POV-Ray : Newsgroups : povray.text.scene-files : Star catalogue Server Time
4 Feb 2026 09:31:41 EST (-0500)
  Star catalogue (Message 6 to 15 of 25)  
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From: yesbird
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 2 Feb 2026 23:59:52
Message: <698180c8$1@news.povray.org>
On 02/02/2026 20:19, Bald Eagle wrote:
> "Maetes" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> 
> I did 655,000 minor planets as part of my solar system model:
> 
> https://news.povray.org/web.592d5e424e850994c437ac910%40news.povray.org
>

Thanks, Bill, very interesting source, I've saved it to bookmarks.
Maybe I will use it later, after filling the database with larger
objects :).
--
YB


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From: Mr
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 04:20:00
Message: <web.6981bd3e38a84fef16086ed06830a892@news.povray.org>
yesbird wrote:
> On 08/12/2025 02:45, Maetes wrote:
> > If anyone wants to try their hand at creating a real starry sky with simulated
> > stars, I've trimmed the HYG star catalogue (120,000 entries) a bit and turned it
> > into a Povray array. ...
>
> Hi, Maetes.
>
> Thank you for sharing this data. Really, I am looking for good
> data source for my present Virtual planetary project:
> https://yesbird.online/planetarium/
>
> I am expected that it should be informative and compact enough,
> also includes deep sky objects like nebulas and galaxies, but
> assume that it will be not for professional use, but mostly addressed
> to schoolchildren and students just for fun.
>
> Could you suggest such a data source ?
> --
> YB

This works insanely great on my phone :-) ! (as usual I had to open it there
because your site is blocked from my corporate proxy :-/ )


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From: Mr
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 04:20:00
Message: <web.6981bd7c38a84fef16086ed06830a892@news.povray.org>
"Maetes" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> If anyone wants to try their hand at creating a real starry sky with simulated
> stars, I've trimmed the HYG star catalogue (120,000 entries) a bit and turned it
> into a Povray array.
>
> Documented more thoroughly than I would like, took way too long, as always.
>
> A macro collection that makes use of it is in the works.
>
> See:
> https://www.maetes.com/en/download/hyg-lite-star-catalogue
>
> That's the damn reason why I don't have time to build damn spaceships.
>
> :)
>
> Ma

I think such a thing would be awesome delivered with POV-Ray out of the box!


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From: Maetes
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 06:55:00
Message: <web.6981e16f38a84fef2a4bec4330225ff5@news.povray.org>
yesbird wrote:

> Pictures of good quality with complete objects info, including
> coordinates. This will be a gallery with a pointer to the object's
> location on the sky sphere. Now I rely mostly on NASA/Hubble materials,
> but other sources also can help. This will be a long-term project ...

The keyword for coordinates and data is:
NGC Catalogue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_General_Catalogue

As I said, I haven't looked for it yet, but if I find something, I'll let you
know. I also made a PHP script with which I can create Povray arrays from
databases, if helpful. But it takes time, sorry.


Images could be a problem, as I am not aware of any valid source that provides
such data in a uniform format. Maybe it comes down to the fact that you have to
search for them manually.
But I can also be wrong, maybe there is something like that in the meantime. If
I find something, I'll tell you.


> Possible, as it's in a very early state of development.
> What browser do you have (including a platform) and could you
> please send me console content (F12) ?
> --
> YB

Chromium on a Raspberry Pi.
I clicked somewhere and a Box opened with the text "Object" few million times,
so my Pi was busy to show all text.
And in dont want to risk it again, don't like crashes.

ma


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From: Maetes
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 07:00:00
Message: <web.6981e24538a84fef2a4bec4330225ff5@news.povray.org>
"Mr" <m******r******at_hotmail_dot_fr> wrote:
> I think such a thing would be awesome delivered with POV-Ray out of the box!

If Povray could execute SQL queries - even if only simple selects - that would
be really really nice.

It's on my (unpublished) wish list.


Ma


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From: Maetes
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 07:00:00
Message: <web.6981e2c438a84fef2a4bec4330225ff5@news.povray.org>
yesbird wrote:
> Pictures of good quality with complete objects info, including
> coordinates. This will be a gallery with a pointer to the object's
> location on the sky sphere. Now I rely mostly on NASA/Hubble materials,
> but other sources also can help. This will be a long-term project ...

The keyword for coordinates and data is:
NGC Catalogue.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_General_Catalogue

As I said, I haven't looked for it yet, but if I find something, I'll let you
know. I also made a PHP script with which I can create Povray arrays from
databases, if helpful. But it takes time, sorry.

ma


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From: Maetes
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 07:20:00
Message: <web.6981e79438a84fef2a4bec4330225ff5@news.povray.org>
Please ignore the last answer, I thought the forum had deleted the first block.
-----------


Now I was curious myself and went on a short search.

Maybe this is the original one:
https://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/W3Browse/all/ngc2000.html

The data can be found here (ngc2000.dat):
https://cdsarc.cds.unistra.fr/ftp/cats/VII/118/


A newer version maybe is this here, but I havent found a download-file:
http://www.klima-luft.de/steinicke/ngcic/rev2000/Explan.htm

This one could be a competitor of yours:
https://cosmos-book.github.io/catalogue/NGC/index.html


ma


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From: jr
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 07:35:00
Message: <web.6981eae638a84fef1f42fc016cde94f1@news.povray.org>
hi,

"Maetes" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> ...
> If Povray could execute SQL queries - even if only simple selects - that would
> be really really nice.

one should be able to do this using an ini file, ie have a script executing a
scene or frame specific query and write the result(s) to a POV-Ray-style CSV
file, which would be available in the scene/frame for reading.

<wiki.povray.org/content/Reference:Shell_Command_Options>


regards, jr.


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From: Maetes
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 08:05:00
Message: <web.6981f1aa38a84fef2a4bec4330225ff5@news.povray.org>
"jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> one should be able to do this using an ini file, ie have a script executing a
> scene or frame specific query and write the result(s) to a POV-Ray-style CSV
> file, which would be available in the scene/frame for reading.
>
> <wiki.povray.org/content/Reference:Shell_Command_Options>


I also have a similar workaround.
A PHP script that converts an SQL database into an array.
But it is a detour that is limited in flexibility.

Nevertheless the reference to the shell commands is interesting, I didn't know
them before. I'll take a look, maybe I can use my PHP script a little better
with it.

Thanks,
m


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From: jr
Subject: Re: Star catalogue
Date: 3 Feb 2026 08:50:00
Message: <web.6981fc7638a84fef1f42fc016cde94f1@news.povray.org>
hi,

"Maetes" <nomail@nomail> wrote:
> "jr" <cre### [at] gmailcom> wrote:
> > ...
> > <wiki.povray.org/content/Reference:Shell_Command_Options>
>
> I also have a similar workaround.
> A PHP script that converts an SQL database into an array.
> But it is a detour that is limited in flexibility.

my guess is that you will be able to use that code with (comparatively) little
adaptation.


> Nevertheless the reference to the shell commands is interesting, I didn't know
> them before.

in which case, likely, the default setting in the global 'povray.conf' will
"trip you up".  you have to set "[Shellout Security]" to 'allowed'.


> I'll take a look, maybe I can use my PHP script a little better
> with it.

:-).



regards, jr.


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