I'll assume you're using some version of Windows.
If you've ever downloaded and installed other software, I'm sure this description will be full of things you already know how to do.
These instructions are specifically for the Rosetta Nebula that Rassilon created. You should be able to use a similar procedure for equivalent creations.
Essentially, the steps are:
3.1: Download the Zip archive file containing the add-on you want
3.2: Create the directory tree to contain the Add-on.
3.3: Copy the add-on files from the zip archive to the
appropriate Celestia directories
3.4: Start Celestia and view the object.
In detail:
Rassilon's downloads are in the directory http://63.224.48.65/~rassilon/. The Rosetta Nebula Add-on is at http://63.224.48.65/~rassilon/NGC2237.zip or you can browse the Web page to select it.
extras
directory
which has the name addons
.
This will let you move all of your Add-ons at once by moving just
this one directory.
addons
directory, create a directory for
each add-on when you install it. For example, you might create the
NGC2237
directory.
NGC2237
directory, you must create the directories for
its models and its surface textures: create the directories
models
and textures
Within the
textures
directory, create the directory
medres
.
(The lores
and hires
directories aren't needed
for this particular Add-on.)
When you've created the new directories, your directory structure might look something like this:
[-] Celestia130 --- data [-] extras | [-] addons | [+] HIP500000 | [-] NGC2237 | --- models | [-] textures | --- medres --- models [+] textures
You need to have a ZIP program installed to extract the files. (Windows XP comes with one built in.)
extras\addons\NGC2237\
###################### # ngc2237.dsc ###################### Nebula "NGC2237" { Mesh "ngc2237.3ds" RA 6.5383 Dec 5.05 Distance 5500 Radius 75 } ######################
Alternatively, here's a link to a copy of this file that you can download:
NGC2244.stc
and NGC2244-2.stc
.
These are "STar Catalogs". They define a cluster of stars in the
middle of the nebula.
Drag them to the Celestia subdirectory
extras\addons\NGC2237\
.
(All Catalog files for a specific add-on go into the same "root" directory)
NGC2237.3DS
This is the 3D shape model for the nebula.
Drag it to the Celestia subdirectory
extras\addons\NGC2237\models
rosetta.png
This is a PNG picture that is used to provide surface coloration
for the model. It determines the colors and the transparency of the
various regions of the nebula.
Drag it to the Celestia subdirectory
extras\addons\NGC2237\textures\medres\
(All image files used by models must be in the
medres
directory.)
Now your directory structure should look something like this:
[-] Celestia130 --- data [-] extras | [-] addons | [+] HIP500000 | [-] NGC2237 | -- NGC2237.dsc | -- NGC2244.stc | -- NGC2244-2.stc | --- models | -- NGC2237.3ds | [-] textures | --- medres | -- rosetta.png --- models [+] textures
[return]
(Celestia will prompt with "Target name: " )
NGC2237[return]
NGC2237.dsc
.)
If the .DSC file is OK, then the name will appear in the upper left corner of Celestia's window along with the distance (5500.000 ly). You have now "selected" NGC2237.
c
". Celestia will turn toward the selected object.
That's NGC2237 in this case. Celestia should pause
briefly while it loads the model and its texture. When the viewpoint
finally stops turning, you should see a tiny pink blotch in the middle
of the screen labeled "NGC2237" in yellow.
If there's no yellow label, then you did not manage to select the "Label Galaxies" box. The "Show Galaxies" box probably isn't selected either. Go back to the "Render" "View Options..." menu and make sure their boxes are checked. You should see the label appear immediately when its box is checked. When you click on [OK], the label will stay while the menu goes away. If you click on [x] at the upper right, the label will go away when the menu does. Celestia will forget the Render changes you just made.
If there is a yellow label but no pink blotch, then either you didn't select "Show Galaxies" or there is a problem related to either the 3DS file or the png file. Check for spelling errors in the names of the files and their directories. If you have a binary file editor like HexEdit, you might try editing the 3DS file to find out exactly what texture it's looking for. You could try changing it to use another texture to find out if the problem is related to the image file.
g
". Celestia will take you to a position near the
nebula.
Here's a snapshot taken by Celestia of this nebula. The constellation
of Orion is to the lower right.
NGC 2237 as seen from Io
and here's a Cel://URL to take you to this viewpoint:
NGC 2237 as seen from Io
After you've used this URL to see where the nebula is on the sky,
one thing you can do is to hold down the "," (comma) key to increase the
magnification of Celestia's "telescope". You can turn it up
until the nebula fills the screen!
If you don't tell me that something's missing, unclear or wrong, I can't improve it.