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letters, and zero to three digits, such as 1989 AC or 1997 XF11. Later, when the object has been observed often enough that its orbit is well determined, it is given its number and, usually, a name.) Enter the provisional designation, and Guide will also recenter on that asteroid. Bright open clusters have usually been given Messier, NGC, or IC numbers. Others appear in catalogs like Collinder, Tombaugh, or Berkeley. For a list of these catalogs click on the "Open Cluster" menu item. Select a catalog, type the number of the desired cluster in that catalog, and Guide will recenter on that object. Globular clusters are huge collections of up to millions of stars, packed into dense balls. They form a loose halo around our galaxy (and around most other galaxies), and contain some of the oldest stars in the universe. Examples are Messier 13, Omega Centauri, and 47 Tucanae. Most have Messier, NGC, or IC numbers; you can find the rest (such as Palomar and Terzan objects) in the "Go To... Globular Cluster" menu. The "Constellation" option lists the 88 recognized constellations. Click on one, and Guide will recenter on it. You can also reach this using the > hotkey, or by clicking on the constellation abbreviation shown in the legend area. "Go to .TDF" is used to find objects in user-added datasets. (See page 64.) Click on this option and Guide lists currently installed user datasets. Click on one and enter the name of an object in that dataset. If Guide can find that object, it will recenter the chart on it. 5a: Finding stars The "Star" option in the "Go to" menu puts you in the following menu: Bayer/Flamsteed Yale (Bright Star) SAO PPM HD Guide Star Catalog Common Name Variable Star NSV Double Star Supernova DM (Durchmusterung) Hipparcos Nearby star In the "Bayer/Flamsteed" option you specify a star by its Bayer letter or Flamsteed number. Bayer letters (page 3) refer to stars with a Greek letter followed by a constellation, for example:
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