Catalog

The catalog shows all available celestial objects: stars, deep-sky objects (DSOs), planets, and constellations.

Overview

The catalog opens as a full-screen view via the menu or the header of the main screen.

Filter Tabs

Use the tabs at the top to filter by object type:

Search Bar

Tap the search bar to search by name, catalog ID (e.g. “M42”, “NGC 7000”), or constellation.

Sorting

The sort icon (↑↓) in the title bar changes the order of objects:

The selected sort order is saved and persists across app launches.

Visibility Filter

The “Visible only (Alt > 10°)” toggle hides objects that are below the horizon or very low.

Object List

Each object shows:

• Name (in the selected language)
• Catalog ID (e.g. M42, C39, HIP 32349)
• Constellation
• Brightness (magnitude)
• Current position: Direction and angular distance from the telescope
• Heart icon: Tap to save the object as a favorite

Object Details

Tap an object to open the detail view:

• Reference image (for DSOs, if available) — long-exposure image as a visual reference
• Position: Current azimuth and altitude
• Brightness and size (or distance in AU for planets)
• Warnings: “Below horizon” (red) or “Very low — significant haze possible” (yellow)

Observation Recommendation

For Messier objects and planets, the detail view shows an observation recommendation based on your equipment:

• Aperture warning — If your telescope does not meet the minimum aperture for an object (e.g. globular clusters require at least 100mm), an orange warning is shown
• Magnification range — Dynamically calculated from your telescope’s aperture and the optimal exit pupil for the object. The same exit pupil yields higher magnification with a larger telescope
• Based on — Shows which telescope is used for the calculation (the default telescope selected in Settings)
• Matching eyepieces — Which of your eyepieces (focal length + field of view) fall within the recommended range. Color-coded quality dots indicate suitability: green (ideal), yellow (acceptable), orange (marginal)
• Barlow combinations — Eyepieces used with a Barlow lens are shown as additional options
• Recommended filters — If filters are recommended for the object (e.g. UHC, OIII for emission nebulae), matching filters from your equipment are shown
• Quality rating — Tap the quality dot to see details: distance from optimal magnification, exit pupil, Barlow penalty, and aperture notes

Note: Configure your telescope and eyepieces under Equipment for recommendations to appear. Without a telescope, magnification values cannot be calculated.

Catalog Membership

Below the object name, catalog badges indicate membership (e.g. “M31”, “C1”). Tap a badge to see all objects of the same catalog (Messier, Caldwell) in a dedicated list view. From there you can navigate directly to further objects.

Actions in the Detail View

• “Set as Target” — Sets the object as the navigation target and returns to the main screen
• “Show in Constellation” — Shows the object in the context of its constellation (not available for planets)
• “Add to List” — Adds the object to an observation list

Constellation Detail View

Tapping a constellation opens the constellation view:

• Star chart: Graphical representation of the constellation with connecting lines
• “Lines” toggle: Show/hide constellation lines
• “DSO” toggle: Show deep-sky objects in the constellation
• Magnitude slider: Controls which stars are shown by brightness
• Object list: All stars and DSOs in the constellation, filterable by type

Tap an object in the list to highlight it on the star chart and navigate to its detail view.