# Choose stars (dialog)

The “Choose stars” dialog is used to select variable, comparison and check stars. This information is required to make a light curve. One can also assign tags to objects, e.g. GSC numbers, these tags are printed on displayed and exported charts.

## Selecting the stars

The dialog for selecting a variable star, a comparison star and check stars

The image shows a reference frame or a catalog file (1), it depends what kind of file you have chosen in the Match stars dialog.

(2) It is possible to switch the display mode between an image, a chart or both of them.

When you place a mouse cursor over a detected object, it is highlighted with a cross hair (3). Open a context menu with a single click, select an option from a menu to select or deselect it.

(3) Click the New button to clear the current selection.

Click the OK button to confirm the selection.

## Saving the selection of objects

If you want to save the current selection of objects for further reference, click the Save as… button (10) on the toolbar. A new dialog appears. Enter a name of the selection, e.g. name of the variable star. This feature is useful in a case there are multiple variable stars on one star field.

The dialog for selecting a variable star, a comparison star and check stars

To restore the selection that was saved, use the selection control (11) on the toolbar. You can remove the selection using the Remove button (12).

## Tags

Any object on the reference frame can have user-defined short string, so called tag. Tags are used to provide additional identification to objects on an exported charts. For example, when you assign a tag with GCVS name to your variable star; the caption ‘var’ and the GCVS name will be printed on the chart next to the star. Please note, that objects that are not selected can have tags, too.

Tags are stored to a catalog file and they are loaded to the project when you use the catalog file as a reference frame in the matching step.

The dialog for selecting stars, with tags

To assign a tag to an object or edit existing tag, place a mouse cursor over a detected object, it is highlighted with a cross hair (3). Open a context menu with a single click, and select Edit tag. A new dialog appears. Enter a text (single line) and confirm the dialog. The text should appear next to the selected star.

Tags can be removed from the same context menu.

## Known variable stars

If the source frames contain World Coordinate System (WCS) data, the software can show positions of known variables on the frame. You have to specify paths to the catalog files in the program settings (see Environment options (dialog)). For each catalog, the toobar contains one check box that turns the catalog on and off. By clicking on the icon, a standard color selection dialog appears.

See also

Match stars (dialog), Choose aperture (dialog), Light curve (dialog), Environment options (dialog).