Software Bisque Knowledge Base Article – 1093

SYMBOLS FOR GALAXIES ARE NOT VISIBLE

ISSUE

The symbols that represent galaxies on the Virtual Sky are not visible (or difficult to see).

RESOLUTION

Depending on the field of view, and the size of the galaxy, TheSky6 represents galaxies as either a filled ellipse (at fields of view greater than 1 degree) or as a photograph of the object (at fields of view of less than one degree or so, depending on the size of the galaxy). Earlier versions of TheSky represented galaxies as a small “bitmap” picture that did not change size.

To ensure that galaxy symbols are visible, or to make them more visible:

Step I:
1. Click View | Display Explorer to show the Display Explorer window.
2. Navigate to the Non-Stellar | Galactic option.
3. Mark the check box next to the word Galactic.

This will ensure that all objects classified as type “galaxy” are turned on.

Step II:
By default, galaxies are filled with a light gray gradient fill. This fill color can make galaxies difficult to see on some computer screens.

1. Click View | Display Explorer to show the Display Explorer window.
2. Navigate to the Non-Stellar | Galactic option.
3. Expand the Galactic node.
4. Click the icon next to the Display properties text to display the Properties dialog box for galaxies.
5. On the Display Properties tab, click Fill to edit the fill color of galaxies.
6. Select the color yellow (or your preferred color) on the Color dialog box and then click OK.
7. Click Apply.

Galaxies are now filled with the color yellow, and should be easier to see in dense star fields.

To verify that the symbols for galaxies are visible:

1. Click View | Display Explorer to show the Display Explorer window.
2. Expand the Image Groups node and clear the check box next to the Non-Stellar Color Pictures text. This turns off the display of pictures of the larger galaxies. You can mark this option after verifying that galaxies are turned on.
3. Click View | Non-stellar options.
4. Clear the Plot DSS thumbnail images of NGC, IC, PGC and PLN objects option and click OK. This turns off the display of Digitized Sky Survey thumbnail photographs of galaxies. You can mark this option after verifying that galaxies are displayed.
5. Click Edit | Find.
6. Enter M31 and then click Center and Frame.

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) will appear as a filled yellow ellipse in the center of the Virtual Sky.

Use the Find command and the Frame Object option to similarly locate any other galaxy in TheSky6’s databases.

APPLIES TO

TheSky6, all Editions.

KEYWORDS

SBKB

Last Reviewed: 11/24/2004