V5.0.09 made the following changes:

• A problem accessing DSS images from the STScI web site was fixed. (This is the "Overlays | DSS FITS Image from Internet" function.)
• A bug that prevented viewing some Observing List files was corrected.

V5.0.08 made the following changes:

• An option to suppress the NGC prefix on DSO labels was added.
• Support for the Argo Navis version of the ServoCAT was added.
• An option to select the maximum slew distance (in arc-minutes) was added to the LX200 "Move" dialog box.
• The Tangent telescope interface was modified to correctly display the telscope position marker when a clock-driven equatorial mount is used.
• An "Append to File" option was added to the data box context menu. This will append the data box information to a file. For each new session of MegaStar, you will be prompted for the file name the first time an append operation is performed. That file name will remain in effect for the entire session.
• An option was added to the "Overlays | Image Options" dialog box to select which type of Digitized Sky Survey image to retrieve when downloading an image directly from the DSS web site (using the "Overlays | DSS FITS Image from Internet" function).
• A bug which affected the adding of Auxiliary DSOs to an Observing List was fixed.
• Filtering Auxiliary DSOs by constellation was fixed.
• When an equinox other than 2000 was specified for an imported data set, the data box would display the raw file coordinates, rather than the precessed coordinates. This was fixed.

V5.0.07 made the following changes:

• Celestron NexStar GT/GPS/CGE interface
  A bug in the slewing function was fixed.
• Digitized Sky Survey support
  A new option was added to the Overlays menu: "DSS FITS Image from Internet"
  This will display a DSS image by downloading the FITS file from the STScI web site "on the fly."
  Please note the following instructions and limitations:
  1. An internet connection must already be established before using this feature.
  2. This feature has only been tested using a broadband internet connection. Please report your results with a dial-up connection.
  3. This will probably not work if you are connecting through a proxy server.
  4. Regardless of the current field size, the maximum image size will be one degree.

V5.0.07 made the following changes:

• Celestron NexStar GT/GPS/CGE interface
  A bug in the slewing function was fixed.
• Digitized Sky Survey support
  A new option was added to the Overlays menu: "DSS FITS Image from Internet"
  This will display a DSS image by downloading the FITS file from the STScI web site "on the fly."
  Please note the following instructions and limitations:
  1. An internet connection must already be established before using this feature.
  2. This feature has only been tested using a broadband internet connection. Please report your results with a dial-up connection.
  3. This will probably not work if you are connecting through a proxy server.
  4. Regardless of the current field size, the maximum image size will be one degree.

V5.0.06 made the following changes:

• USNO A2.0 data
  Modified to handle the new format for USNO A2.0 data that is downloaded from the USNO web site. This only affects the option in MegaStar to plot the data from a downloaded text file. This version will also read the new B1.0 data. You do not need to specify which type of data the file contains. It will be automatically recognized, provided you do not modify the downloaded text file in any way.
• Manual adjustment of DSO label positions
  To move the positions of individual DSO labels manually, follow these steps:
  1. Press the Shift key.
  2. Left click on the DSO symbol whose label you want to move.
  3. Continue pressing the left mouse button and move the cursor to the desired label position.
  4. Release the left mouse button. The label will then move to the new position.
  The modified label positions will persist indefinitely, even between sessions. You can, however, remove all of the manual changes by clicking the "Undo Manual Positions" button, which has been added to the "DSOs | Label Options" dialog box.
  You can move up to 1000 labels. If you exceed 1000, the previous changes will be overwritten, starting from the first one.
  While you may find this feature useful, it does have some limitations: - The new label positions are stored as static RA and Dec coordinates. Therefore, positions which look good at one field size may not be as good at other field sizes. This is particulary true when you zoom in. The distance from the object symbol to the label may become excessive, even if it looked fine at a larger field size. - Similarly, changes which look fine on the monitor display may not be optimal for the printed chart. But after some trial and error you may be able to predict what will give good results.
• Changing the catalog priority for labeling DSOs
  Many DSOs in MegaStar have several alternate designations. In the past, the one that is used for the chart label has been predetermined. This feature enables you to change the catalog priority for labeling objects.
  The "DSOs | Label Options" dialog box has a new button labeled "Set Catalog Priority." The Set Catalog Priority dialog box will display a list of catalogs for various object types. There is a different list for each object type, and they are handled independently.
  Put a catalog list in the desired priority order by shifting the entries using the move buttons (only the highlighted entry will move). For example, if you want PK to have the highest priority for labeling planetary nebulae, then that entry should be placed at the top of the list. Any planetary that has a PK number as one of its alternate designations will be labeled as such. If no PK number is available, the catalog list will be searched (in order) for the next available entry.
  After you have ordered the lists, click the "Modify DSO File" button. If you click Cancel, no changes will be made to the labels.
  Note that this feature will not effect the order in which alternate designations are presented in the various DSO lists that MegaStar generates (except for possibly changing the very first designation in the list, which is the one used for labeling).
• A new option was added to the "Select Cursor" dialog box in "Options | Cursor Style." If "Use static white cursor color" is selected, the cursor will be drawn in white with a black border. The normal mode is for the cursor to be drawn in "inverse color," which automatically changes the cursor color based on the current background. But some video cards do not handle this mode, For some users, the white option my be preferable for visibility of the cursor.
• Additional com port selections were added for telescope interfaces.
• A bug in importing user data was fixed: If a declination "seconds" field was not specified, the coordinates were not read properly.
• The "mouse keyboard" usage in certain dialog boxes (such as Locate, Set Field Size, etc.) was improved.

