 IMPORTANT NOTICE! Never use a telescope or spotting scope to look at the Sun! Observing the Sun, even for the shortest fraction of a second, will cause irreversible damage to your eye as well as physical damage to the telescope or spotting scope itself. |
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1. The LX200 64,35 9-Object Library
The LX200 64,359-Object Library is a collection of the most studied and
fantastic objects in the sky.
This library consists of the following object databases:
- 15,928 SAO (Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory) Catalog of Stars:
All stars brighter than 7th magnitude.
- 12,921 UGC (Uppsala General Catalog) Galaxies: Complete catalog.
- 7,840 NGC (New General Catalog) objects*: Complete catalog.
- 5,386 IC (Index Catalog) objects*: Complete catalog.
- 21,815 GCVS (General Catalog of Variable Stars) Objects: Complete
catalog.
- 351 alignment stars for the LX200 telescope.
- 110 Messier objects.
- 8 Major Planets.
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2. The CNGC Catalog
You will notice that the Messier (M) objects, and the NGC objects have been
incorporated into the Meade Instruments CNGC listing. CNGC stands for
"Computerized New General Catalog of Non-Stellar Astronomical Objects".
The CNGC is an enhancement from the RNGC (Revised New General Catalog)
in many ways. Angular sizes are given in arc-seconds on the CNGC
listing, and in a convenient scaled format on the LX200 Keypad Display.
The complete CNGC contains 7840 objects most of which appear in the
RNGC (Revised New General Catalog) with the
same number. More than 400 objects were added to the RNGC to create the
CNGC. Most of these "should have been" in the RNGC in the
sense that they are bright and large enough to have been included.
The CNGC is enhanced from the RNGC in many ways. Angular sizes are
given in arc-seconds on the CNGC listing, and in a convenient
scaled format on the LX200 display. Magnitudes are given to .1 magnitude
where possible.
The coordinates in the CNGC listing are listed for the year 2000. The LX200
calculates object positions upon power up to the current date (as shown
on the time/date display). This makes the LX200 pointing more accurate.
Therefore, the CNGC listing and the LX200 display will not exactly agree
on object positions.
Objects have been assigned a "Visual Quality Rating", henceforth
called VQ. A large number of VQs have been obtained by observing the objects.
To make the VQs as useful as possible, all observations have been made with
the same telescope and eyepiece under substantially identical observing
conditions. Only for very small objects was a higher power eyepiece used.
Your "Visual Quality Rating" of a particular object will vary,
largely due to sky conditions.
If the object has been rated by observation, an upper-case character (ABCDEFG)
is used for the VQ on the CNGC listing. If the object has not been observed,
the VQ has been estimated by a computer program from the object type, size,
and brightness and the VQ is specified in lower-case characters (abcdefg).
The VQs for visually-rated objects are a considerably more consistent guide
to observability and appearance than either the computed VQs or an examination
of the type, magnitude, and size data.
* NGC 2000 and IC databases are copyrighted by Sky Publishing Corporation
and used with their permission.
The following guide to VQs was used in the visual observing process.
Table 9a: VQ Guide
| SUPER |
Very bright with very interesting shape or structure. |
| EXECEL |
Bright object with moderately interesting shape or structure
OR
Very bright object with moderately interesting shape or structure |
| V GOOD |
Easy to see without averted vision with some interesting shape or structure.
OR
Very bright object with little or no interesting shape. |
| GOOD |
Easy to see without averted vision with some interesting shape or structure.
OR
Bright object, but little or no interesting shape or structure. |
| FAIR |
Easy to see without averted vision, but little or no interesting shape or structure. |
| POOR |
Easy to see with averted vision. Often borderline visible without averted vision. |
| V POOR |
A struggle to see with careful use of averted vison. |
| (none) |
Not yet rated AND missing information for computer estimate.
OR
Could not see despite careful use of averted vision. |
All, or very nearly all, of the objects in the CNGC are visible with
the standard instrumentation and observing conditions used to obtain the
visual quality ratings. It is a good indication of what can be expected
with similar equipment by experienced deep-sky observers in excellent sky
conditions. Naturally smaller telescopes and/or less optimal observing conditions
will lower the apparent quality of all objects.
The following is a description of the format of the optional CNGC listing
for each object:
Table 10: CNGC Listings
| COLUMN |
NAME |
DESCRIPTION |
| 1 |
CNGC# |
CNGC 00001 through CNGC 7840 |
| 2 |
RA |
Right Ascension |
| 3 |
DEC |
Declination |
| 4 |
SIZE |
Size of object (arc-seconds) |
| 5 |
MAG |
Magnitude (-5.5 through 19.9) |
| 6 |
TYPE |
Type of object |
| 7 |
* |
* means object is not in the RNGC |
| 8 |
ALT CAT |
Alternate catalog name and number. |
| 9 |
VQ |
Visual Quality Rating (abcdefg) or (ABCDEFG) |
| 10 |
TAGS |
Object Type # (o-F) : S = Sky-Cat : T = Tirion |
| 11 |
COMMENTS |
Name, comments, other information |
The following types are distinguished in the CNGC.
