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AstroHelm Docs

Object Catalog

AstroHelm ships with a fully offline catalog of deep-sky objects. No internet connection is required at your observing site.

What’s Included

Section titled “What’s Included”

Free version include all solar system objects (planets, the Moon, and the Sun) plus a curated selection of objects that are well-placed for tonight’s sky at your location.

Plus version add the complete Messier and Caldwell catalogs, along with all stars that carry a Bayer or Flamsteed designation.

Finding an Object

Section titled “Finding an Object”

There are two ways to locate an object: the catalog browser and search.

Catalog Browser

Section titled “Catalog Browser”

The Messier and Caldwell tabs show the full catalog as a scrollable list. Each entry shows the object’s type and current altitude so you can quickly judge what’s observable from your site tonight.

If you already know the catalog number, the search bar at the bottom of the catalog accepts designations directly (for example, M42 or C104) and jumps straight to that entry.

Section titled “Search”

The search screen lets you find stars, planets, and deep-sky objects. For stars, you can enter a Bayer designation using either the full Latin constellation name or its standard abbreviation — for example, Alpha Orionis or α Ori — as well as the star’s IAU common name, such as Betelgeuse. For deep-sky objects, both catalog numbers and common names are supported.