V5.0.05 made the following changes:

• Corrects a bug which would occasionally make the USNO A2.0 data files inaccessible.
• Corrects a round-off error which affects the pointing of LX200's when in "short format" mode for the coordinates.
• Increases the maximum number of asteroids which can be displayed in the "List/Locate Asteroids" dialog box.
• Corrects the display of moon phases in the "full-to-new" range.
• The maximum field size for displaying the RealSky is increased to 2 degrees.
• The "Automatically Update Sky View" feature in the Animation Parameters dialog box was implemented. This is intended to automatically update the sky view every minute. But it will only update the zenith angle of the field (if "Zenith-Up" orientation is selected) and update the solar system object positions (except for asteroids). It will NOT make the sky appear to move across the field as it does when the "Run" or "Step" animation controls are used. This is because MegaStar does not yet have any provision for maintaining a constant field center in altitude and azimuth. The only field center specification is in terms of RA and Dec, which remains static.

V5.0.04 made the following changes:

• Corrects the orientation legend on printed charts.
• Corrects a bug in the reporting of USNO A2.0 magnitudes in the data box.
• Corrects the phase of Venus, which was reversed for eastern elongations.
• Corrects a bug which caused the printed font size of comet and asteroid labels to be too small in some cases.
• The ability to import user-defined data files was added to the Database menu. Download import_data.doc for instructions on using this new feature.
• A "Center On Merdian" command was added to the Field menu.
• The add/modify asteroid elements function was modified to allow negative mean anomalies.
• A change was made to reduce the idle CPU consumption when not connected to a telescope interface.
• RXDesign's ServoCAT was added to the list of available telescope interfaces.

V5.0.03 made the following changes:

• Corrects a bug in the "Show These DSOs Only" option in the listing window for Observing Lists.
• Corrects a bug in setting the focus control speed in the LX200 interface.

V5.0.02 made the following changes:

• A bug in setting the minimum symbol size for the printer was fixed.
• When modifying the "Galaxy" symbol, the changes will automatically be applied to "Double" and "Multiple" galaxies as well. Changing the "Double" or "Multiple" Galaxy symbol will only affect that galaxy type.

V5.0.01 fixed problems with the LX200 and AstroPhysics telescope interfaces.

Utility to convert V4 NCL and AUX files to V5

A utility is available for converting MegaStar V4 "Custom List" (NCL) files to V5 "Observing List" (OBS) files. It will also convert V4 NSO Auxiliary (AUX) files to V5 format. This program is not compressed. Execute the downloaded program using Windows Explorer or the Start | Run command.
Download Convert_aux_ncl.exe (V1.0, 35 KB)

Replacement files needed for V5.0.02 and older

If your CD-ROM is labeled V5.0.02 or earlier, there are 9 files which need to be replaced. There are two ways you can do this:

1. Download corrected copies of those files and replace them on your hard drive. All of these files should be placed in the MegaStar "working" directory ("start in" folder).
Download ms5002files.zip (3.7 MB)

OR

2. Download a small utility program to patch the files. Download the program to your hard drive and launch it from Windows Explorer or the Run command. Then click "Apply Patch" in the program's main menu.
Download Patch5002.exe (40 KB)

Upgrading from V4.x

If you received MegaStar V5.0.01 or earlier, the UpgradeV4 utility contained a bug which affects the conversion of Auxiliary NSO files. If you used the upgrade program to convert any V4 Aux files, you will need to download the corrected program and re-convert those files to V5.

Download UpgradeV4.zip (V1.1.00, 193 KB)

Go to the Software Upgrades home page

Go to the MegaStar home page

Copyright © 2002 by Willmann-Bell, Inc.