These are sets of graticules (alignment patterns), circles and squares and spherical coordinate grids to help give you a sense of the size and orientation of the visible universe.
If you restore one of these Zip archives into your Addons
(or
extras
) folder, it should create its files in all the necessary
sub-directories.
Each of the models provided in sections 1 through 4 is defined as a "Nebula".
If you're running Celestia v1.3.2 or older, that means that they are visible only when you have "Show Galaxies" enabled. Their associated labels will be visible only when you have "Label Galaxies" enabled. To enable them, open the "Render" menu, select "View Options", select "Galaxies" in the "Show" section, select "Galaxies" in the "Labels" column, and then click on "OK". Or you can type a "u" on the keyboard.
If you're running Celestia v1.4.0 or newer, that means that they are visible only when you have "Show Nebulae" enabled. Their associated labels will be visible only when you have "Label Nebulae" enabled. To enable them, open the "Render" menu, select "View Options", select "Nebulae" in the "Show" section, select "Nebulae" in the "Labels" column, and then click on "OK". Or you can type a caret "^" on the keyboard.
Each of the models provided in sections 5 and 6 is defined as a "Planet". That means that they are visible when you have "Show Planets" enabled. Their associated labels will be visible when you have "Label Planets" enabled.
Archive: GRATICULES-V2.ZIP Length Date Time Name -------- ---- ---- ---- 2051 01-25-04 17:29 graticules-v2/EclipticAU.dscNO 2506 01-25-04 17:45 graticules-v2/EquatoriialLY.dscNO 3846 01-25-04 17:45 graticules-v2/EquatoriialPC.dsc 4459 01-25-04 17:21 graticules-v2/GalacticLY.dscNO 4630 01-25-04 17:46 graticules-v2/GalacticPC.dscNO 2853 01-25-04 17:48 graticules-v2/graticule-readme.txt 0 01-18-04 22:33 graticules-v2/models/ 5922 01-24-04 13:10 graticules-v2/models/graticule-blue.3ds 5922 01-24-04 13:10 graticules-v2/models/graticule-cyan.3ds 5923 01-25-04 09:18 graticules-v2/models/graticule-green.3ds 5925 01-24-04 13:11 graticules-v2/models/graticule-magenta.3ds 5921 01-24-04 13:09 graticules-v2/models/graticule-red.3ds 5923 01-24-04 13:11 graticules-v2/models/graticule-white.3ds 5924 01-24-04 13:10 graticules-v2/models/graticule-yellow.3ds 0 01-18-04 22:33 graticules-v2/textures/ 0 01-18-04 22:33 graticules-v2/textures/medres/ 107915 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-blue.png 108022 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-cyan.png 107919 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-green.png 108072 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-magenta.png 107957 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-red.png 108108 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-white.png 108046 01-25-04 11:11 graticules-v2/textures/medres/graticule-yellow.png 31744 01-18-04 10:38 graticules-v2/textures/medres/Thumbs.db -------- ------- 849588 24 files
Note: This version of the graticules works with Celestia v1.3.2pre3 through Celestia v1.4.1. Do not use with v1.5.0 or later.
Note: This version of the graticules requires Celestia v1.5.0pre1 or later: the location of the Sun changed and thus the center of the graticules had to change, too.
Archive: GRATICULES-CMOD.ZIP Length Date Time Name -------- ---- ---- ---- 2160 02-20-04 20:07 graticules-cmod/EclipticAU.dscNO 2422 02-20-04 20:27 graticules-cmod/EquatoriialLY.dscNO 3774 02-20-04 20:23 graticules-cmod/EquatoriialPC.dsc 4333 02-20-04 20:33 graticules-cmod/GalacticLY.dscNO 4504 02-20-04 20:37 graticules-cmod/GalacticPC.dscNO 2385 02-20-04 20:50 graticules-cmod/graticule-readme.txt 0 02-18-04 19:04 graticules-cmod/models/ 145975 02-20-04 20:06 graticules-cmod/models/graticule.cmod -------- ------- 165553 8 files
These Addons provide lines in space to help you orient yourself and to provide a feel for the size of the Universe.
The graticules in graticules-v2.zip and in graticules-1sided-v2.zip are pictures projected onto a flat, square model. They're defined as Nebulas in DSC catalogs.
