Howdy. Wondering who uses SIMBAD for planning targets - it looks very useful. Or is there a better website to select targets? I am compiling a monthly calendar of targets for all the spare time I don't have instead of sleeping. Because it is February, and every month the galactic sphere rotates 2 hrs of Ra (30 degrees), I have started to use SIMBAD to filter targets in Nebula, Clusters and Galaxies based on being polar aligned and set up at 8pm in the evening. Ideally this gives 7-8 hours of viewing targets on a good evening.
The search website - simple script search, set return to display. Each month add 30 degrees to the Ra to shortlist targets to photograph (allows for 6 hours if conditions are good).
http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-fsam
The following is a query that gives me a list of clusters to view in February (GMT +9.5 hrs location, southern hemisphere) -
ra >95 & ra<145 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=ISM | otypes=GlC | otypes=OpC)
(dec < 55 is our limit of seeing for the southern hemisphere) - copy and paste into the search window
For galaxies in February from my location -
ra >95 & ra<145 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=G | otypes=PoG | otypes=IG | otypes=GiC)
The various types (otypes) to search on are here - can be refined to 1 type or several (up to 4)
http://simbad.cds.unistra.fr/simbad/sim-display?data=otypes
A list of all galaxies to see throughout the year from my location -
ra >0 & ra<360 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=G | otypes=PoG | otypes=IG | otypes=GiC)
A list of all clusters to see throughout the year from my location
ra >0 & ra<360 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=ISM | otypes=GlC | otypes=OpC)
For me, searching the object databases, allowing a full nights viewing if I get set up at 8pm local -
January = Ra of target 6hrs +/- 1.5 hrs (65-115 deg Ra, <55 deg Dec)
February = Ra of target 8Hrs +/- 1.5 hrs (95-145 deg Ra, <55 deg Dec) ... add 30 deg
March = Ra of target 10Hrs +/- 1.5 hrs (125-175 deg Ra, <55 deg Dec) ... add 30 deg
etc etc
Next to overlay the moon phases so I can plan dark skies ... or is there a simpler way to achieve this? I have found a good list of targets for many a sleepless night this way. Happy hunting ...
The search website - simple script search, set return to display. Each month add 30 degrees to the Ra to shortlist targets to photograph (allows for 6 hours if conditions are good).
http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-fsam
The following is a query that gives me a list of clusters to view in February (GMT +9.5 hrs location, southern hemisphere) -
ra >95 & ra<145 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=ISM | otypes=GlC | otypes=OpC)
(dec < 55 is our limit of seeing for the southern hemisphere) - copy and paste into the search window
For galaxies in February from my location -
ra >95 & ra<145 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=G | otypes=PoG | otypes=IG | otypes=GiC)
The various types (otypes) to search on are here - can be refined to 1 type or several (up to 4)
http://simbad.cds.unistra.fr/simbad/sim-display?data=otypes
A list of all galaxies to see throughout the year from my location -
ra >0 & ra<360 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=G | otypes=PoG | otypes=IG | otypes=GiC)
A list of all clusters to see throughout the year from my location
ra >0 & ra<360 & dec< 55 & Vmag<=10 & (otypes=ISM | otypes=GlC | otypes=OpC)
For me, searching the object databases, allowing a full nights viewing if I get set up at 8pm local -
January = Ra of target 6hrs +/- 1.5 hrs (65-115 deg Ra, <55 deg Dec)
February = Ra of target 8Hrs +/- 1.5 hrs (95-145 deg Ra, <55 deg Dec) ... add 30 deg
March = Ra of target 10Hrs +/- 1.5 hrs (125-175 deg Ra, <55 deg Dec) ... add 30 deg
etc etc
Next to overlay the moon phases so I can plan dark skies ... or is there a simpler way to achieve this? I have found a good list of targets for many a sleepless night this way. Happy hunting ...
