Enhancing the Alignment Star Catalog

Hello User's group and Gary,

I would like to add about 30 bright stars to the Align Star Catalog. When observing from my home site, I find that, especially in the Autumn, I have trouble finding alignment stars east of the meridian that are not obscured behind trees, buildings etc. I compiled a list of 30 additional bright stars mag 2.5 or brighter, spaced throughout the sky, that would greatly enhance the Align Star Catalog and allow an optimum choice of stars with sufficient separation in right ascension and declination to insure accurate alignment. These stars are all easily visible in bright urban skies, and are distinctive in their individual constellations.

Is it possible to edit the Align Star Catalog? If so, how can I acquire it? ...edit it? ...and reload the enhanced file into my Argo Navis software?
If editing the catalog is not possible, is there a workaround solution to increase the number of alignment stars available to use within the alignment feature?

Thanks, in advance, for your help.

Robert Maraschin

Hi Robert,

Merry Christmas, thanks for the post and welcome to the Group.

Argo Navis allows you to align on any object at any time, including as the initial alignment stars.

For example, to align on Jupiter, dial up MODE CATALOG, PLANETS, JUPITER.
Ignore any NOT ALIGNED warning.
Press EXIT.
Dial up MODE ALIGN.
Press ENTER.
The display will show ALIGN JUPITER.
Centre Jupiter in the eyepiece and press ENTER.

Likewise you could also select any of the thousands of stars in the BRIGHT STAR catalog and use it in conjunction with MODE ALIGN in precisely the same way.

You can also create your own user catalog of bright stars, load them into the unit and then use MODE CATALOG, USER OBJECT, then use a combination of the dial and the ENTER button to access your star.
Press EXIT.
MODE ALIGN. Press ENTER.
Align on your star.

By comparison, the MODE ALIGN STAR catalog is simply a convenient list whose brevity is designed for rapid access.