UCAC2 had a file u2index.da. It is an index file in binary format.

In UCAC3 the index file is
u3index.asc - for the asc version of the index,
u3index.unf - for the binary form of the index

The fact that the program is looking for u3.index.da makes me wonder whether the
software authors
have implemented UCAC3 on an assumption that the file structure is the same as
UCAC2. No need to
comment on that... However a work-around you could try is to make a copy of
u3index.unf, calling the
copy u3index.da - and see if that allows the programn to use UCAC3. I would
assume that the file
will need to be in the same directory as the UCAC3 files....

Dave Herald
Canberra, Australia


----- Original Message -----
From: "Gerald McKeegan" <geraldspace@...>
To: <Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2009 1:45 PM
Subject: RE: [Astrometrica] UCAC3


John,

Is it possible that the file extension should be .dat instead of .da ?  The
.dat extension is pretty commonly used for large data files.

By the way, I'm ashamed to admit that, as one who speaks only California
English, I had to look up the word "cheeky."  Next time I'll know.

Gerald
===============
Gerald McKeegan
Obs. Code G56
Walnut Creek, CA
Email: geraldspace@...


-----Original Message-----
From: Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of John McCue
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 09:03
To: Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Astrometrica] UCAC3


Hi all,

Many thanks to Dave McDonald for a copy of UCAC3. Apologies if this
is a bit cheeky - I'm an Astrometrica user but I also use XEphem and
I wonder if anyone else does. XEphem is looking for u3index.da but
this file doesn't seem to be present? Can anyone help or is this
request in the wrong place? I'll understand if it is.

Best wishes,

John

Dr. John McCue, FRAS, Bradbury Observatory, Stockton-on-Tees, UK.






------------------------------------

========================================================
Yahoo! Groups Links






------------------------------------

========================================================
Yahoo! Groups Links

John,

Is it possible that the file extension should be .dat instead of .da ?  The
.dat extension is pretty commonly used for large data files.

By the way, I'm ashamed to admit that, as one who speaks only California
English, I had to look up the word "cheeky."  Next time I'll know.

Gerald
===============
Gerald McKeegan
Obs. Code G56
Walnut Creek, CA
Email: geraldspace@...


-----Original Message-----
From: Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com
[mailto:Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com]On Behalf Of John McCue
Sent: Friday, December 04, 2009 09:03
To: Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Astrometrica] UCAC3


Hi all,

Many thanks to Dave McDonald for a copy of UCAC3. Apologies if this
is a bit cheeky - I'm an Astrometrica user but I also use XEphem and
I wonder if anyone else does. XEphem is looking for u3index.da but
this file doesn't seem to be present? Can anyone help or is this
request in the wrong place? I'll understand if it is.

Best wishes,

John

Dr. John McCue, FRAS, Bradbury Observatory, Stockton-on-Tees, UK.






------------------------------------

========================================================
Yahoo! Groups Links

Hi Dave,

Thanks for your message. Actually, I've already been in touch with
the author, hence my desperate, and somewhat cheeky, appeal.

Best wishes,

John

I have no knowledge of XEphem. But I can positively state that the distributed
UCAC3 catalogue does
not contain a file called u3index.da. I suggest you contact the XEphem
authors....

Dave Herald
Canberra, Australia


----- Original Message -----
From: "John McCue" <john.mccue@...>
To: <Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 05, 2009 4:03 AM
Subject: [Astrometrica] UCAC3


Hi all,

Many thanks to Dave McDonald for a copy of UCAC3. Apologies if this
is a bit cheeky - I'm an Astrometrica user but I also use XEphem and
I wonder if anyone else does. XEphem is looking for u3index.da but
this file doesn't seem to be present? Can anyone help or is this
request in the wrong place? I'll understand if it is.

Best wishes,

John

Dr. John McCue, FRAS, Bradbury Observatory, Stockton-on-Tees, UK.






------------------------------------

========================================================
Yahoo! Groups Links

Hi all,

Many thanks to Dave McDonald for a copy of UCAC3. Apologies if this
is a bit cheeky - I'm an Astrometrica user but I also use XEphem and
I wonder if anyone else does. XEphem is looking for u3index.da but
this file doesn't seem to be present? Can anyone help or is this
request in the wrong place? I'll understand if it is.

Best wishes,

John

Dr. John McCue, FRAS, Bradbury Observatory, Stockton-on-Tees, UK.

Gerald,

You helped more than just a little bit.  You analyzed my whole setup and worked
with an image set to show me how to tweak the program.  I've had company this
holiday and have not had the time to break away and play with the new settings. 
But cannot sufficiently express the appropriate appreciation for the significant
amount of time and the very detailed response that you provided.

....and I'm dying to get into the goodies Astrometrica contains.

