B>Not sure exactly what you have here? Go to the Help menu on the 'top strip' and click on Tutorial. This will explain exactly what Stella 2000 is and how it works in the most basic terms, as well as affording you some initial 'hands on' experience.
B>Right-click anywhere in the sky window to access Stella's main context menu. Trying out all the options from this popup menu is the easiest way to familiarize yourself with Stella's wide array of features.
B>Each of Stella's sections, or departments, have their own special window: Sky, Report, Observing Log, TimeLine, Location Browser, Special Reference, to name but a few. Most of these windows are equipped with dedicated right-click popup ("context") menus. Try them.
B>Looking for the Manual? Stella offers comprehensive guidance on all aspects of program operation. Just go to the Help Menu on the 'top strip' and click first on Tutorial to get a general overview, and then on Guide - which is available in both RTF format, with index, and HTML. Both can be obtained in do-it-yourself hardcopy (printed out).
B>Familiarity with Stella's workings is most painlessly gained by combining two activities: 1) Studying the copious documentation under the Help menu (we recommend printing out the Guide and Tutorial files); 2) playing with the options, menus, and keypresses (see Keys under the Help menu for a full listing of this most useful way of manipulating Stella). Remember, Stella is not just a planetarium but a complete astronomy suite and, as such, some initial disorientation is to be expected.
B>Is there some particular aspect of Stella's operation you would like to learn more about? Just go to the Help menu on the 'top strip' and from there you can access the Guide to Mouse and Key Functions in both HTML and RTF format.
B>Stella is equipped with a comprehensive array of single-key shortcuts. Most menu entries are covered by a keypress. For a complete list of these, click on Keys under the Help menu on the 'top strip'.
B>To Zoom in: with the sky window focussed, just left-click with the mouse crosshair on the point you wish to magnify, center the display with [c], and then press [z] as many times as you want to zoom in. Zoom functions are also accessible from the menus and toolbar.
B>To zoom out (unzoom), press [x]. Zoom operations are also covered by three buttons on the viewbar for those with keyboard allergies.
B>To recover default magnification after intensive zoom operations, press [ctrl][r] or use the 'restore' button on the viewbar.
B>Full screen mode is Stella's sky display at its most exhilarating. Toggle full screen display mode with [ctrl][s] or with the 'black screen' button on the viewbar. Stella even includes an option to start in full screen mode -- set this from File|Setup|
B>New to astronomy and astronomical terms? -- Under 'Reference' in the 'top strip', click on Solar Guide for a complete and friendly introduction to our immediate neighborhood in space, and Astrogloss for explanations of just about any astronomical term or concept you are likely to come across.
B>Have an urge to trace the moving paths of the Sun, Moon, and planets? Select Clock|Animate from the right-click menu. This will toggle sidereal animation on/off, allowing you to discern clearly the dance of the planets against a stable backdrop of stars.
B>You can toggle animation mode on/off from the sky window's right-click menu entry |Clock|Animate|. Don't forget to choose Clock|Reset to return to present time after an animation session!
B>To speed up animations (slow PC): make sure the Report window is not showing; press the [-] key to further reduce the number of stars shown; turn off grids (and lines if necessary); in cases of extreme slowness, reduce the size of the sky window itself -- certainly make sure you are not in full-screen mode!
B>To slow down animations (fast PC): go into full screen mode with [ctrl][s]; switch on the Report window; increase the number of stars with the [+] key; turn on lines (and grids if necessary).
B>Stella is infinitely configurable as to sky appearance. If you don't like the circular zenith view, for instance, choose Horizon or Intermediate from the Viewbar instead, even changing to your choice of FOUR different projections with Viewpoint|Projection on the right-click menu.
B>Totally confused by the way Stella looks? - Maybe windows missing or the sky seems impossibly 'scrambled' or unfamiliar. Just disable [auto-restore preferences] on the Setup|General page. The default startup values will then be re-saved, so that the next time you use Stella you can begin to define your preferred viewpoints again from scratch.
