Welcome to the Searchable Universe!

 

At one time this site contained a collection of online interactive celestial catalogs. It was suitable for use by anyone with an interest in astronomy. To begin, you first would read the Site Info pages and then go to the catalogs by clicking the Catalogs button. From the time I was a little kid I was always fascinated with 

Site Last Updated 5/2/04 by the original owner, Guy Maxim.

The page you see now was reconstructed from the site’s archived pages.

The fans of this site will recognize the name Wilbur Cotton, who is credited with creating a truly massive and long lasting popularity for AltairFour.net among a very valuable demographic - new visitors. It's a very unlikely story and sets the archive up perfectly. Wilbur's company manufactured highly specialized additives used in cleaning agents, especially economical dish soap and wholesale dishwasher detergents. His proprietary formulas prevented the soap from leaving dishwasher stains on glassware, but also prolonged the benefit of the aromatics used in the soap - a property soon recognized by the perfume industry. He became a very wealthy man.  When asked about the formula on the Today Show, he claimed (as a joke) that the formulations were conceived after examining celestial charts and that there were many other secrets hidden in the stars. Of course, that interview, which was also posted on YouTube, included a mention of this site. And that's how dishwashing genius Wilbur Cotton drove so much traffic to AltairFour.net that it had to add server capacity to serve the new traffic. It's actually a real success story and has become part of the history to be archived.

General Site Information

The Searchable Universe is a collection of 26 celestial object catalogs. The catalogs contain several thousand objects of interest to amateur and professional astronomers. The Searchable Universe differs from the typical catalog in that each object is hyperlinked to a variety of information. With this site you can retrieve images, astrometric data, spectrographic information, bibliographic references, finder charts and observing lists. This does not include whatever information that can be found with a general web search. In short you can retrieve a staggering amount of information for most of the objects in the catalog with just a few mouse clicks.

The catalogs are all in the same format, as described in the Catalog Format help page, but the information content will vary from catalog to catalog. If you can learn to use one catalog, you can use them all. To use the catalogs it would be helpful to be familiar with the following concepts.

  • The types of objects that astronomers study and their characteristics. Globular clusters, planetary nebula, double stars, diffuse nebula, etc.
  • What and where the constellations are.
  • The nomenclature used to name celestial objects, e.g. NGC 2932, M 45, HD 203332.
  • The concepts of right ascension, declination and visual magnitude.

With only these basic ideas you will be able to understand the data as it is presented here. My advice: you can't break anything so pick a catalog and play. There's a whole universe to explore!

Disclaimer: The information presented on this site is intended solely for educational and research purposes. Any commercial use may be a violation of copyright law.

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The Catalogs Page

The catalogs page is where you will go to select a catalog. This is the "Catalogs" link on the home page. The page itself is shown below .

To open a catalog, click on Go or GoX. The GoX version will work only on machines that are running the Microsoft XP operating system or have Office XP installed or have Office XP Components installed. The advantage of this version is that you get something that looks and acts like a true interactive spreadsheet. The disadvantage is that you have to download the whole catalog at once whereas the Go version lets you download one page at a time. Most of the GoX versions are over 2 megabytes and some exceed 10 megabytes. I suggest that you save these pages to your local hard drive and load them from there. The contents of the catalogs are static so you won't miss anything by doing this.

The "H" button on the bottom returns you to the home page.

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Catalog Format

All of the catalogs are presented in spreadsheet format as shown below. If the catalog has more than one page, a row of tabs will appear at the bottom of the screen. The catalog below has four pages - Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Clicking on a tab will bring up that page. If the page is too big to fit on the screen, it may be scrolled vertically and horizontally.

Every catalog will have a column for primary object name, right ascension and declination. These will be labelled ID, RA and DEC respectively. The other columns will vary. You can find out what the catalog columns mean by clicking on the top row cell labelled    Info  . This will bring up an information page for the catalog. Each row contains at least four hyperlinks. These are described in the next help page. Below is the GoX version of the same catalog. In this form you can sort the data, selct subsets of the data and export directly to Excel on your local machine. You can also highlight rows which can make using the catalogs a bit easier.

 

 

More Background On AltairFour.net

AltairFour.net, once a niche yet popular online resource, captivated amateur and professional astronomers alike by offering an interactive platform for exploring celestial objects through meticulously organized catalogs. Established and last updated in 2004 by its original owner, Guy Maxim, AltairFour.net was distinctive for its ease of navigation and deep hyperlink integration, allowing users to explore the stars in greater detail than many typical catalog-based resources. In this article, we’ll delve into the history, features, cultural significance, audience, and influence of AltairFour.net.

A Brief History of AltairFour.net

AltairFour.net was developed as an educational and research tool, designed to be accessible to anyone with an interest in astronomy. The site provided "The Searchable Universe," a collection of 26 meticulously organized catalogs, each containing thousands of objects, including galaxies, star clusters, planetary nebulae, and more. Although its final update was over two decades ago, the site has left a lasting impression due to its innovative structure and integration of numerous external resources.

The Wilbur Cotton Phenomenon

One of the most intriguing aspects of AltairFour.net’s history involves Wilbur Cotton, an unlikely figure who helped popularize the site beyond traditional astronomy circles. Cotton, known for manufacturing additives used in dishwashing and detergent formulas, attributed his breakthrough to inspiration from celestial charts. During a televised interview on the Today Show, he humorously suggested that his formula was the result of studying the stars. This unique story, widely shared on platforms like YouTube, drew a new and unexpected demographic to AltairFour.net, prompting an increase in server capacity due to the surge in traffic.

