FAQ: Catalogues
1. Creating catalogues
1.1 Can I create my own catalogues?
Catalogues are in a highly optimised and relatively compact format. A special in-house tool is used to create them from text files. This tool is not available to users, since (a) it requires a fair amount of expertise to configure and use, (b) it often requires manual code to pre-process the input files into an acceptable form, and (c) it has bugs, user-interface problems, etc. that only the author knows how to work around.
However, the author is more than happy to work with registered users to create new catalogues (at no charge).
2. Selecting
2.1 What catalogues should I download/install and use?
If you are installing from the CD-ROM or have a broadband Internet connection, and have plenty (2GB+) of available hard disk space, you can download the whole lot. The number of catalogues doesn't significantly degrade performance in 99% of cases.
However, if you want to be "lean and mean", here's a list of recommended catalogues:
Stars:
Bright Star Catalogue (you have to have this one)
All-Sky Compiled Catalogue (ASCC) or
Tycho II Catalogue
Variable Stars:
General Catalogue of Variable Stars (GCVS)
Double Stars:
Washington Double Star Catalogue (WDS 2001)
Deep Sky Objects:
NGC Catalogue
IC Catalogue
Messier Catalogue
Additionally there are some catalogues that you are required to install (the installer, catalogue manager, or registered user web page details this).