A very appreciative,

Pete Peterson

--- In Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com, Gerald McKeegan <geraldspace@...> wrote:
>
> Ihelped Pete with his problem (mostly wrong focal length).  Successfully found
more than 500 refence stars in each of his images.  Also gave him some
suggestions on file management for working images versus the tutorials.
>
> I think he is good to go now.
>
> Gerald
> =============
> Obs. Code G56
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> >From: herbraab <hraab2006@...>
> >Sent: Nov 26, 2009 7:53 AM
> >To: Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com
> >Subject: [Astrometrica] Re: Astrometrica for Dummies?
> >
> >
> >> Pete, if the coordinates aren't already stored in the fits
> >> header, you always have to enter them (at least a rough
> >> approximation) manually.  But what did you mean by "compensating
> >> for the old coordinates".
> >
> >Besides entering the coordinates manually, you can specify the
> >designation of a minor planet (in case of the tutorial images,
> >that would be 2000 AC6) and the software will calculate the
> >coordinates from the orbital elements.
> >
> >If one uses a current MPCOrb database (i.e., 2009 epoch), then
> >the planetary perturbations have accumulated enough that the
> >position for the year 2000 is displaced enough to make the star
> >match fail. (Note that Astrometrica does not compensate for
> >planetary perturbation when it calculates the coordinates of
> >minor planets - the assumption is that you use current images
> >and a current MPCOrb.) However, the orbital elements that are
> >included in the MPCOrb fragment that is included with Astrometrica
> >after installation are epoch 2000 and will give the right
> >coordinates for the tutorial images.
> >
> >  Cheers, Herbert
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >------------------------------------
> >
> >========================================================
> >Yahoo! Groups Links
> >
> >
> >
>

> I helped Pete with his problem (mostly wrong focal length).

Thanks a lot, Gerald!

Ihelped Pete with his problem (mostly wrong focal length).  Successfully found
more than 500 refence stars in each of his images.  Also gave him some
suggestions on file management for working images versus the tutorials.

I think he is good to go now.

Gerald
=============
Obs. Code G56


-----Original Message-----
>From: herbraab <hraab2006@...>
>Sent: Nov 26, 2009 7:53 AM
>To: Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [Astrometrica] Re: Astrometrica for Dummies?
>
>
>> Pete, if the coordinates aren't already stored in the fits
>> header, you always have to enter them (at least a rough
>> approximation) manually.  But what did you mean by "compensating
>> for the old coordinates".
>
>Besides entering the coordinates manually, you can specify the
>designation of a minor planet (in case of the tutorial images,
>that would be 2000 AC6) and the software will calculate the
>coordinates from the orbital elements.
>
>If one uses a current MPCOrb database (i.e., 2009 epoch), then
>the planetary perturbations have accumulated enough that the
>position for the year 2000 is displaced enough to make the star
>match fail. (Note that Astrometrica does not compensate for
>planetary perturbation when it calculates the coordinates of
>minor planets - the assumption is that you use current images
>and a current MPCOrb.) However, the orbital elements that are
>included in the MPCOrb fragment that is included with Astrometrica
>after installation are epoch 2000 and will give the right
>coordinates for the tutorial images.
>
>  Cheers, Herbert
>
>
>
>
>
>------------------------------------
>
>========================================================
>Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

> Pete, if the coordinates aren't already stored in the fits
> header, you always have to enter them (at least a rough
> approximation) manually.  But what did you mean by "compensating
> for the old coordinates".

Besides entering the coordinates manually, you can specify the
designation of a minor planet (in case of the tutorial images,
that would be 2000 AC6) and the software will calculate the
coordinates from the orbital elements.

If one uses a current MPCOrb database (i.e., 2009 epoch), then
the planetary perturbations have accumulated enough that the
position for the year 2000 is displaced enough to make the star
match fail. (Note that Astrometrica does not compensate for
planetary perturbation when it calculates the coordinates of
minor planets - the assumption is that you use current images
and a current MPCOrb.) However, the orbital elements that are
included in the MPCOrb fragment that is included with Astrometrica
after installation are epoch 2000 and will give the right
coordinates for the tutorial images.

   Cheers, Herbert

----- Original Message ----

> From: herbraab <hraab2006@...>
>
> Hello Pete,
>
> are you working with the images from the tutorial, or
> are you trying to match your own images?

He mentioned going through the tutorials, but there was one comment I didn't
understand:

"But after going through the tutorial many times, and compensating for
the old coordinates by manually entering the position of the star field
(RA 08 22 18.4  DEC +29 32 18) I can usually only get about 6 stars to
match."

