Quasars plugin
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#Enable the tool by clicking the tool-bar button "Load at startup" | #Enable the tool by clicking the tool-bar button "Load at startup" | ||
#Find the quasar by their designation (3C 249.1 as example) | #Find the quasar by their designation (3C 249.1 as example) | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Catalog of quasars== | ||
| + | You can modify the <tt>catalog.json</tt> file manually using a text editor. '''If you are using Windows, it is strongly recommended to use an advanced text editor such as [http://notepad-plus-plus.org/ Notepad++]''' to avoid problems with end-of-line characters. (It will also color the JSON code and make it easier to read.) | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Warning''': Before editing your <tt>catalog.json</tt>, make a backup copy. Leaving out the smallest detail (such as a comma or forgetting to close a curly bracket) will prevent Stellarium from starting. | ||
| + | |||
| + | The path to the directory which contains <tt>catalog.json</tt> is something like: | ||
| + | {{user data directory|modules\Quasars|modules/Quasars}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Format of catalog=== | ||
| + | To add a new quasar, open a new line after line 5 and paste the following, note commas and brackets, they are important: | ||
| + | <pre> | ||
| + | "Quasar designation": | ||
| + | { | ||
| + | "RA": "Right ascension (J2000)", | ||
| + | "DE": "Declination (J2000)", | ||
| + | "Amag": value of absolute magnitude, | ||
| + | "Vmag": value of visual magnitude, | ||
| + | "z": value of Z (redshift), | ||
| + | "bV": value of B-V colour | ||
| + | }, | ||
| + | </pre> | ||
| + | |||
| + | For example, record for 3C 249.1: | ||
| + | <pre> | ||
| + | "3C 249.1": | ||
| + | { | ||
| + | "RA": "11h04m13.8s", | ||
| + | "DE": "+76d58m58s", | ||
| + | "Amag": -25.1, | ||
| + | "Vmag": 15.72, | ||
| + | "z": 0.313, | ||
| + | "bV": -0.02 | ||
| + | }, | ||
| + | </pre> | ||
| + | |||
==How you can help== | ==How you can help== | ||
Revision as of 07:39, 17 May 2012
Contents |
Description
The Quasars plugin provides visualization of some quasars brighter than 16 visual magnitude. A catalogue of quasars compiled from "Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei" (13th Ed.) (Veron+ 2010).
Example (3C 249.1, also known as LEDA 2821945 or 4C 77.09):
Using the Quasars plugin
- Enable the tool by clicking the tool-bar button "Load at startup"
- Find the quasar by their designation (3C 249.1 as example)
Catalog of quasars
You can modify the catalog.json file manually using a text editor. If you are using Windows, it is strongly recommended to use an advanced text editor such as Notepad++ to avoid problems with end-of-line characters. (It will also color the JSON code and make it easier to read.)
Warning: Before editing your catalog.json, make a backup copy. Leaving out the smallest detail (such as a comma or forgetting to close a curly bracket) will prevent Stellarium from starting.
The path to the directory which contains catalog.json is something like:
- C:\Users\UserName\AppData\Roaming\Stellarium\modules\Quasars (Windows Vista, Windows 7)
- C:\Documents and Settings\UserName\Application Data\Stellarium\modules\Quasars (Windows XP)
- HomeDirectory/Library/Preferences/Stellarium/modules/Quasars (Mac OS X)
- ~/.stellarium/modules/Quasars (Linux)
(Note that this is a hidden folder, so in order to find it you may need to change your computer's settings to display hidden files and folders.)
Format of catalog
To add a new quasar, open a new line after line 5 and paste the following, note commas and brackets, they are important:
"Quasar designation":
{
"RA": "Right ascension (J2000)",
"DE": "Declination (J2000)",
"Amag": value of absolute magnitude,
"Vmag": value of visual magnitude,
"z": value of Z (redshift),
"bV": value of B-V colour
},
For example, record for 3C 249.1:
"3C 249.1":
{
"RA": "11h04m13.8s",
"DE": "+76d58m58s",
"Amag": -25.1,
"Vmag": 15.72,
"z": 0.313,
"bV": -0.02
},
How you can help
We are welcome bug reports, feature requests and feedback through the usual channels (trackers, forums and so on).
