Menu items



File -> Save location

Use this menu selection to save your current viewing location. Future program startups will begin at this location. Location data includes the current daylight saving time (DST) setting.


File -> Save preferences

Use this menu selection to save your current preferences. Future program startups will begin with these preferences.

Preferences include:



File -> Save window size/position

Use this menu selection to save the current window size and position on your monitor.


File -> Show messages

Use this menu selection to display messages generated by Night Vision. Generally these are errors found while reading user editable files during startup. This selection is disabled if no messages are available.


File -> Write user files...

Use this menu selection to write user editable files.


File -> Print...

Use this menu selection to print a star chart.


File -> Close

Use this menu selection to exit Night Vision.


Set -> Location...

Use this menu selection to set viewing location. Any location in the location database, or any longitude/latitude coordinates, can be selected. (The location database can be edited to user's preferences.)


Set -> Stars...

Use this menu selection to set star parameters, such as limiting magnitude and star size.


Set -> Fonts...

Use this menu selection to set fonts for various types of objects.


Set -> Colors...

Use this menu selection to set the colors used on screen and by a color printer.


Set -> Window...

Use this menu selection to control the display of the information bar, toolbar, and scrollbars within the main window.


Set -> To Alt-Az mode    /    To RA-Dec mode

Use this menu selection to switch alternately between Alt-Az mode and RA-Dec mode.

In Alt-Az mode the navigation scrollbars (bottom and right side of the window) control the altitude (vertical scrollbar) and the azimuth (horizontal toolbar) of the view.

In RA-Dec mode the navigation scrollbars control the Right Ascension (horizontal scrollbar) and Declination (vertical scrollbar) of the view.


View -> Select objects...

Use this menu selection to select objects to view, such as planets and deep sky objects.


View -> Find

Use this menu selection to find various objects:



View -> Direction

Use these menu selections to control direction of view.

In Alt-Az mode the following selections are available:

In RA-Dec mode the following selections are available:

In both modes the first four selections affect only the horizontal scrollbar at the bottom, while the last three affect only the vertical scrollbar at the right.


View -> Zoom in

Use this menu selection to zoom in.


View -> Zoom out

Use this menu selection to zoom out.


View -> Previous view

When the view is changed, either through a change in direction (alt/az) and/or a change in zoom level, the previous view is saved. Use this menu selection to return to the previous view.


View -> Previous zoom

When the zoom level is changed, the previous view is saved. Use this menu selection to return to the view before the zoom level was changed.

This option allows the user to zoom into an area, then move around within this zoom level (perhaps to adjust the direction before printing), and then return to the pre-zoomed view.


View -> Solar System

Use this menu selection to bring up the Solar System window.


Time -> Set date/time...

Use this menu selection to set the date and time to any point from 1000AD through 3000AD.


Time -> Pause    /    Run

Use this menu selection to alternately pause or run time.


Time -> Rates...

Use this menu selection to set display update interval and time speed.