B.3 Constellation lines data file

This is a text file usually called lines.dat. It has no header. You can define paths of constellation lines by lists of stars that are ended with a semicolon `;'. You can insert superfluous whitespace as you wish, and comments after every `#'.

Stars are given in the usual way: Either by a pair of constellation abbreviation and Flamsteed number, as in

     ORI 19

(Rigel), or by `HD' and the Henry Draper catalogue number, as in

     HD 108248

(Acrux).

Example

     # Orion
     
     ORI 19  ORI 34  ORI 24 ;
     ORI 53  ORI 50  ORI 46  ORI 34 ;
     ORI 50  ORI 58 ;
     
     # Southern Cross
     
     HD 111123  # beta Cru
     HD 106490 ; # delta Cru
     
     HD 108248  # alpha Cur
     HD 108903 ;  # gamma Cru

PP3's constellation lines origin

I created the lines after my fancy. The Atlas für Himmelsbeobachter¹ was an important source of inspiration though.