Sky Charts 

The tool-bar icons correspond to the main menu functions.

File

You can click a line in this list to show the detailed identification window.

The menu "Preference - Object list content" lets you filter the object type to show in the list:

- Images from different catalogs.
- Stars from GSC and USNO-A catalogs.
- Update the elements of comets and asteroids.

NOTE - You have to be connected to the Internet before you can use this function.

button

It is possible to use the internal viewer or your default browser.

  Exit the program
You are asked to select whether you want to save the current options before you exit. Select Yes if you want to start the next session at the point you stopped here. If you always respond to this question in the same manner, you can check the bottom box to avoid this prompt in the future. The menu Preference allows you to reactivate this question box.

The right mouse button on this icon selects or deselects the automatic refresh of the current chart after every operation.

  Animation. 

Set the step by days, hours, minutes, seconds then click one of the arrows to increment or decrement the current time. It is possible to add a delay by using the cursor or to go step by step.
The position is constant right ascension and declination in the case of equatorial coordinates or constant azimuth and altitude in the case of azimuthal coordinates.
To follow the displacement of a solar system object (planet, comet or asteroid) select it by a right mouse click and select "Track ..." from the menu.
For better animation use only necessary options and a minimum number of catalogs. It is also important to activate the "use memory cache" option.

To record the animation to an AVI or GIF file, indicate the file name, the playback frame rate, the file format and check the "Record" box. Be aware this may create a very large AVI file.

This scale lets you quickly select any value between 6' and 360°. To access a smaller field of view down to 2" you can use the +/- key or the Locate panel.

You can also use a wheelmouse to zoom or the middle button of a three button mouse + the Ctrl key. These both require a recent processor (>1000Mhz) to work well.

Magnitudes
Var   Variable star
Dbl   Double star
b-v   Colour index
Gx    Galaxy
Oc    Open cluster
Gc    Globular cluster
Pl    Planetary nebula
Neb   Bright nebula
N+C   Nebula and cluster
Star  Cataloged nebula identified as star
Unk   Cataloged nebula unidentified
Comet
Asteroid
Planet

  Move the chart in the corresponding direction. You can also use the keyboard arrows or press the middle button or wheel of the mouse.

To find a variable star you can use a name from GCVS like "Y Cas" or "V1357 Cyg" or a suspected variable number like "NSV 1205" or an extragalactic variable name like "SMC V0220" or "N4486 V0002". You can use upper case or lower case for the name. The only exception is "U Her" and "u Her".

Find the planets, comets and asteroids.
The Comets and asteroids list contains only those selected in Catalogs Selection menu. 

Find by constellation name, star name (common name, Bayer, Flamsteed).
For Bayer name enter the Greek letter abbreviation first, then the constellation abbreviation (i.e.: GAM AND for Gamma Andromedae). For Flamsteed numbers enter the star number and the constellation abbreviation.

It is also possible to search for an Uranometria 2000 chart number.

You can do a quick search without opening the main search window by using this box:
In this case you must type the catalog name prefix and catalog number, then press Enter to do the search.
Here are some examples of valid queries: m8, M 8, ngc7331, ic 434, SS cyg, tyc1800 1718, ugc 7517, STF2382, rho oph, 51 peg, pk 29-5.1, mars, ...

- Fonts selection. Use the button on the right to change a font.

- Program language selection.

Two status line menu: You can use this option to use two lines to display the status information. This permits showing the full information for some objects, but also gives more information about the cursor position.

Moving the cursor:
This shows both equatorial and azimuthal coordinates for any projection setting.

After you click on two objects this shows the distance between the two objects, the position angle, and the difference in position in right ascension and in declination.

Telescope

These are the commands that control a telescope from the program. They are available from the button bar, the menu bar or with a right click of the mouse.

 Open the interface screen to configure and connect the telescope.

 Move the chart center to the current telescope position.

 Permanently follow the telescope position.

