Where can I find equatorial coordinates of celestial objects?

  • Thread starter Thread starter e2m2a
  • Start date Start date
AI Thread Summary
Several users are seeking websites that provide equatorial coordinates for various celestial objects, emphasizing the convenience of having a single source for this information. Wikipedia is mentioned as a reliable resource, while Google searches can also yield quick results. Programs like Starry Night and Stellarium are recommended for their ability to display the night sky and provide coordinates for selected objects. One user reported a virus warning from the Night Sky website, raising concerns about safety when accessing such resources. Overall, the discussion highlights the need for accessible and reliable tools for amateur astronomers.
e2m2a
Messages
354
Reaction score
13
Does anyone know some good websites that give the equatorial coordinates of celestial objects: double stars, nebulae, clusters, galaxies,planets,etc.? Especially any that allow you to first pick the object. For example, I put in the Andromeda galaxy and it tells me its equatorial coordinates.

Thanks in advance.
 
Astronomy news on Phys.org
Wikipedia is pretty good for this IMO. Otherwise, a Google search will usually find the coordinates very quickly. Is there a particular reason you want the data to be on a single website?
 
ideasrule said:
Is there a particular reason you want the data to be on a single website?

Convenience. Much easier to go to just one website to get a general catalog than having to go to multiple sites to look up different celestial objects.

But then I guess I could create a favorite folder where I put every website in.

Thanks for the info.
 
There's a program called Starry Night ( with a free open-source counterpart called Stellarium). They show you a map of the night sky at a given time and place. You can put the cursor on an object to get its coords, or search on an object. They are both pretty nice programs.
 
phyzguy said:
There's a program called Starry Night ( with a free open-source counterpart called Stellarium). They show you a map of the night sky at a given time and place. You can put the cursor on an object to get its coords, or search on an object. They are both pretty nice programs.

Thanks for the info.

Warning! Just went to the Night Sky website and my Avast software detected and blocked a virus!
 
Last edited:
This thread is dedicated to the beauty and awesomeness of our Universe. If you feel like it, please share video clips and photos (or nice animations) of space and objects in space in this thread. Your posts, clips and photos may by all means include scientific information; that does not make it less beautiful to me (n.b. the posts must of course comply with the PF guidelines, i.e. regarding science, only mainstream science is allowed, fringe/pseudoscience is not allowed). n.b. I start this...
Asteroid, Data - 1.2% risk of an impact on December 22, 2032. The estimated diameter is 55 m and an impact would likely release an energy of 8 megatons of TNT equivalent, although these numbers have a large uncertainty - it could also be 1 or 100 megatons. Currently the object has level 3 on the Torino scale, the second-highest ever (after Apophis) and only the third object to exceed level 1. Most likely it will miss, and if it hits then most likely it'll hit an ocean and be harmless, but...
Back
Top