Pete, if the coordinates aren't already stored in the fits header, you always
have to enter them (at least a rough approximation) manually.  But what did you
mean by "compensating for the old coordinates".  The fits header will usually
have the date and time stamp, so the program can figure things like precession
corrections automatically.

-John


> Matching the tutorial should work fine with the original
> settings. If you are trying to match your own images, you
> may find this document of some interest:
>
> http://www.astrometrica.at/Papers/Astrometrica-Settings.pdf
>
>
> Hope this helps. If you can't get it to work, please drop
> me another message, and I can help.
>
> Cheers,
>   Herbert
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> ========================================================
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Hello Pete,

are you working with the images from the tutorial, or
are you trying to match your own images?

Matching the tutorial should work fine with the original
settings. If you are trying to match your own images, you
may find this document of some interest:

http://www.astrometrica.at/Papers/Astrometrica-Settings.pdf


Hope this helps. If you can't get it to work, please drop
me another message, and I can help.

Cheers,
   Herbert

Well, I've 45 days left in the very generous 100 day trial period, and I
absolutely love the automation available.  Too bad I can't get images to match
the USNO B-1 catalog.

I've searched the group archives and learned a lot about matching.  But after
going through the tutorial many times, and compensating for the old coordinates
by manually entering the position of the star field (RA 08 22 18.4  DEC +29 32
18) I can usually only get about 6 stars to match.

Using images that have worked very well in another astrometric program I've
finally managed to get some 33 matches on one image of interest (vs 70) but the
data output looks shaky.

I really want to make this software work.  It has many obvious advantages.  Any
suggestions without my posting the huge number of settings available?

More lost in the stars than usual,

Pete Peterson

Hello John,

You can download the catalog ucac3 from my web.

http://atlante.org.es/catalogos/ucac3

Greetings,
Juan Antonio Henríquez
http://atlante.org.es




2009/11/19 John McCue <john.mccue@...>

>
>
> Hi Dave and everyone,
>
> Thanks for your comparison fields of UCAC2 and UCAC3. I registered my
> vote. I've just re-installed XEphem, having upgraded my very old
> iBook to a MacBook with SL. I would like to install UCAC3 but have
> somewhat lost track of the threads recommending the best way to
> obtain it.
>
> Can anyone advise please?
>
> Best wishes,
>
> Dr. John McCue, FRAS.
> Bradbury Observatory.
> Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory.
>
>
>


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi Dave and everyone,

Thanks for your comparison fields of UCAC2 and UCAC3. I registered my
vote. I've just re-installed XEphem, having upgraded my very old
iBook to a MacBook with SL. I would like to install UCAC3 but have
somewhat lost track of the threads recommending the best way to
obtain it.

Can anyone advise please?

Best wishes,

Dr. John McCue, FRAS.
Bradbury Observatory.
Wynyard Planetarium and Observatory.

Hi John
yes and as you know the principal purpose of astrometrica is astrometry
, I use it with UCAC2 et Now with UCAC3 ,mag in these two catalogues are
between R et V
and I have just an idea of approx mag

make a precise photometry in a crossed field is more complicate
as you now the lens system is with 2 stars and the Earth
a source star , a lens star and Earth and often the lens star is blended

   cover all the peark by only one observatory is hard and generally 3 or
2 observatories cover the peark

Also to avoid error (or to have same) Prof. Andy request that sends the
images via FTP and he use the same software for all data
currently it use DOPHOT sous Linux

Roland





John Mahony a écrit :
> Just to clarify your responses, Astrometrica is used for precise astrometry to
make sure you have the right object, but the important part- photometry of the
light curve during a lensing event- is done with other software that's designed
specifically for precise photometry (which Astrometrica is not- it's primarily
for precise astrometry).
>
> -John
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message ----
>> From: Southern Stars Observatory <obs930@...>
>>
>> Hi Alfredo
>>
>> I have forgot to write ,
>> we make time serie on the lens and if a planèt  orbit the lens
>> we record a dip on the light curve
>> Cheers
>> Roland
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Roland SANTALLO
>> Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
>> Tahiti French Polynesia
>> http://www.southernstars-observatory.org
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------
>>
>> ========================================================
>> Yahoo! Groups Links
>>
>>
>>
>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> ========================================================
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>
>


--
Roland SANTALLO
Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
Tahiti French Polynesia
http://www.southernstars-observatory.org

Just to clarify your responses, Astrometrica is used for precise astrometry to
make sure you have the right object, but the important part- photometry of the
light curve during a lensing event- is done with other software that's designed
specifically for precise photometry (which Astrometrica is not- it's primarily
for precise astrometry).