 This button is active only after you select an object on the chart. If you use an LX200, the telescope coordinates are reset to those of the current object. If you use the encoder, the current object is added to the initialisation list, this also works for initial alignment.

 This button is active only if your telescope accepts the seek order and if you select an object on the chart. This moves the telescope to the selected object.

The right mouse click offers one more option: "Goto Cursor Position" which you can use to move the telescope to any location even if there is no object there.

Mouse functions:
  Movement:

• The cursor coordinates are displayed at bottom-left corner of the screen
• Shift + Move: Continuously identify the objects in the pointer. 

• Simple click: Identification of an object and its distance from the previous pointed object
• Alt + simple click: Swap the default identification function (popup or status bar)
• Shift + simple click: Identification of the objects in the circular pointer.
• Shift + Move: Move the chart, same as middle button.(*)
• Click + movement: Definition of the zoom window.
• Click + movement in the zoom window: Move the zoom window.
• Simple click in the zoom window: Zoom
• Ctrl + simple click: Mark objects position on the picture

• Simple click: Display a menu with following functions:
• • The sky chart is centered where the cursor is located.
  • Identify the objects near the cursor position.
  • Place a finder circle at cursor position. You can move the circle and then use the left button to fix it.
  • Remove the last entered finder circle.
  • Remove all finder circles.
  • Add a free label.
  • Remove the last label.
  • Remove all labels.
  • Identify the planet, comet or asteroid to follow during animation.
  • Sync and Goto telescope command.

 Middle button:

• Click + movement: Move the current window (*).
• Ctrl + vertical movement: Zoom (*).

 Mouse wheel:

• Click + movement: Move the current window (*).
• Rotate: Zoom (*).

(*): This functions require a recent processor (>1000Mhz) to work well.

1	10 minutes field of view
2	1 degree field of view
3	5 degree field of view
4	15 degree field of view
5	30 degree field of view
6	50 degree field of view
7	90 degree field of view
8	120 degree field of view
9	200 degree field of view
a	Show all the visible sky from the current location.
c	Catalog selection and their visibility
e	Show East horizon
f	Find an object
h	Azimuth position for the location and the time
l	Labels of the selected objects
m	Locate by entering the coordinates and the orientation.
n	Show North horizon
p	Copy the screen content to the clipboard or a file
q	Switch equatorial and azimuthal projection.
r	Chart rotation  +15 degree
R	Chart rotation  -15 degree
s	Show South horizon
t	Setting time and date
w	Show West horizon
z	Show the zenith
+	Zoom in twice
-	Zoom out twice
Keyboard arrow	move the chart to the corresponding direction.
Enter:	Hide or show the tool-bars.
Space or Esc	Hide or show the main menu.
Shift	Slow down the zooming and movement
Ctrl	Speed up the zooming and movement

Ciel.exe command will accept the following parameters:
(always use a space between the parameters and their value)
 

It is possible to obtain information about the current chart or to give command to the program using a DDE interface.

Run ciel.exe then insert the following field in a MS Word document:
{DDEAUTO ciel DdeSkyChart DdeData}

The field is replaced by the value from the current chart and is automaticaly updated as the chart changes. 
The values returned by line:
line 1: Data update time
line 2: Chart center coordinates and field of vision
line 3: Status bar value, last object identification
line 4: Time of the chart
line 5: Observing place

Example:
27.11.1999 12:06:07
RA:  0h42m42.00s DEC:+41°16'00.0" FOV:+78°00'00"
  0h42m44.40s +41°16'08.0"  Gx PGC 2557   NGC   224      .SAS3.. D:190.5/61.7' mB: 4.36 b-v:0.92 mB/'2:14.37 RV:  -121
1999-11-27T12:05:09
LAT:+46d13m00sLON:-06d09m00s ALT:375m OBS:Geneve

Use DDE Poke function to send command to the program. Only one command can be sent at a time.
The following commands are available:
 

If you are interested in using this function from a program, I suggest you download an example with Delphi source code from the source code page.
It is the responsibility of the calling program to send coherent values, otherwise results may be unpredictable.