Can all named stars listed in the hand control be used for alignment?
September 23, 2010
No, only stars brighter than or equal to magnitude 2.5 can be used for SkyAlign. Even though there are about 250 named stars in the hand control database, only 82 can be used for alignment and related tasks. Here is the list:
Star Mag. Constellation name
Star Mag. Constellation name
| Sirius | -1.5 | Alpha CMa |
| Canopus | -0.7 | Alpha Car |
| Arcturus | 0 | Alpha Boo |
| Vega | 0 | Alpha Lyr |
| Capella | 0.1 | Alpha Aur |
| Rigel | 0.1 | Beta Ori |
| Procyon | 0.4 | Alpha CMi |
| Achernar | 0.5 | Alpha Eri |
| Betelgeuse | 0.5 | Alpha Ori |
| Hadar | 0.6 | Beta Cen |
| Altair | 0.8 | Alpha Aql |
| Aldebaran | 0.9 | Alpha Tau |
| Spica | 1 | Alpha Vir |
| Antares | 1 | Alpha Sco |
| Pollux | 1.1 | Beta Gem |
| Fomalhaut | 1.2 | Alpha Psc |
| Acrux | 1.3 | Alpha Cru |
| Mimosa | 1.3 | Beta Cru |
| Alpha Centauri | 1.3 | Alpha Cen |
| Deneb | 1.3 | Alpha Cyg |
| Regulus | 1.4 | Alpha Leo |
| Adhara | 1.5 | Epsilon CMa |
| Bellatrix | 1.6 | Gamma Ori |
| Gacrux | 1.6 | Gamma Cru |
| Shaula | 1.6 | Lambda Sco |
| Alnilam | 1.7 | Epsilon Ori |
| El Nath | 1.7 | Beta Tau |
| Miaplacidus | 1.7 | Beta Car |
| Alnair | 1.7 | Alpha Gru |
| Mirfak | 1.8 | Alpha Per |
| Wezen | 1.8 | Delta CMa |
| Regor | 1.8 | 1 Vel |
| Dubhe | 1.8 | Alpha UMa |
| Alioth | 1.8 | Epsilon UMa |
| Menkalinan | 1.9 | Beta Aur |
| Alhena | 1.9 | Gamma Gem |
| Avior | 1.9 | Epsilon Car |
| Alkaid | 1.9 | Eta UMa |
| Atria | 1.9 | Alpha TrA |
| Sargas | 1.9 | Theta Sco |
| Kaus Australis | 1.9 | Epsilon Sgr |
| Peacock | 1.9 | Alpha Pav |
| Diphda | 2 | Beta Cet |
| Hamal | 2 | Alpha Ari |
| Polaris | 2 | Alpha UMi |
| Mirzam | 2 | Beta CMa |
| Castor | 2 | Alpha Gem |
| Alphard | 2 | Alpha Hya |
| Alpheratz | 2.1 | Alpha And |
| Mirach | 2.1 | Beta And |
| Algol | 2.1 | Beta Per |
| Alnitak | 2.1 | Zeta Ori |
| Saiph | 2.1 | Kappa Ori |
| Denebola | 2.1 | Beta Leo |
| Kochab | 2.1 | Beta UMi |
| Menkent | 2.1 | Theta Cen |
| Rasalhague | 2.1 | Alpha Oph |
| Nunki | 2.1 | Sigma Sgr |
| Schedar | 2.2 | Alpha Cas |
| Mintaka | 2.2 | Delta Ori |
| Suhail | 2.2 | Lambda Vel |
| Muhlifain | 2.2 | Gamma Cen |
| Alphecca | 2.2 | Alpha CrB |
| Eltanin | 2.2 | Gamma Dra |
| Sadr | 2.2 | Gamma Cyg |
| Caph | 2.3 | Beta Cas |
| Almach | 2.3 | Gamma And |
| Naos | 2.3 | Zeta Pup |
| Scutulum | 2.3 | Iota Car |
| Mizar | 2.3 | Zeta UMa |
| Dschubba | 2.3 | Delta Sco |
| Ankaa | 2.4 | Alpha Phe |
| Merak | 2.4 | Beta UMa |
| Phad | 2.4 | Gamma UMa |
| Sabik | 2.4 | Eta Oph |
| Alderamin | 2.4 | Alpha Cep |
| Enif | 2.4 | Epsilon Peg |
| Scheat | 2.4 | Beta Peg |
| Tsih | 2.5 | Gamma Cas |
| Menkar | 2.5 | Alpha Cet |
| Aludra | 2.5 | Eta CMa |
| Markab | 2.5 | Alpha Peg |
