Astronomical Catalogs, Sky Databases and Photos

TheSky Professional provides an extensive set of astronomical catalogs and the tools to quickly access information from them. The "core" databases include many industry-standard astronomical catalogs. They should meet your needs whether you're star hopping with your telescope, taking CCD images of faint galaxies, or computing sub-arcsecond astrometric positions of minor planets.  

 

TheSky Pro also includes an extensive set of optional "non-typical" Sky Databases (SDBs) that contain many unusual or hard to find objects that may not appear on standard astronomical catalogs.

 

Database Category

Core Astronomical Catalogs

Solar System Objects

Catalog Cross References

Sky Databases (SDBs)

My Chart Elements

Optional TheSky Databases module

Photographs

 

Core Astronomical Catalogs

 

TheSky Professional includes databases of celestial objects from the standard astronomical catalogs in the table below.  

 

Use TheSky Professional's Find command to locate any object from any of these catalogs by name, catalog number or other standard cross references (where applicable).

 

Catalog Type

Name of Catalog

Object Count and Limiting Magnitude

Stars

 

Hipparcos/Tycho Stellar Catalog

 

1.2 million stars (complete to about magnitude 12)

 

This is TheSky's core star catalog for brighter stars.  

 

Gaia DR3 Star Catalog

 

Gaia DR3 Star Catalog Support

The complete Gaia catalog occupies over 2 TB of disc space and can be downloaded from the Gaia archive page.  When configured to use the complete Gaia catalog, TheSky Professional’s Sky Chart displays every star from the Gaia catalog along with the accompanying Gaia “metadata” as described on the Gaia website.

 

If you do not need all that data, TheSky Professional supports two Gaia star catalog subsets that should suit the needs of most:

 

  • Small Gaia Subset: The small Gaia subset contains the RA, Dec, G/BP/RP mean magnitudes, spectral class, star distance in light years, stellar temperature, and proper motion for about 100 million stars that are equally distributed across the celestial sphere.  It is ideal for determining the astrometric solutions.  This database is included with TheSky's full installers.

 

  • Large Gaia Subset: The larger Gaia subset contains 1.806 billion stars, with the same information as the smaller subset described above.  Successful Image Links are possible using optical systems that produce fields of view as small as about 3 arc minutes.  This database is available on the Databases module Version 4.

 

Gaia Catalog Subsets

Catalog

Number of Stars

Size  

Small Gaia Subset

~80 million stars

6 GB

Large Gaia Subset

1.806 billion stars

115 GB

 

 

Legacy star catalog support

 

 

The Gaia star catalog supersedes these legacy star catalogs

Double Stars

Washington Catalog of Double Stars (WDS)

99,068 double stars

 

Struve Double Star Catalog

4,307

Variable Stars

General Catalog of Variable Stars (GCVS)

37,383

Suspected Variable Stars

New Suspected Variable Star Catalog (NSV)

14,812

Non-Stellar Objects

New General Catalog (NGC) from the NGC/IC Project

 

NGC/IC Database Copyright Notice

 

7,840

Index Catalog (IC) from the NGC/IC Project

 

NGC/IC Database Copyright Notice

 

5,382

 

Tomm Lorenzin 2000+ Catalog

2,088

 

Herschel Catalog

400

 

Caldwell Catalog

109

Messier Catalog

110

Saguaro Astronomy Club (SAC) Database

10,580

 

Galaxies

Catalog of Principle Galaxies (PGC 2011)

1,670,818

Arp Peculiar Galaxies

 

338

Planetary Nebula

PK Planetary Nebula Catalog (PLN)

1,455

 

Clusters of Galaxies

Abell Clusters of Galaxies

2,712

 

Globular Clusters

Galactic Globulars

2,495

 

Solar System Objects

  • Sun

  • Mercury

  • Venus

  • Earth

  • Earth's Moon

  • Mars

  • Jupiter

    • Io

    • Ganymede

    • Europa

    • Callisto

  • Saturn

    • Enceladus

    • Mimas

    • Tethys

    • Dione

    • Rhea

    • Titan

    • Hyperion

    • Iapetus

  • Uranus

  • Neptune

 

22

Small Solar System Bodies

 

  • Asteroids (minor planets)

TheSky can show all known asteroids.  At this time, there are approximately 1 million known asteroids, and the IAU databases can be imported into TheSky directly from the web.   