B>You can show DSO names and comments on the sky display with the right-click menu entry Object|Messier/NGC|Names| (after having enabled DSOs with |Object|Messier/NGC|Set on/off| or [ctrl][m]/[n]). DSO names and comments are also visible on Reports.
B>Need a horizon view with the ground at the bottom to better orientate yourself? Select 'Horizon View' either from the Viewbar, with right-click menu entry Viewpoint|Elevation|Horizon|, or by pressing [H]. The teal-coloured horizon line (with N,S,E,W) becomes a straight line towards the bottom of the sky window, all stars below it being painted dark green. This has the advantage of still allowing you to see which stars lie below your horizon while leaving no doubt that they *are* below the horizon.
B>To read 'number of degrees from horizon to the star referenced': this value is known as Altitude (Alt) and you'll find it prominently displayed in the Report window for any currently selected object, along with Azimuth (Az), Right Ascension (RA), and Declination (Dec). These terms can be looked up in Astrogloss A-Z, now included with Stella 2000 Extended Edition.
B>Hard to figure out what all the Viewbar buttons do? They all have 'tool tips'. Just place the mouse pointer over the one whose function you are unsure of and a short description will appear.
B>Did you know that by far the most efficient way to manipulate Stella is via the keyboard? -- Start practising with keys [c]enter, [z]oom, [x] unzoom, and go on from there. Go to the Help menu and click Keys for a full list of the multiplicity of shortcuts available.
B>Can't find any photos in Stella? Sure you can! i) Just bring up the Picture Window from the View menu, then whenever you click on a planet (or the sun or Moon) in the sky, its photo will apppear there; ii) for continuous display of miniature photos of all the Messier deep sky objects, first press [ctrl][m] to enable Messier, followed by [ctrl][i] for the image icons. Then, to reduce clutter in the sky, zoom in on the area you are interested in. [ctrl][m] and [ctrl][i] have menu equivalents and are both on/off toggles.
B>Need the exact 'course' (in degrees) to a defined star or planet from your position? Just look in the Report window at Alt (altitude) and Az (azimuth). These quantities are known as your Horizon coordinates, because they are relative to your local horizon. But choose RA and Dec, if you are pointing an equatorially mounted telescope.
B>To return to windowed view from full screen sky mode, just click the 'black screen' glyph on the viewbar or press [ctrl][s]. This function is an on/off toggle.
B>To reset the sky view after zooming or increasing/decreasing the number of stars, click the 'restore' button on the Viewbar. [ctrl][r] is the equivalent shortcut.
B>Want to move about the sky quickly? All you do is click on a point and center, click on a point and center etc, or else use the panning functions on the toolbar. Fastest way is: click, [c]entre, click, [c]entre etc. Zoom/unzoom fast with the two keys [z] and [x]. Or use auto-center.
I>The Viewbar can be docked to both the right side and bottom of the Sky window. Just drag it with the mouse. The Viewbar may also be used as a free-floating tool window, or banished altogether via the main menu.
I>It's a good idea to close the report window when in animation mode if your computer is anything less than a PII. And please remember to stop the animation with Clock|Animate before quitting Stella!
I>Need a comprehensive astronomical clock readout at the same time as Stella's handy array of single-key shortcuts? - then you should have the Time Status bar present and disable the Clock bar. Toggle the status bar with [t] and then hide the Clock bar via menu entry Clock|Bar. The clock bar is only useful if you wish to move about in time or exert greater control over time-step animations.
I>Stella's various windows can be moved and resized, and the dimensions and positional settings automatically saved across sessions. This multi-window aspect of Stella 2000 is one of its greatest assets. Don't be confused by the fact that the sky window will adjust to maintain its aspect ratio when stretched.
I>Spotlight mode: after [f]inding a constellation, Stella will move into spotlight mode, a very graphic way of showing the true extent of a star grouping. The quickest way to EXIT spotlight mode is to click once on the Coeli icon in the Search by Name box.