If you're running Celestia v1.3.2 or older, that means that they are visible only when you have "Show Galaxies" enabled. Their associated labels will be visible only when you have "Label Galaxies" enabled. To enable them, open the "Render" menu, select "View Options", select "Galaxies" in the "Show" section, select "Galaxies" in the "Labels" column, and then click on "OK". Or you can type a "u" on the keyboard.
If you're running Celestia v1.4.0 or newer, that means that they are visible only when you have "Show Nebulae" enabled. Their associated labels will be visible only when you have "Label Nebulae" enabled. To enable them, open the "Render" menu, select "View Options", select "Nebulae" in the "Show" section, select "Nebulae" in the "Labels" column, and then click on "OK". Or you can type a caret "^" on the keyboard.
The graticule images in graticules-v2.zip can be seen from both sides, top and bottom. Those in graticules-1sided-v2.zip can be seen only from their bottom sides. As a result, the one sided graticules let you look at the universe with or without them being visible. In all other respects, those two sets are identical.
In contrast, the graticules defined in graticules-cmod.zip are lines drawn in space. They aren't pictures carried by a flat model. As a result, they always are visible from all sides.
In all three sets,
Each DSC of graticules contains several declarations. Each successive declaration uses the same graticule model but at 10x the size of the previous smaller one. The graticule declarations include an X position offset so they'll be centered on the Sun. The center of Celestia's coordinate system is some distance away from the Sun.
Most of the DSC graticule catalog files have been disabled by appending "NO" to their filetypes. Having all of them enabled at the same time can cause visual confusion. Before you start Celestia, rename the appropriate DSC file, removing the NO, to see the graticule you want.
The pictorial graticules include images with several different graticule colors: Red, Blue, Green, Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and White. The Ecliptic graticule DSC file that I've provided specifies Red, Equatorial uses Blue, and the Galactic graticules are Green. You can edit the DSC files and change those colors to use whichever ones you feel are more appropriate.
The individual pictorial graticule models each consist of two back-to-back planes, 100 x 100 units on a side, with a 1024x1024 surface texture to define the graticule pattern. Each model is enclosed by a transparent sphere 150 units in diameter to protect against a bug in the clipping algorithm in Celestia v1.3.1. As a result, the graticules have to be scaled by strange values to display at the correct size.
Their PNG graticule texture files all contain the same image in the alpha transparency channel to define the graticule pattern. Their colors come from images in the main color channels which are a solid color.
![]() Ecliptic Graticule |
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![]() Equatorial Graticule |
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![]() 1-sided equatorial Graticule: above and below The upper view shows the solar system as seen from below: the graticule is visible. The lower view shows the solar system from above: the graticule is invisible. |
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The newer CMOD graticules can only be used with Celestia v1.3.2pre3 or
later. They were designed using Celestia's new
CMOD model definition language. They take advantage of the
colored line drawing feature in 3D models. Since graticule.cmod
is a
plain text file, only the one copy is provided. You can edit and copy
it to provide graticules of whatever color you want. The graticule
that's provided is green. See the picture below for an example.
![]() CMOD Equatorial Graticule |
Cel:// URL for this viewpoint: |
Note: the Galactic coordinate plane is slightly tilted. The tilt is less than 1/20 of a degree, though.
V2 of the Graticule Addon fixes several problems that were present in the initial version.
Archive: REDSHIFT.ZIP Length Date Time Name -------- ---- ---- ---- 7539 02-28-04 09:56 Redshift-cmod/EquatorialRS.dsc 9516 03-01-04 19:12 Redshift-cmod/GalacticRS.dscNO 0 02-27-04 07:04 Redshift-cmod/models/ 13567 02-27-04 07:42 Redshift-cmod/models/circle.cmod 1693 03-06-04 10:56 Redshift-cmod/RedShift-readme.txt 339 03-05-04 23:59 Redshift-cmod/ViewRedshift.html -------- ------- 32654 6 files
People often don't realize just how nonlinear the redshift measurements are. Thia Addon provides circles showing the redshift values from a z of 0.01 out to z=1000, in both Equatorial and Galactic coordinate systems.
The locations of these circles were calculated assuming a Hubble Constant of 72 km/s/Mpc.
Some graphics cards have problems drawing models this large. Unfortunately, reducing their sizes would not display them properly.
