The pictures internet_proxy.jpg, internet_orbit.jpg are obsolete and should be replaced. It doesn't affect the usabillity of this document.

From the menu: Setup → Internet

From the menu: Setup → Internet → Proxy

• HTTP Proxy

If you are connected to Internet through a proxy, SkyCharts needs its parameters to work.
The parameters are:

• Proxy host IP address or hostname of the proxy.
• Port port number used to communicate with the proxy.
• User Name Name used to connect to proxy.
• Password password used to connect to proxy.

The default is not to use a proxy. If you don't need a proxy, then you don't need those parameters.

• FTP is used by SkyChart to download the larges files from MPC, an anonymous connection is required. If you are nice, you put your email address as a password here. Anyhow, it usually will work with anything that contains an “@” in the password.
  
  

You can skip to push the download button every time you want to retrieve data from online resources. To do so, you need to uncheck the checkbox “Ask confirmation before any Internet connection” at the bottom of this tab.

From the menu: Setup → Internet → Orbital Elements

Here the MPC URLs are specified that SkyChart can use to download the orbital elements of comets and asteroids.

The upper input area contains the URLs for comets, you can choose your site (and protocol) to download from by clicking one of the four buttons:

• astro.cz HTTP comet data by the HTTP protocol
• MPC Ftp comet data from cfa-ftp.harvard.edu by the FTP protocol
• MPC Http same as above, only HTTP protocol
• Default sets the URL to the same as MPC HTTP.

The lower input area shows the MCP URLs that are used for asteroids, you can choose the source for the orbital elements by clicking one of the six buttons:

• MPCORB > 70MB! for full file (more than 300.000 asteroids, FTP protocol mandatory)
• First 5000 for a choice of 5000 asteroids (file downloaded from CdC Site)
• Bright + NEO + TNO For three MPC lists of asteroids (bright, unusual and distant)
• Default is same as First 5000 + NEO + TNO.
• astro.cz > 70B! A MPC-mirror situated in the Czech Republic. 300.000 asteroids, by HTTP
• First 5000 + NEO + TNO 5000 asteroids + the unusual and distant

Here the DSS URLs are specified that you can use to download FITS formatted pictures. Each row in the list has a name and a URL. The name is used as a short identifier for the long URL. The URLs describe where and exactly how to download the pictures from. (see the DSS Site for details).

The names are used to select the source of your pictures, make your selection by a click on the icon in object tool bar, or by clicking Chart → Get DSS Image.

When you are an experienced user and really know what to do, you can add more rows by editing the [DSS] section in your cartesduciel.ini configuration file. You can built the proper URL-syntax for the website to retrieve the data from. First you need to find out the syntax of the parameters that the website can handle. When you know this, you need to fill the variables for the parameters with the values that SkyCharts can deliver automatically. The next list gives you an overview of the variables as I know them now.

To read about the URL-format in queries, read the ASU document.

To read more about how to download a picture from DSS, click here.
To read more about the display of these images, click here.
To read more about the configuration of the usage of DSS, click here.