 

 

  • Comets

1100 comets can be imported and displayed at a time.  The orbital elements can be updates from the web directly within TheSky.

 

  • Pluto

Demoted from a planet to a small solar system body, but still one of our favorites!

Artificial Satellites

  • 100 Brightest Satellites

  • Amateur Radio Satellites

  • CubeSats Satellites

  • Disaster Monitoring Satellites

  • Earth Resources Satellites

  • Education Satellites

  • Engineering Satellites

  • Experimental Satellites

  • FENGYUN 1C Debris

  • Galileo Satellites

  • Geodetic Satellites

  • Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES)

  • Geostationary Satellites

  • Global Positioning System (GPS) Operational Satellites

  • Globalstar Satellites

  • Glonass Operational Satellites

  • Gorizont Satellites

  • Intelsat Satellites

  • International Space Station

  • Iridium Satellites

  • Last 30 Days' Launches

  • Miscellaneous Military Satellites

  • Molniya Satellites

  • National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Satellites

  • Navy Navigation Satellite System (NNSS) Satellites

  • Orbcomm Satellites

  • Other Communication Satellites

  • Other Miscellaneous Satellites

  • Radar Calibration Satellites

  • Raduga Satellites

  • Russian LEO Navigation Satellites

  • Satellite-Based Augmentation System (WAAS/EGNOS/MSAS) Satellites

  • Search & Rescue (SARSAT) Satellites

  • Space & Earth Science Satellites

  • Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System Satellites

  • Weather Satellites

 

Satellite Two Line Elements (or TLEs, the data required to compute satellite positions) can be imported directly from the web using the Satellites command.

 

The Hipparcos-Tycho Catalog is the primary stellar databases used to display information by TheSky for stars to about 12 magnitude and brighter.   TheSky also cross-references stars from the following catalogs:

 

  • Bayer/Flamsteed Catalog

  • Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Catalog (SAO)

  • Positions and Proper Motion catalog (PPM)

  • Henry Draper Catalog (HD)

  • Other star catalogs, where applicable

 

 

Catalog Cross References

TheSky cross-references the following catalogs. Use TheSky's powerful search feature to locate them.

 

Cross-Referenced Catalogs  

Search Prefix

Object Count

Arakelian Catalog of Galaxies

ARAK

595

Bayer/Flamsteed Designations

n/a

n/a

Bonner Durchmusterung Number

B+nn nnnnn

-

Caldwell Catalog

Caldwell + Cn

109

Cape Durchmusterung Number

P-nn nnnn

-

Catalog of Galaxies and Clusters of Galaxies

CGCG

29,809

Common Non-Stellar Object Names

name of object

 

Common Star Names

name of object

 

Constellations

name of constellation

88

Cordoba Durchmusterung

C-nn nnnnn

-

David Dunlop Observatory Catalog of Galaxies

DDO

242

Fairall Catalog of Galaxies

FAIR

1,185

Henry Draper number

HD

359,083

Infrared Astronomical Survey

IRAS

9,347

Karachentseva Catalog of Galaxies

KARA

183

Kazaryan UV Galaxies

KAZ

581

Kiso UV Galaxies

KUG

5,455

Messier Catalog

M

110

Positions and Proper Motions Number

PPM

-

Second Byurakay Survey

SBS

259

Smithsonian Astrophysical Catalog (SAO)

SAO

258,997

Struve Catalog

STRUVE

3,100

Tololo Galaxies

TOL

111

University of Michigan Catalog of Galaxies

UM

652

unnamed

1SZ

26

unnamed

2SZ

32

unnamed

ARP

560

unnamed

ESO

16,239

unnamed

LGS

5

unnamed

VV

1,161

Uppsala General Catalog of Galaxies

UGC

13,073

Virgo Cluster Catalog of Galaxies

VCC

2097

Weinberger Catalog of Galaxies

WEIN

207

Zwicky1

1ZW

238

Zwicky2

2ZW

199

Zwicky3

3ZW

159

Zwicky4

4ZW

203

Zwicky5

5ZW

531

Zwicky6

6ZW

238

Zwicky7

7ZW

1,145

Zwicky8

8ZW

645

 

Optional Sky Databases (SDBs)

TheSky includes additional astronomical catalogs as optional Sky Databases.