I>Does Stella's sky suddenly look a little skewed or unfamiliar? - You may have inadvertently gone into Inverted or Mirror Image view. These are really only useful for telescopic astronomers. Switch them on/off with menu entry |Settings|Effects|Sky|Invert/Mirror|.
I>Need a quick way of getting back to default viewpoint after a series of zooms? Just press [ctrl][r] or click the 'restore' button on the Viewbar.
I>Stella's pixel resolution is always as high as your screen's. To increase the resolution, go to Windows' Control Panel|Display and choose, say, 1024x768 or even 1280x1024 if your display adapter will handle it.
I>Don't like Stella's initial window layout? - Everything in this area is customizable. Just arrange the windows' position and size to your requirements, and Stella will remember your settings when you next use the program, provided 'auto-restore' and 'auto-store' are both checked under the General Tab on the Setup page (File menu). In trial copies, the Location Browser always appears on startup, but once you register this won't happen unless you want it to.
I>If you'd like to see the sky as it will look in, say, a month, day, hour, or minute from now, all you need to do is call up the Clock bar from the menu entry Clock|Bar. You will then be able to manipulate Stella's sky in time future and time past. Alternatively, you might like to set a specific date at which to view the sky by clicking the menu item Clock|Set.
I>Like to see the sky as it looks from somewhere else in the world - Antarctica or the North Pole, say? The easiest way to travel is with the world map Location Browser. Just click on whatever global position you wish to view the sky, and the new aspect of the heavens will immediately be reflected on Stella's sky display. The Location Browser can be accessed under View on the main menu bar.
I>Another way to view the heavens from various geographic locations is to enter the coordinates manually from the Setup|Observer tab accessible under Setup in the main menu. On this page you can also choose from a list of over 1300 localities worldwide from which to view the sky. After selecting your spot, press [set] followed by [OK] and your new position will be saved for later retrieval.
I>You can reduce load times dramatically by upgrading your system :) Seriously, if your PC is anything less than a P200, you might like to try reducing the number of stars on startup via the Setup|Stars| tab.
I>With Reports in Popup mode, Stella will present the Report window with only a single <left> mouse click on an object, keeping it hidden at other times. Set via right-click menu under Data|Report|Tailor. Popup Reports make for a less cluttered screen, especially when your pixel resolution is low.
I>Stars not bright enough? To show stars at their very brightest, you'll have to sacrifice Stella's realistic colours: go to the |Setup|Stars| tab on the Setup page and check the [monochrome stars] box. The default colour, pure white, is obviously the brightest; set this and click [apply] followed by [ok] if you wish your changes to be permanent.
I>Stars too bright? Dim them down by keeping the [d] key depressed until the desired brightness is reached; lighten them again with [b] or use 'restore' on the Viewbar. To dim stars by diminishing their size, use [D], and reverse the effect with [B].
I>To get more or fewer stars displayed at once, use the [+][-] keys -- numeric keypad is most convenient. If you want your changes to survive subsequent zooms, you'll also need to disable auto-resolution with [a] or via the right-click menu Stars|Autoresolve|.
I>Using [find] on a dim star will get all stars displayed down to that star's magnitude. Press [ctrl][r] to revert to auto-resolution.
I>Star names on the sky display: there is not so much control available for these; their number increases with greater magnification and vice-versa. So if star appears unnamed, zoom in on it. Alternatively, select it and read off its data in the Report window.
I>Only constellation abbreviations visible? Zoom in and soon you will get their full names too: this expedient is to maintain an uncluttered display.
I>Toggle common star names on/off with [N]. Toggle star designations with [j]. See the Help entry |Keys| for more useful shortcuts.
I>A continuous brigthness control to enhance weak stars and dim strong ones: you already have this in the form of the [b]/[d] function, which whitens the stars, thereby brightening them; and the [B]/[D] function, which actually adjusts their size on the 'magnitude scale', rendering the dimmer ones more prominent.