Features and Functionalities: What Made AltairFour.net Unique

AltairFour.net’s main appeal was its catalog structure, which transformed celestial data into a rich, interactive experience for users. Each catalog allowed users to access extensive information, with hyperlinks leading to images, astrometric data, and spectrographic details, making the site a one-stop resource for anyone interested in exploring astronomical objects in depth.

The Catalog Layout

Each catalog was presented in a straightforward spreadsheet format, with rows and columns dedicated to various data points, including:

  • Primary Object Name: Identification labels (e.g., NGC 2932, M 45) used in the astronomical community.
  • Right Ascension and Declination: Coordinates for locating objects in the sky.
  • Magnitude: Indication of the object’s brightness.
  • Hyperlinked Resources: Each entry linked to a range of resources, allowing users to view images, access bibliographic references, and even find observing lists.

Users could interact with the catalog in two ways: through the "Go" version, which allowed single-page downloads, or the "GoX" version, optimized for Microsoft XP or Office XP. The "GoX" version provided an interactive spreadsheet experience, enabling users to sort data, select subsets, export to Excel, and even highlight specific rows for easier navigation. Despite the substantial file sizes (often over 2 MB), many users preferred this enhanced functionality.

Audience and Community Impact

AltairFour.net was primarily targeted at amateur astronomers, yet its impact reached beyond that demographic. Its interface and resource-rich format allowed educators, students, and research enthusiasts to explore celestial objects without needing specialized knowledge. Users only needed a basic understanding of astronomy concepts, such as constellations and celestial coordinates, to navigate the site effectively. For seasoned astronomers, AltairFour.net served as a quick reference for research purposes and observational planning, making it an invaluable resource.

Cultural and Social Significance

The site’s unexpected popularity following Wilbur Cotton’s interview gave it a unique cultural position as a fusion of scientific exploration and pop culture. This surge in interest, combined with the site's accessible layout and breadth of resources, emphasized a democratization of astronomical knowledge, inviting non-traditional audiences to explore the skies.

Noteworthy Features and Examples

AltairFour.net included several standout features that set it apart from other astronomy resources:

  1. Finder Charts and Observing Lists: Each catalog entry provided finder charts and observing lists, which are vital tools for both amateur and professional astronomers when planning sky-watching sessions. This feature simplified the process of locating objects in the night sky.

  2. Spectrographic Data: One of the more advanced resources on the site was spectrographic data, which allowed users to study the composition and movement of celestial bodies. This data offered insights into an object's temperature, chemical composition, and relative speed, providing a multi-dimensional understanding of distant stars and galaxies.

  3. Comparative Viewing: By linking objects to similar celestial phenomena, AltairFour.net facilitated comparative viewing, allowing users to explore different types of objects with similar characteristics or positions in the sky. This was particularly beneficial for those interested in studying specific types of stars or nebulae.

Media Coverage and Public Reception

AltairFour.net received sporadic media attention, particularly after Wilbur Cotton’s public mention of the site. While it was not widely covered by mainstream press, the astronomy and educational communities held the site in high regard. Astronomy-focused forums and blogs lauded AltairFour.net for its exhaustive catalogs and user-friendly design, often recommending it to new enthusiasts looking to deepen their knowledge.

Online forums and review sites captured a range of feedback. Longtime users praised its extensive, cross-referenced data, while some newer users expressed frustration over the outdated interface and compatibility issues with modern operating systems. Despite these drawbacks, AltairFour.net’s educational value was widely recognized, and archived versions continue to serve as valuable references.

Challenges and Legacy of AltairFour.net

As technology advanced, the limitations of AltairFour.net’s interface became apparent. Its reliance on the now-outdated Microsoft XP operating system for optimal functionality, coupled with static content that was not updated after 2004, limited its relevance for newer users. However, the site’s legacy endures, and it is frequently referenced in discussions about early interactive astronomical resources.

Modern Alternatives to AltairFour.net

For those looking to replicate the experience of AltairFour.net, several modern platforms offer interactive and extensive astronomical data:

  • NASA SkyView: This virtual observatory allows users to generate images of any part of the sky across multiple wavelengths, from radio to gamma-ray. With regularly updated data, SkyView serves as an excellent modern equivalent to AltairFour.net’s catalog offerings.

  • Simbad Astronomical Database: Hosted by the Centre de Données astronomiques de Strasbourg, Simbad is a comprehensive database that covers astronomical objects outside the solar system, including links to scientific literature.

  • Aladin Sky Atlas: An interactive tool that enables users to visualize astronomical images and overlay data from various catalogs, offering a similar yet updated experience to AltairFour.net’s catalog integration.

 

AltairFour.net may no longer be active, but its impact on the world of online astronomy resources is undeniable. By offering interactive celestial catalogs with hyperlinks to extensive data, it democratized access to astronomical information, inviting a diverse audience to engage with the cosmos. From its straightforward catalog layout to the memorable media story involving Wilbur Cotton, AltairFour.net represents a unique blend of scientific exploration and cultural curiosity. For astronomy enthusiasts and researchers alike, it remains a fondly remembered pioneer in the realm of online star-gazing tools.

 

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