(c) Skyhound

The SkyTools 3 Database Power Search Tool

Use this powerful tool to mine the extensive SkyTools Standard/Pro Edition databases for objects to observe. 

Near Earth Asteroids 16th magnitude or brighter that are above the horizon in complete darkness

Basic search filters that can be applied to any search:

  • Logged or not -- only show those objects you have not yet logged, or only those you have

  • Search within a radius -- only show those objects close to a given object or position

  • Search one or more constellations

  • Apply basic visibility criteria on a specific night -- specific acceptable altitude and sky darkness conditions

  • Apply visual detection criteria - for a specific night, location, and telescope.  E.g. difficult or better, or obvious only

Specialized search criteria for:

  • Stars -- select by magnitude, color, distance, proper motion, etc.  Search for variable stars or double star pairs that meet your criteria.  Include only those that appear in one or more catalogs.

  • Galactic Deep Sky Objects -- select nebulae and clusters by magnitude, diameter, distance, sub-type, etc.

  • Extragalactic Deep Sky Objects -- select galaxies, galaxy groups and quasars by magnitude, size, distance, redshift, subtype, etc.  Galaxies can be selected by orientation, Hubble class, surface brightness, radial velocity and eliipticity.

  • Minor Planets -- select minor planets / asteroids by magnitude, distance, apparent motion across the sky, orbit class, or orbital parameters.  Pro edition only.

  • Comets -- select comets by magnitude, distance, elongation from the sun, absolute magnitude, date of perihelion passage, orbit type, or orbital parameters.  Pro edition only.

Also see the Nightly Observing List Generator for simplified searching.