Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Mon, 09/22/2014 - 17:13

Is there a way to produce maps of the constellation using VSP? Or maybe a recommend star atlas?

 

TIA,

David

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Constellation maps

You can find many constellation maps with variables marked on them here:

http://www.aavso.org/online-resources

VSP cannot make constellation maps, nor can it display deep sky objects, constellation boundaries, the ecliptic or planets. It is not intended to substitute for planetarium software. You should probably read the help guide for VSP. It is pretty complete and tells you how to do everything VSP will do.

http://www.aavso.org/files/VSP_Help.pdf

Cheers,
Mike Simonsen
AAVSO

Affiliation
None
Constellation maps

Long ago there were constellation maps, and I found these extremely useful for star hopping and even for binocular variables.  In fact, I still have some, and use them to orient myself when doing binocular variables.  Of course the sequences are out of date and should not be used.

If I were making a wish list for VSP, it would be to include the following capabilities:

1)  Label bright stars; and

2)  Enable inclusion of all variables having maxima brighter than some particular user input value.

The second of these would be useful to visual observers, especially in crowded fields like in Cygnus, for instance.

Affiliation
American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO)
Constellation maps

About halfway down the page at https://www.aavso.org/online-resources is a table of constellation charts, most with their own links.  Constellations without a link are subsumed in one of the linked neighboring constellation charts; for example, Lyn is displayed on the Her chart.  The constellations are alphabetized from top to bottom within each column, rather than across the page; it took me a while to figure that out.