techpubs@PRC.Unisys.COM (Technical Pub. Vince Short) (07/26/90)
Archive-name: ngp/20-Jul-90
Original-posting-by: techpubs@PRC.Unisys.COM (Technical Pub. Vince Short)
Original-subject: NGP Available Via FTP
Archive-site: gvlv2.gvl.unisys.com [128.126.220.102]
Archive-directory: /pub/astro/ngp
Reposted-by: emv@math.lsa.umich.edu (Edward Vielmetti)
NEW GENERAL PROGRAM FOR NONSTELLAR ASTRONOMICAL OBJECTS (NGP) AVAILABLE VIA FTP
If you are familiar with the Revised New General Catalogue Of Nonstellar
Astronomical Objects (RNGC) and have access to an IBM compatible PC with a hard
disk, then you may well be interested in the "New General Program For
Nonstellar Astronomical Objects" (NGP). This software is basically an on-line
version of the famous deep-sky catalog, offering many many useful features
such as:
- Rapid selection of desired lists of objects from the catalog based upon
selection criteria you specify. Also provides a facility for quickly
selecting completely random lists of NGC objects, for convenient matching
to other publications, or a nights' observations.
- Instant sorting of the catalog data by all useful sequences.
- Keeps your personal observing or technical notes for the NGC objects (up
to 64K per object).
- Provides for easy and powerful browsing and reporting of the data at
various levels of detail.
- Users may share their personal notes through note export and import
facilities.
- A great deal of amateur observing notes from various users is initially
provided.
- Large sets of technical notes taken from major specialized catalogs are
also provided. You'll find detailed statistical data for thousands of
galaxies, clusters and nebulae from the following sources:
Lynds Catalogue of Bright Nebulae
Lund Catalogue of Open Clusters
Morphological Catalogue of Galaxies (MCG)
Uppsala General Catalogue of Galaxies (UGC)
- Useful data fields not found in the RNGC itself are provided, such as
object sizes and constellations.
- Much more, plus it's completely free.
System requirements:
- An IBM PC or compatible running DOS.
- A hard disk drive with at least 2 megabytes of free space. As much as 5 or
6 megabytes may be required to support very large quantities of personal
or technical notes.
- A printer, for printing the manual and hard-copy reports from the program.
- A Mouse, which is quite useful throughout the program, but by no means
necessary.
- A math coprocessor is automatically supported, but makes little
difference. (Detail screens may page a little faster with one if
precession to another epoch has been invoked).
Availability:
- NGP is available from two sources, either via floppies or via anonymous
ftp from GVLV2.GVL.UNISYS.COM.
- To order NGP via the mail, in the United States, send $5.60 to cover the
expense of four 360K 5-1/4 inch floppies, mailer, and postage. For orders
outside of the United States, send $4.75 US plus enough to cover 4 ounces
international postage. All copies of the program will be shipped on 360K
5-1/4 inch PC floppies. Other sizes or formats can not be supported.
Send all requests for the program or for information to:
G. Dean Williams
4900 Jerry Drive
Little Rock, Ark 72212.
- To obtain NGP via anonymous ftp, do the following:
%ftp gvlv2.gvl.unisys.com
Name (gvlv2.gvl.unisys.com:joef): anonymous
Password: (your user name, in this example joef)
ftp> cd /pub/astro/ngp
ftp> get download.txt
ftp> bye
Read the file you just downloaded (download.txt). This file explains in
detail all you will need to know to download NGP and bring it up on your
PC. Read this file carefully before downloading any others.