Size of the characters in the annotations
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Hello Han, hello all,
The detection/annotations function is so powerfull right now, and there is so much stars in some crowded fields, in the Milky way, that the reading of the annotations is sometimes impossible. Is there any possibilities to setting up the size of the characters used for the annotations, or to shortening them so as to keep the image usable ?
As you will see below, Astap is very powerfull ;-)
Thanks in advance,
Happy holidays and clear skies !
Christophe
Last edit: ChrisCiel 2024-12-29
Hi Chris,
Sorry for the late response Yes that is a full display. At the moment you can only selected the magnitudes and period in tab photometry. See attached. Is that sufficient for your problem?
Han
Forgot to mention that you can set the font as red marked in the screenshot attached.
This one
Hello Han !
Thanks for the help and the suggestions.
Indeed, as I'm interested to get as much as variable stars are known in the loaded image/field, so as to measure all of them in time series, limiting the mags or the periods in the local DB will result in loss of data, and is not of a great help.
I reduced the font size to the minimal permitted (6), it improved the annotation reading, but some fields are still very (too) crowded and not easilly readable.
Maybe I could suggest, if you don't mind ;-), for a future release of the software, to add an option in the "tools" menu, something like that :
"Variable Stars annotations (Crowded Field)"
Where each detected star should be shown only by the four classic yellow dots, plus a circle : a green circle for the official AUID AAVSO comp stars, and a yellow circle for the variable stars. (And maybe, the only name of the star, in short).
The attached full star data (full lenght designation, mag, period ...) would only be seen when hovering directly on the image with the mouse pointer, on each star, with a temporary label, or written in the menu bar, at the bottom of the main window. (attached image)
Just a suggestion ;-)
Many thanks for all, anyway.
Clear skies,
Christophe
Christophe,
Can you share your original image for testing?
I could reduce the text if the font is smaller then 6.
Reporting where the mouse is will require more effort. Maybe in future.
Cheers, Han
Last edit: han.k 2025-01-08
Hello Han,
Sorry for the delay.
Here is an image taken in a moderately crowded field (in Auriga).
Hope you will find a way to get a more readable annotation of the many variable stars present in the field.
https://ufile.io/onew5b2s
Sincerely,
Chris.
ASTAP version 2025.01.13 was released today.
You can now change the font size setting to 5 and 4. Size 5 will select font name "small fonts" with size 6. Size 4 will only plot only the abbreviations with size 6.
Tell me if this works for you.
Cheers, Han
That's almost readable ;-)
That's a great improvement ! Thank you Han.
(would be perfect with size 1 character ;-))
Also ... why do the all those american surveys are adding names with 647 characteres to their new found variable stars. What an idea hahaha.
Cheers,
Christophe
No idea how to came to these abbreviations.
Is font size 6 too small? Maybe 7 is better.
Nono ! I was joking !
Maybe a real size 4 + shorten names would be appropriate, but anyway, the new version is far more readable. Thanks Han ;-)
I'd like to pick up here: I am doing photometry on southern star fields (135mm, fov 10°) which along the milky way are extremely crowded. Even with font size 4 I can not distinguish and select suitable comparison stars as the names are still superimposed on each other (see attachment).
One solution relatively easy to implement would be to add an option (check box) that only star names without any additional information are displayed. Detailed information for the variables stars is already given in the variable list in the AAVSO report window and comparison star information would have to be looked up in the VSX. The latter is a bit uncomfortable but better than not to be able to distinguish star names at all ;-) A mouse over with star information would be nice of course...
I feel that might be really helpful but not too much work to implement.
cs Axel
As aa first step I will try to shorten the abbreviation even more. Just the number maybe.
For a hint functionality, I have to look. You have to compare the mouse X,Y position with a prepared table. Note you could also use the option measure all AAVSO. But that will give a very large dropdown list in the AAVSO report window.
I'm working on a multi COMP star option which will be ready in the next days. I have to finish that first.
Cheers, Han
It will look something like below. I could also remove the 000-
The example in your attachment looks good. Removing the zeros is also ok for me. If you could implement that shortened annotation as an option it would help a lot.
cs Axel
PS: looking forward to the multi COMP star option you mentioned!
The multi COMP version is almost ready. A very large modification. Help with testing will be appreciated :)
Looks promising! Let me know if I can be a help.
cs Axel
Here is the development version 2024-02-03. For short abbreviations select font size 3.
Windows:
http://www.hnsky.org/astap_setup.exe
Linux:
http://www.hnsky.org/astap_amd64.deb
Tell me if it works for you.
I have to update the manual.
Cheers, Han
The smallest font size I can set is 4. Then variable star labels are shown without additional information, but comparison stars are shown with complete information (see attachment). Already much better readability.
If possible please use the same color for labels and label lines for the comparison stars (green), that helps in distinguishing the lines.
cs Axel
It looks like you have the old version. What version is reported in HELP, ABOUT? It should be v2025.02.03.
Just noticed the Linux version was not updated due to error. Are you using Linux?
I have updated the Linux version now. Can you try again.
Linux:
http://www.hnsky.org/astap_amd64.deb
I am using win10 (64bit) and the version is indeed 2025.02.03
Sorry, I had two instances of astap running and one of them was still the older version.
In 25.2.03 the smallest font is 3 and all labels show only the star names. Even in central centaurus the star names are now easily readable (attachment).
cs Axel
Good that is solved now.
A found a bug today. Four columns in the photometry tab where permanent invisible You better update to the version of today:
Windows:
http://www.hnsky.org/astap_setup.exe
Linux:
http://www.hnsky.org/astap_amd64.deb
Cheer, Han
Thanks Han, I will try the version as soon as possible.
I noticed that in the AAVSO report the airmass column remains empty. I did not find anything in the manual how to set the observation coordinates which are likely necessary to calculate air mass. Could you please tell me how to get the airmass column filled?
cs Axel