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Stellarium web vs. desktop: question on FOV limits and other differences

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#1 aram12

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Posted 25 August 2020 - 05:34 PM

Just started my journey down the Astronomy hole, as it were.  There's a lot to take in.  Just the way I like it.

 

 

Mucking about with Stellarium I was confused at first that there the sky wasn't as populated in the desktop version (vs the web), but then found the "packs" needed to load the higher magnitude stars.  Up to 18 I believe.

 

But it still seems that Stellarium web can "see further" as it were.  For example, I can "zoom in" and resolve Albaldah into a double star at around FOV .03.  But the desktop version never resolves the double star.  I also seem to be seeing a completely different set of stars around Albaldah from each version of the software.  

 

The naming convention between both versions of the software also confuses me.  In the web version, a star might be labeled Gaia DR2 4082115215097596544.  But there is no such designation in the desktop version.  And when searching for that name in the desktop version, I get zero results.  

 

Forgive me if this is a beginner question, and I'm missing something fundamental.


Edited by aram12, 25 August 2020 - 05:35 PM.


#2 Procyon

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Posted 25 August 2020 - 08:53 PM

Lol, magnitude 18 stars is a deep rabbit hole. You really want to go that deep?

#3 aram12

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Posted 26 August 2020 - 07:07 AM

Ha!  No, probably not.  

 

Again, I was just playing around with Stellarium and noticed that I was getting conflicting information from each version.  Was looking at Albaldah again and in the web version there are clearly stars under 18 magnitude appearing in the surrounding area that are not showing up in the desktop version.  I really want to use the desktop version as it is more feature rich, but either they are using different databases (unlikely), or I'm doing something wrong.  

 

And again, both versions show Albaldah...why doesn't the desktop version show both stars when zoomed in?



#4 Procyon

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Posted 26 August 2020 - 11:00 AM

Hmmmm not sure why.

I like the desktop version much better also. Opened the web version for the first time yesterday but closed it and went back to the nicer desktop version.

#5 gzotti

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Posted 26 August 2020 - 05:00 PM

Desktop version: Started in 2000, based on HIPPARCOS/Tycho/NOMAD. More stars available with DSS and HiPS surveys (when online). Requires installation. Has more options. Details in the User Guide.

Stellarium Web: started from scratch in 2017 by some of the same developers, based on GAIA stars. No installation, runs in a browser, needs online connection.



#6 aram12

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Posted 26 August 2020 - 07:26 PM

Georg,

 

So what you're telling me is that the differences I'm seeing are normal?  As they are based on different...um...surveys?  Not sure of the words here...

 

Meaning, there are options for bringing in more survey data to the Desktop version that will, for example, allow the resolution of Albaldah into a double star?



#7 gzotti

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Posted 27 August 2020 - 04:46 AM

Yes, normal and to be expected.

Stellarium (desktop) lists the star as double and gives WDS data for this star. Separation of 0.30" in 1939. This seems to not have been enough to split in the Hipparcos catalogue. If you switch to a survey image layer like DSS, you see the difficulties ;-) Stellarium (desktop) cannot access GAIA data (as of 2020).



#8 aram12

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Posted 27 August 2020 - 07:25 AM

Right, right.

 

Not sure what you mean by this.  

"If you switch to a survey image layer like DSS, you see the difficulties ;-)"

Isn't DSS a type of survey?  Which DSS survey would I "see the difficulties"?

DSS always stands for Digital Sky Survey?  Or Deep Sky Survey?

 

Did some reading on Hipparcos, Gaia, etc and now have a better idea of what is going on here.  

 

WDS: Washington Double Star Catalog? 

 

I just realized that the letters and numbers underneath the name of the celestial body are the catalogs it resides in.  Is that correct?  Although n Sgr for Albaldah is obviously a reference to the constellation..

 

And if all this info is in the Stellarium Manual, apologies.   Please direct me there if my questions are too basic.  


Edited by aram12, 27 August 2020 - 07:28 AM.


#9 gzotti

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Posted 27 August 2020 - 02:41 PM

It helps to follow suggestions...

 

If you switch on DSS, you will see a hugely bright star with spikes. No chance to identify a companion 0.3" away. These are the difficulties I am referring to.



#10 aram12

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Posted 28 August 2020 - 08:28 AM

Sure.  I already had done so, and with so many different DSS options, I thought you were referring to 1 in particular.  You're saying all DSS are unable to identify such a double star.

 

I'll search and post elsewhere in the forums for my further questions on Surveys.  Thanks for your time.




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