I>Stella offers 4 ways to manipulate the sky display: mouse w/toolbar, mouse w/popup-menu, mouse w/keys, keys alone. We recommend the unique array of single-key shortcuts for the fastest navigation about the sky. Take a look at Keys under the Help menu for a full list. Most are 'intuitive', ie. their letter corresponds to the initial letter of the function in question -- [z]oom, [c]enter, [x]unzoom etc -- but others will take a little learning, so we'll limit ourselves to adding that this small effort will pay off mightily.
I>Stella is the only astronomical program which will display the stars in their real hues, reflecting their spectral type/color index BV (over 256 gradations from blue through white, yellow, orange, red, to violet). It also uniquely allows you to change the intensity and brightness of those 256 different shades to suit both your monitor and taste. The right-click menu entries in question are Effects|Tint|Whiten/Darken, with shortcuts [b] and [d].
G>Have you tried our Pocket Planetarium range? - Astrotray / QuikSky / DeskNite - which load rapidly into your system tray for immediate checks on the sky situation.
G>Don't know your personal location? Hours, minutes, and seconds hard to come by? - Order your registered copy of Stella now, and we will customize it to your precise geographic coordinates.
G>Finding Stella's basic 16,000 star population too limited? Would you like stars down to 10th magnitude? The complete Hipparcos and SAO catalogues are available as Extensions. Stella 2000 Extended Edition includes a plethora of features not present in the basic edition, including the complete Hipparcos catalogue. Choose Extend!, Upgrade!, and Order under the Special menu for full details.
A>Point-and-click [add] to Observation List: In the Observation List window, just click the [add] button once you have selected your object in the sky window.
A>Stella offers the highest zoom of any planetarium software currently available. To test this, centre Castor or Mizar in your display and press [z] as many times as Stella will let you (you may have to recenter by clicking on the star and pressing [c], so high will the magnification become!) You thus see that Stella splits binary stars as well as any high-powered telescope.
A>"If I tell Stella what kind of telescope I have and the eyepiece power, how can I make it tell me what I should be able to see?" Easy: first order a copy of Stella 2000 Extended Edition and install it; then access the My Telescope window, input your telescope's parameters (focal length, aperture etc) and save them for future retrieval. You'll get instant readouts of min/max magnitude, true field, theoretical resolution, Dawes Limit etc simply by selecting your desired scope. You can build a telescope list and refer to any member's capability at the click of a button.
A>To 'rotate the planetarium with keyboard arrows': to do it this way (and I agree it can be handy!): bring up the traverse/elevation tool with [ctrl][d]; now, if you use the arrow keys you will be able to move the projection's center point E-W or up-down, depending on which of these scales has the focus. When the white square reaches the desired altitude/azimuth, just click the [set] button to change the sky's focus of projection. Alternatively, use |Viewpoint|projection|center on object| or Viewpoint|projection|auto-center.
A>"On the world map - if you click on 33*05'N by 96*39'W it puts you in Oklahoma, but these coordinates should be just north of Dallas, TX " is a fine example of failure to read our documentation: as clearly stated in several places, the world map Location Browser is not to be considered in any way accurate. It is there to give you an approximate position in the absence of more precise knowledge of latitude and longitude. It bears repeating that such a small geographic discrepancy as the example given actually makes very little difference to the overall appearance of the night sky.
A>Need a page where you can type in geographic coordinates manually? Just go to Setup|Observer under the File Menu. Make sure all fields are filled in, otherwise default settings will continue to apply. When you are satisfied with your entries, press [apply] followed by [OK].
A>The sky window has occasionally been known to disappear offscreen after a return from full-screen mode. If this should happen, you can always open up Stella.ini in your Windows folder and re-edit the sky window position yourself. The section is [Position] and the entries and their recommended values are SkyFormLeft=0 and SkyFormTop=56. The problem will not recur if you do this.
