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General

Location is used to select a particular location on the earth's surface. A location is required to calculate the times and angles in the report. The location used in a new document is the Favorite Location as selected using the Location Manager. Note that when an existing document is opened, it retains the same location that was selected when the document was saved. You may select any location by highlighting its name in the drop down list.

If the location you want to use is not in the list, you can modify locations using the Location Manager on the Options menu. If you add, delete, or edit locations while a document is open, the changes will appear in the open document.

Apply Local Horizon Model If Any allows you to apply a local horizon model to the calculation of rise and set times of selected objects if the selected location has a horizon model defined in it. If a local horizon model is applied and the selected location has a local horizon model defined for it, rise & set times are the approximate times at which an object rises above and sets beneath the local horizon model. If a local horizon model is not applied, or if the selected location has no horizon model defined, rise and set times are calculated for a perfectly flat horizon.

Exclude Objects Never Visible at Latitude is used to exclude objects from the report based on the latitude of the selected location. Any object whose declination cannot be seen at any time during the year because of the observer's latitude is excluded from the report.

Catalog is used to select one or more catalogs in the database. Catalogs appear in a multi-selection list box so you can use the standard Windows shift-click and ctrl-click techniques to select multiple catalogs. Notice that some controls are disabled, depending on which catalog(s) you have selected. You can control whether the catalog list contains catalog descriptions in Preferences.

Designation is used to select how catalog items are identified and how you may search for them. When a new document is opened Ignore is selected.

▪Ignore applies to all catalogs. This option allows you to search for objects regardless of their designation. If Ignore is selected, Object Number/Name cannot be specified.

▪Catalog Number applies to catalogs that contain a sequence of consecutively numbered objects such as the NGC catalog. This option is disabled if multiple catalogs are selected.

▪Catalog Alphanumeric applies to catalogs that contain objects that are identified by means other than a sequence number. For example the Herschel 400 catalog contains objects designated by a sequence number and a classification number separated by a hyphen. Objects in the PN catalog are identified by their galactic position. This option is disabled if multiple catalogs are selected.

▪Common Name applies to all catalogs. This option allows you to search for an object by a common name rather than it's official catalog designation.

Object Number/Name is used to specify object numbers or names once the designation type has been determined.

Searching by Catalog Number

Lowest and Highest specify the range of objects to be included in the report from a catalog containing a sequence of consecutively numbered objects. The range specification is inclusive. If a single catalog is selected, the range of valid object numbers for the selected catalog is displayed. Select Catalog Number in Designation to enter values into the Lowest or Highest boxes. If 0 is entered for Lowest, the search begins with the lowest number in the catalog. If 0 is entered for Highest, the search ends with the highest number in the catalog. So, for example, if you want to search the first 100 NGC objects, you could leave 0 in Lowest and enter 100 in Highest. If you want to search the entire catalog, you can check Ignore, or uncheck Ignore and leave Lowest and Highest set to 0. If an object number is entered that is too large for the selected catalog, it is changed to the maximum number for the catalog.

Searching by Catalog Alphanumeric Name

Objects in several catalogs are identified by their galactic coordinates or some other non-numeric identifier. Object Name formats vary by catalog. If you have selected a single catalog, an Example Name for the selected catalog is displayed (click for formats). Name allows you to select objects in these catalogs for the search. Select Catalog Alphanumeric in Designation to enter a value into the Name box. Wild card characters * and ? are allowed. For example, entering * matches all objects in the catalog.

Searching by Common Name

Any object may have a common name associated with it, but not all objects have common names. You may enter the common name into Name. Select Common Name in Designation to enter a value into the Name box. Wild card characters * and ? are allowed. Note that entering * does not create a report of the entire catalog, only those items in the catalog that have a common name.

Observed allows you to specify whether your Observing Log should be checked during the search.

▪Ignore does not checking the Observing Log for an observation of objects

▪No includes objects in the report that do not appear in the Observing Log

▪Yes includes objects in the report that appear in the Observing Log

Search/Sort Options Summary gives a brief synopsis of the options selected on other tabs of the document.