 

Optional Sky Databases

Search Prefix

Object Count

Object Type

1.4-GHz Northern Sky

1-4ghz

31524

Reference Point

6C Survey of Radio Sources

6CSRSI

1761

Radio Source

6C Survey of Radio Sources II

6CSRSII

8278

Radio Source

6C Survey of Radio Sources III

6CSRSIII

8749

Radio Source

6C Survey of Radio Sources IV

6CSRS-IV

5421

Radio Source

6C Survey of Radio Sources V – A

6CSRS-VA

2229

Radio Source

6C Survey of Radio Sources V – B

6CSRS-VB

1229

Radio Source

6C Survey of Radio Sources VI

6CSRS-VI

6752

Radio Source

Abell - Zwicky Clusters of Galaxies

AGC

2712

Cluster of Galaxies

Abell Planetary Nebulae

APN

86

Nebula

Ackerman Red Stars

ARS

267

Reference Point

APM Bright Galaxy Catalogue

APM

14681

Galaxy

Arp Globular Clusters

Arp-GC

43

Globular Cluster

Arp Peculiar Galaxies

ARP-PG

38

Galaxy

Barnard's Dark Nebulae

Barnard

349

Dark Nebula

Bright Nebulae Drawings (TMB)

TMB-BN

25743

Bright Nebula

Catalog of Bright Galaxies

CBG

4364

Galaxy

Celestron NexStar Doubles

CND

55

Double Star

Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud

LMC-CV

97

Variable Star

Cluster System of the Large Magellanic Cloud

LMC-CL

1762

Mixed Deep Sky

Cool Galactic Carbon Stars

CCS

5987

Reference Point

Cousins Photometric Standards

CPS

670

Reference Point

Culled Henden CI Labels

HC-L

0

Reference Point

Dark Nebulae Isophotes TMB

DND

650

Dark Nebula

Declination Zero

 

51

Reference Line

Declination Zero Label

 

13

Reference Point

DeepMap 600

 

470

Reference Point

Don Macholtz Messier Marathon

Macholtz

110

Target Object

Double Stars with common names

 

169

Double Star

Einstein Observatory Ex M-S Survey

EMSS

835

X-Ray Source

Feitzinger Dark Nebula

FZ-DN

489

Dark Nebula

Feitzinger Globules

FG

331

Reference Point

Florsch - Small Magellanic Cloud Stars      

SMC-Florsch

584

Reference Point

G2 V Stars from SIMBAD Query

G2V

688

Reference Point

Galactic Globular Clusters – Monella

GC-Monella

160

Globular Cluster

Galactiglob Galaxies

TJ-GG

2495

Galaxy

Galaxy Isophote M51 Example

BSR-GI

902

Galaxy

Heinz Nebula Small Magellanic Cloud

HN

117

Nebula

Hendon 3C

H3C

504

Reference Point

Herbig-Haro Objects

HH

454

Reference Point

HW Clusters Large Magellanic Cloud

HW-SMC

87

Globular Cluster

IRAS 1.2 Jy Redshift

IRAS-1.2

9899

Galaxy

IRAS Small Scale Structure

IRASS

16740

Reference Point

Kron Clusters Small Magellanic Cloud

SMC-KRON

69

Globular Cluster

Landolt Faint Photometric Standards

LFPS

526

Reference Point

Landolt Photometric Standards

LPS

1154

Reference Point

Landolt Photometric Standards South

LPS-S

109

Reference Point

Lindsay Clusters Small Magellanic Cloud

SMC-L

118

Globular Cluster

Lynds' Bright Nebulae

LBN

1053

Bright Nebula

Lynds' Dark Nebulae

LDN

1791

Dark Nebula

Meade Alignment Star Labels

MAS

78

Reference Point

Michael Covington Deep Sky Objects

COV

200

Mixed Deep Sky

Milky Way Globular Clusters

MW-GC

150

Globular Cluster

Molonglo Reference - Radio Sources

Molongo Radio

12141

Radio Source

Navigational Stars

NavStar

58

Reference Point

NB Carbon Stars – Skiff

NBC

211

Reference Point

Nebulae in the Magellanic Clouds- HII

LMC-HII

358

Nebula

NGC and -IC objects UNKNOWN magnitudes

 

