36 +17.1 | PN G36.0 +17.6, | PN | 14.6 | 17h53'32.28", +10°37'24.96" | -14, 304 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
Abell 79, PK 102-2.1 | PN G102.9-2.3, | PN | 15 | 22h26'17.16", +54°49'40.08" | 54, 304 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
Abell 17, SCM 16, PK 221-4.1 | | PN? | 18.5 | 6h48'38.09", -9°32'43.01" | 7, 113 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
Or just list the context of Bode’s and the Cigar’s, above 17m:
Location: Cluj / Kolozsvár 47.6,23.6
catalogs | name | type | mag | eq coords | alt:az | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 81, NGC 3031, UGC 5318, LEDA 28630, 2MASX J09553318 +6903549 | Bode's Galaxy, Bode Galaxisa, Galaxia lui Bode | Gxy | 7.3 | 9h55'32.92", +69°03'55.08" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
M 82, NGC 3034, LEDA 28655 | Cigar Galaxy, Szivar-galaxis | Gxy | 8.9 | 9h55'50.7", +69°40'42.96" | 36, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
NGC 3077 | Gxy | 10.5 | 10h03'20.52", +68°44'02.04" | 35, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28757, UGC 05336 | Holmberg IX | Gxy | 14.48 | 9h57'31.97", +69°02'45.6" | 36, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
PGC 28563, UGC 05302 | Gxy | 15.12 | 9h54'22.28", +68°20'01.32" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28225, UGC 05247 | Gxy | 15.32 | 9h49'17.26", +69°25'19.92" | 37, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28018, UGC 05210 | Gxy | 15.65 | 9h46'24.6", +68°57'25.92" | 37, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28731 | Gxy | 15.66 | 9h57'03.02", +68°35'31.2" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28802 | Gxy | 15.68 | 9h58'16.97", +68°06'09" | 35, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28505 | Gxy | 15.71 | 9h53'10.25", +69°00'02.16" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 3086325 | Gxy | 15.78 | 9h51'59.58", +69°40'58.44" | 37, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28614 | Gxy | 15.81 | 9h55'17.83", +68°37'07.32" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 3086326 | Gxy | 15.88 | 10h03'32.04", +69°01'42.24" | 35, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28848 | Gxy | 16.17 | 9h59'10.79", +69°15'29.16" | 36, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 2735454 | Gxy | 16.31 | 9h53'10.61", +70°19'27.84" | 37, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 2721118 | Gxy | 16.33 | 9h55'34.18", +68°37'06.24" | 36, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 3086268 | Gxy | 16.36 | 9h59'39.84", +70°00'07.56" | 36, 22 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 29167 | Gxy | 16.5 | 10h03'43.2", +68°41'32.64" | 35, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 28759 | Gxy | 16.8 | 9h57'30.82", +69°16'39.72" | 36, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 27949 | Gxy | 16.9 | 9h45'15.34", +69°23'21.48" | 37, 24 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 2734733 | Gxy | 16.91 | 9h49'21.86", +70°12'54" | 37, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 2720796 | Gxy | 16.92 | 9h48'49.07", +68°35'47.04" | 36, 25 | [wiki] | [simbad] | |
PGC 2733060 | Gxy | 16.99 | 9h56'31.27", +69°55'45.84" | 37, 23 | [wiki] | [simbad] |
In order to be able to point on the Aladin viewer’s map and locate the object under the mouse, I wrote this small tampermonkey userscript. See it on my github.
// ==UserScript== // @name Aladin rightclickfinder // @namespace //csillagtura.ro // @version 0.1 // @description adds "identify object by right click" functionality to the aladin map // @author You // @match http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/* // @grant none // ==/UserScript== (function() { 'use strict'; var root = document.getElementById("aladin-lite-div"); root.addEventListener('contextmenu', function(ev) { ev.preventDefault(); var loc = root.getElementsByClassName("aladin-location-text")[0]; var koord = loc.innerHTML.trim(); document.location = "/simbad/sim-coo?Coord="+encodeURIComponent(koord)+"&CooFrame=FK5&CooEpoch=2000&CooEqui=2000&CooDefinedFrames=none&Radius=2&Radius.unit=arcmin&submit=submit+query&CoordList="; return false; }, false); })();





