Display Messier and Caldwell Objects

Registered by Rob Campbell

A lot of amateur astronomers set out to track down all of the Messier and Caldwell objects. It would, therefore, be very handy if Stellarium could highlight these objects. I envisage an option which would make all M or C objects visible at all zoom levels and distinguish then from other DSOs by making their symbols a different colour and (optionally) labelling them by their M or C number.

Blueprint information

Status:
Complete
Approver:
Alexander Wolf
Priority:
Undefined
Drafter:
None
Direction:
Needs approval
Assignee:
Alexander Wolf
Definition:
Approved
Series goal:
None
Implementation:
Implemented
Milestone target:
milestone icon 0.12.1
Started by
Alexander Wolf
Completed by
Alexander Wolf

Related branches

Sprints

Whiteboard

Alexander Wolf points out that this blueprint is connected with that to "Update the current NGC catalog to a new updated one." I realized this this when making the suggestion. In fact, one reason for the proposal was to fast-track the inclusion of key objects into Stellarium. I think the proposal could be implemented in two steps:

1. All existing M and C objects can be optionally highlighted as described above. This would be a useful feature regardless of the state of the NGC catalog and so could be implemented independently.
2. Add missing objects from these catalogs. The Veil Nebula in Cygnus, for example, is missing. In this manner the inclusion of these key objects into Stellarium could be fast-tracked. This ought to be easy to do and would be a much-needed band-aid whilst we wait for the NGC catalog to be updated.

Once the NGC catalogue is updated it would be possible to add other features (e.g. filtering by object class); but this isn't the motivation behind the present blueprint suggestion.

(?)

Work Items

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* Blueprints in grey have been implemented.

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