![]() A view of deep space including graticules, redshift circles and coordinate spheres. Plus a few QSOs here and there. |
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Archive: COORDINATE-SPHERES.ZIP Length Date Time Name -------- ---- ---- ---- 292 03-06-04 11:25 Coordinate-spheres/coordinates.html 2574 03-06-04 11:32 Coordinate-spheres/Coordinate-spheres-readme.txt 151 03-06-04 10:06 Coordinate-spheres/Ecliptic-10deg.dscNO 15356 03-06-04 11:19 Coordinate-spheres/Ecliptic-10deg-labels.dscNO 156 03-06-04 10:03 Coordinate-spheres/Equatorial-10deg.dsc 13841 03-06-04 11:20 Coordinate-spheres/Equatorial-10deg-lablels.dsc 171 03-05-04 23:04 Coordinate-spheres/Galactic-10deg.dscNO 17396 03-06-04 11:20 Coordinate-spheres/Galactic-10deg-Labels.dscNO 0 03-02-04 19:53 Coordinate-spheres/models/ 354372 03-05-04 22:19 Coordinate-spheres/models/10deg.cmod -------- ------- 404309 10 files
"Ten degrees of Separation"
This Addon uses CMOD models, so it can only be used with Celestia v1.3.2pre3 or later.
This addon provides gigantic spheres of coordinates in the three major coordinate systems. They provide background grids in Ecliptic, Equatorial and/or Galactic coordinates. The separations of the lines and their labels are 10 degrees in both longitude and latitude. Placed at a distance of 1.0e19 LY, they have no appreciable parallax when seen from locations within the visible universe.
Some graphics cards have problems displaying models this large. You may need to reduce the radius to 1e6 or so. Unfortunately, this will cause their lines to be offset if you view them from outside the solar system.
Note: the Galactic coordinate sphere is slightly misoriented. The misorientation is less than 1/20 of a degree, though.
Archive: CMOD_AXIS.ZIP Length Date Time Name -------- ---- ---- ---- 726 11-20-04 09:17 cmod_axis/cmod_axis_readme.txt 506 11-20-04 08:53 cmod_axis/mars-axis.ssc 0 11-20-04 08:46 cmod_axis/models/ 506 11-20-04 09:19 cmod_axis/models/axis.cmod -------- ------- 1738 4 files
This Addon can be used to draw an axial line through an SSC body. It's defined using Celestia's CMOD mesh object, so it only works with Celestia v1.3.2 or later.
If you restore this Zip archive into your Addons (or extras) folder, it should create its files in all the necessary sub-directories.
axis.cmod is a text file in the models folder.
The northern half of the axis is green.
The southern half of the axis is red.
You can edit axis.cmod to change these colors as you wish.
The included example SSC catalog file, mars-axis.ssc, demonstrates the use of the model to draw an axial line through Mars.
![]() Mars with an axis drawn through it. |
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Archive: CMOD_GRIDS.ZIP Length Date Time Name -------- ---- ---- ---- 1213 11-20-04 12:21 cmod_grids/cmod-grid-readme.txt 617 11-20-04 12:06 cmod_grids/mars-sky-grid.ssc 17932 11-20-04 12:05 cmod_grids/mars-sky-grid-locs.ssc 609 11-20-04 12:06 cmod_grids/mars-surface-grid.ssc 17523 11-20-04 12:04 cmod_grids/mars-surface-grid-locs.ssc 0 11-20-04 06:41 cmod_grids/models/ 219691 11-20-04 08:25 cmod_grids/models/10deg.cmod -------- ------- 257585 7 files
This Addon can be used to draw equatorial grids around an SSC body. It's defined using Celestia's CMOD mesh object, so it only works with Celestia v1.3.2 or later.
If you restore this Zip archive into your Addons (or extras) folder, it should create its files in all the necessary sub-directories.
10deg.cmod is a text file in the models folder. It draws yellowish grid lines in space. A red line is drawn at a longitude of 0 You can edit 10deg.cmod to change these colors as you wish.
The included example SSC catalog files mars-sky-grid.ssc and mars-surface-grid demonstrate the use of the model to draw grids around Mars.
The included example location SSC catalog files mars-sky-grid-locs.ssc and mars-surface-grid-locs.ssc demonstrate how to label the surface and sky grids around Mars.
You must create your own SSC catalog files in order to draw grids around other planets. Comments within the SSC files in the Addon explain how to make versions for bodies other than Mars.
Grant Hutchison's AltSurface latitude and longitude surface texture Addon may be more appropriate in many circumstances. It's available at http://www.lepp.cornell.edu/~seb/celestia/hutchison/grids.html
![]() Mars with grids drawn around it. |
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If you don't tell me that something's missing, unclear or wrong, I can't improve it.