982

Mixed Deep Sky

NGC Max Alignment Stars – JMI

JMI

30

Star

Objects in the Direction of the SMC

SMC-B

965

Reference Point

Open Cluster Data 5th Edition (Lynga 1987)

OC-L

1151

Open Cluster

Palomar Globular Clusters

PAL

15

Globular Cluster

Palomar Sky Survey - 102 CD labels

DSS-102

0

Reference Point

Palomar Sky Survey Plates Additional Data

POSS

1037

Reference Point

Parkes Radio Sources

PKS90

8264

Radio Source

Planetary Nebulae in LMC

LMC-PLN

169

Planetary Nebula

Pulsars  (Taylor+ 1993)

PULSARS

558

Radio Source

Query Common Non-Stellar

 

329

Mixed Deep Sky

RealSky CD's North Labels

RealSky-N

765

Reference Point

RealSky CD's South Labels

RealSky-S

800

Reference Point

RealSky North & South Labels

RealSky-NS

658

Reference Point

Redshift Galaxies

RG

12844

Galaxy

Rich Clusters of Galaxies (North)

RC-GN

 2712

Cluster of Galaxies

Rich Clusters of Galaxies (South)

RC-GS

1364

Cluster of Galaxies

Roslund Red Stars in Scorpious

RR

69

Reference Point

Seyfert Galaxies

Seyfert

121

Galaxy

Shapley-Ames Bright Galaxies

SA-BG

1246

Galaxy

Shapley-Ames Bright Galaxies

SA-BG

1246

Galaxy

Sharpless HII Regions

SH-

313

Nebula

Skiff North Bright Standards

BK-NBS

119

Reference Point

Star Clusters and Associations

SCA

1039

Open Cluster

Stars in the Double-Double

DDS

2

Star

Supernova Remnants – Green

SNR-G

231

Supernova

Terzan Globular Clusters

Ter

11

Globular Cluster

Third Catalogue of Nearby Stars

CNS3

3802

Reference Point

Trapezium Circumstellar disks

TCD

149

Reference Point

Trapezium ROSAT PSPC

Trap-XRay

171

X-Ray Source

Trapezium Stars – TMB

 

14

Star

Trapezium Stars VizieR

Trap-Vzr

292

Reference Point

Trumpler Clusters

Tr

34

Open Cluster

Trumpler Stars

Tr-S

39

Reference Point

UV-Excess Galaxies

UVG

8162

Galaxy

Van Den Berg Reflection Nebulae

Vdb

158

Nebula

Video Calibration Stars

VCS

958

Target Object

W-G Clusters Small Magellanic Cloud

WG

18

Globular Cluster

Yale Bright Star Catalog 1st half

YBSC-1

4991

Star

Yale Bright Star Catalog 2nd half

YBSC-2

4105

Star

Want More Data?

There are literally millions of astronomical catalogs, so we cannot include them all.  If TheSky's supplied databases of objects are not enough, and you wish to access a database that is not currently included, please let us know, and we'll try to add your database to future updates, or post it for download.


Ephemeral Data

TheSky predicts and charts the positions of comets, minor planets, and artificial satellites.  The data required to accurately display these objects changes frequently and must be updated from different sources on the web. Use the links below to download updated orbital element data.  TheSky can be configured to automatically download TLE datasets each time it is launched.

 

Use the Find command to locate any object from these catalogs.

 

Object Type

Object Count

Web Site Address to Obtain Updated Orbital Element Data

Comets

Up to 1100 at a time

Minor Planet Center

 

Artificial Satellites

Up to 20,000 at a time

Celestrak Website

 

Large Database Asteroids

All known asteroids (More than 1 million, with more being discovered all the time).

 

Minor Planet Center

 

Lowell Observatory

 

My Chart Elements

TheSky Professional allows you to add objects to the Sky Chart (such as stars, galaxies, labels or reference lines and more) so that you can generate your own databases.  

 

Photographs

TheSky Professional includes photos of many deep-space objects, planets, the Moon and more.