-John




----- Original Message ----
> From: Southern Stars Observatory <obs930@...>
>
> Hi Alfredo
>
> I have forgot to write ,
> we make time serie on the lens and if a planèt  orbit the lens
> we record a dip on the light curve
> Cheers
> Roland
>
>
>
> --
> Roland SANTALLO
> Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
> Tahiti French Polynesia
> http://www.southernstars-observatory.org
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> ========================================================
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>

Hi Alfredo

I have forgot to write ,
we make time serie on the lens and if a planèt  orbit the lens
we record a dip on the light curve
Cheers
Roland



--
Roland SANTALLO
Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
Tahiti French Polynesia
http://www.southernstars-observatory.org

hello Alfredo and All

detection of exoplanets
There are different methods to detect exoplanets,The most common are:
   the observation of  transit
   spectrography observations and
   gravitational microlensing
I use this last and work with MICROFUN network

> http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~microfun/

  > MicroFUN is an informal consortium of observers dedicated to
photometric monitoring of interesting microlensing events in the
Galactic Bulge. Our primary scientific objective is to observe
high-magnification microlensing events that give the best potential for
detecting extra-solar planets orbiting the lensing star.

all information on
> http://www.astronomy.ohio-state.edu/~microfun/info.html

the Microfun tean is constituted by 12 observatories most are amateur
and use telescope from 0.20m to 0.40m
and as the microlens are located in the bubble of the galaxie ( RA
17/18h Dec -27/-30) , observatories are in the Southern hemisphere

the campaign start in April and finish in September

we received alert from two 1.3m observatories ,
they have survey
MOA ( in New zealand)
>> https://it019909.massey.ac.nz/moa/

and OGLE in Chile
>> http://ogle.astrouw.edu.pl/~ogle/

when these alerts are confirmed Microfun observatories start observations ,
they are similar as time series ( exposure 120" to 300") unfiltered
or in R or I if you telescope is big
and Microfun ask images are sending to it , ( they prefer use same software
Dophot ( Linux) to make photometry

equipment required , a telescope with a 0.25m minimal ( most of
observers are using a 0.35m SCT
a good mount
a CCD camera with a pixel scale around 0.5 to 0.9" arcsecond pixel

At SSO
I am using a 0.28m SCT with a ST7 my pixels scale is 0.61"/p
and a field 8'x 5'
As these field are crossed , and often the microlens hard to locate
visually on the screen of the computer , I use Astrometrica and make
astrometry measurement to locate lens and recenter
after the lens is centered , start acquisition , with a crop of 400x400
pixels 4'x4' ( to reduce time of transit when sending data to Microfun


I thinks it's better you visit Microfun and contact Andy Gould Microfun
director

Cheers

Roland





Alfredo a écrit :
> Hello! Roland!
>
> can you give more informations?
>
> 1) the search for extrasolar planets you illustrated is a research in the
possibilities' of amateur astronomy?
>
> 2)In this case, what equipment is necessary ( special technical accessories...
?) and what technique should be used?
>
> 3 ) Software Astrometrica can be used for this type of research and if so,
how?
>
> Thanks!
>
> Alfredo Caronia
>
> --- In Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com, Southern Stars Observatory <obs930@...>
wrote:
>> hello Every one
>> I just subscribe to the mailing list
>> I am an user of Astrometrica since several years ago
>>
>> for now after asteroids , Supernovae , variable Stars
>> I observe Exoplanets ( using microlensing events)
>> clear Skies
>> Roland
>>
>>
>> --
>> Roland SANTALLO
>> Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
>> Tahiti French Polynesia
>> http://www.southernstars-observatory.org
>>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> ========================================================
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>


--
Roland SANTALLO
Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
Tahiti French Polynesia
http://www.southernstars-observatory.org

Hello! Roland!

can you give more informations?

1) the search for extrasolar planets you illustrated is a research in the
possibilities' of amateur astronomy?

2)In this case, what equipment is necessary ( special technical accessories...
?) and what technique should be used?

3 ) Software Astrometrica can be used for this type of research and if so, how?

Thanks!

Alfredo Caronia

--- In Astrometrica@yahoogroups.com, Southern Stars Observatory <obs930@...>
wrote:
>
> hello Every one
> I just subscribe to the mailing list
> I am an user of Astrometrica since several years ago
>
> for now after asteroids , Supernovae , variable Stars
> I observe Exoplanets ( using microlensing events)
> clear Skies
> Roland
>
>
> --
> Roland SANTALLO
> Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
> Tahiti French Polynesia
> http://www.southernstars-observatory.org
>

hello Every one
I just subscribe to the mailing list
I am an user of Astrometrica since several years ago

for now after asteroids , Supernovae , variable Stars
I observe Exoplanets ( using microlensing events)
clear Skies
Roland


--
Roland SANTALLO
Southern Stars Observatory IAU/MPC Code 930
Tahiti French Polynesia
http://www.southernstars-observatory.org