| TYPE |
LEGEND |
DESCRIPTION |
| 0 |
None |
Unverified Southern Object |
| 1 |
OPEN |
Open Cluster |
| 2 |
GLOB |
Globular Cluster |
| 3 |
DNEB |
Diffuse Nebula |
| 4 |
PNEB |
Planetary Nebula (or SN Remnant) |
| 5 |
GAL |
Galaxy |
| 6 |
OPEN+ DNEB |
Open Cluster + Diffuse Nebula |
| 7 |
None |
Non-Existent Object |
| 8 |
STAR |
Star |
| 9 |
MULTI+STAR |
Multiple Star |
| A |
MULTI+GAL |
Multiple Galaxy (Usually Interacting) |
| B |
DNEB |
Dark Nebula in front of Diffuse Nebula |
| C |
GAL+OPEN |
Open Cluster in External Galaxy |
| D |
GAL+GLOB |
Globular Cluster in External Galaxy |
| E |
GAL+DNEB |
Diffuse Nebula in External Galaxy |
| F |
GAL+OPEN+DNEB |
Open Cluster + Diffuse Nebula in Galaxy |
| S |
|
Object is also listed in the Sky Catalogue 2000 |
| T |
|
Object is also listed in the Tition Sky Atlas 2000 |
Table 11: CNGC Types
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3. The Star Catalog
The STAR Catalog contains the 250 brightest stars (STAR 1 through STAR 250),
100 interesting double stars (STAR 251 through STAR 350), plus Sigma Octantis,
the southern pole star (STAR 351).
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4. Select Star by Name
When selecting a star from the object library, any of the 33 stars listed
in the LX200 Instruction Manual can now by accessed by its name.
1. Press the STAR key. The Keypad display will show "STAR
object:" on the first line and a blinking cursor on the second line.
2. To enter a Star by number, simply type in the star number and press ENTER,
as described in the LX200 Instruction Manual.
To enter a Star by name, press the ENTER key. The Keypad display will show
a new menu.
3. Select the NAME menu option by pressing the ENTER key.
4. Scroll through the list of Star names (using the PREV and NEXT keys)
until the desired Star name is selected.
5. Press ENTER to select this Star.
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5. The M Catalog
The M Catalog has been the benchmark deep-sky catalog for years. Recently
expanded to 110 objects, the M (Messier) catalog contains most of the best
deep-sky objects.
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6. The Planets
The LX200 calculates the orbital positions of the eight major planets for
the current calendar date. To access a planet, use the STAR key and enter
the appropriate number as indicated below:
| OBJECT LIBRARY PLANET LEGEND |
| PLANET |
MERCURY |
VENUS |
MARS |
JUPITER |
SATURN |
URANUS |
NEPTUNE |
PLUTO |
| STAR # |
901 |
902 |
904 |
905 |
906 |
907 |
908 |
909 |
Table 12: Object Library Planet Legend
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7. Other Databases
The other object catalogs are accessed through the CNGC key on the Keypad.
1. Press the CNGC key. The Keypad display will show "NGC
object:" on the first line and a blinking cursor on the second line.
2. To enter a NGC object, simply type in the NGC number and press ENTER,
as described in the LX200 Instruction Manual.
To enter an object from a different database, press the ENTER key. The Keypad
display will show a new menu of the available databases.
3. Select the database from the menu by moving the arrow to the selection
desired and pressing the ENTER key. Press MODE to exit the database menu.
4. The Keypad display will ask for the object number. Enter the object number
desired and press ENTER.
The LX200 will "remember" the database you last accessed. Each
time you press the CNGC key, the same object database will be displayed
on the first line of the Keypad display. To change databases, press ENTER
to bring up the database menu.
The STAR databases are accessed by pressing the STAR key and following the
above steps.
Variable stars from the GCVS are entered using a six digit number. The first
two digits, refer to the constellation where the variable star is located
and is listed in the table below.
The next four digits are assigned sequentially within each constellation
according to the standard sequence of variable-star designations (R, S,
...).
Therefore, the first variable star in the constellation of Virgo would be
entered as: 860001.
| Code |
Const |
Code |
Const |
Code |
Const |
Code |
Const |
| 1 |
AND |
23 |
CIR |
45 |
LAC |
67 |
PSA |
| 2 |
ANT |
24 |
COL |
46 |
LEO |
68 |
PUP |
| 3 |
APS |
25 |
COM |
47 |
LMI |
69 |
PYX |
| 4 |
AQR |
26 |
CRA |
48 |
LEP |
70 |
RET |
| 5 |
AOL |
27 |
CRB |
49 |
LIB |
71 |
SGE |
| 6 |
ARA |
28 |
CRV |
50 |
LUP |
72 |
SGR |
| 7 |
ARI |
29 |
CRT |
51 |
LYN |
73 |
SCO |
| 8 |
AUR |
30 |
CRU |
52 |
LYR |
74 |
SCL |
| 9 |
BOO |
31 |
CYG |
53 |
MEN |
75 |
SCT |
| 10 |
CAE |
32 |
DEL |
54 |
mic |
76 |
SER |
| 11 |
CAM |
33 |
DOR |
55 |
MON |
77 |
SEX |
| 12 |
ONC |
34 |
DRA |
56 |
mus |
78 |
TAU |
| 13 |
CVN |
35 |
EQU |
57 |
NOR |
79 |
TEL |
| 14 |
CMA |
36 |
ERI |
58 |
OCT |
80 |
TRI |
| 15 |
CMI |
37 |
FOR |
59 |
OPH |
81 |
TRA |
| 16 |
CAP |
38 |
GEM |
60 |
ORI |
82 |
TUC |
| 17 |
CAR |
39 |
GRU |
61 |
PAV |
83 |
LIMA |
| 18 |
CAS |
40 |
HER |
62 |
PEG |
84 |
UMI |
| 19 |
CEN |
41 |
HOR |
63 |
PER |
85 |
VEL |
| 20 |
CEP |
42 |
HYA |
64 |
PHE |
86 |
VIR |
| 21 |
CET |
43 |
HYI |
65 |
PIC |
87 |
VOL |
| 22 |
CHA |
44 |
IND |
66 |
PSC |
88 |
VUL |
Table 13: Constellation Codes
Related Topics:
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