Object Catalog
AstroHelm ships with a fully offline catalog of deep-sky objects. No internet connection is required at your observing site.
What’s Included
Section titled “What’s Included”Free version include all solar system objects (planets, the Moon, and the Sun) plus a curated selection of objects that are well-placed for tonight’s sky at your location.
Plus version add the complete Messier and Caldwell catalogs, along with all stars that carry a Bayer designation.
Pro version includes everything in Plus, and extends the catalog with the full NGC and IC collections.
Finding an Object
Section titled “Finding an Object”There are two ways to locate an object: the catalog browser and search.
Catalog Browser
Section titled “Catalog Browser”The Messier and Caldwell tabs show the full catalog as a scrollable list. Each entry shows the object’s type and current altitude so you can quickly judge what’s observable from your site tonight.
If you already know the catalog number, tap the keyboard icon to enter it directly (for example, M42 or C104) and jump straight to that entry.
The NGC and IC tabs work differently: instead of a scrollable list, they present a keypad where you type the catalog number directly. Enter the number and tap the checkmark button to view its details.
Search
Section titled “Search”The search screen lets you find stars, planets, and deep-sky objects. For stars, you can enter a Bayer designation using either the full Latin constellation name or its standard abbreviation — for example, Alpha Orionis or α Ori — as well as the star’s IAU common name, such as Betelgeuse. For deep-sky objects, both catalog numbers and common names are supported.