How to Find the Distance
Between Two Stars

Viewing Cube with detail of Viewing Cube Controls.

1) Select Your Starting Point

Obviously, you have to select the two stars between which you want the distance. This begins by selecting your starting point—the "Focus Star."

So, select the desired "Focus Star." This will be your starting point for measuring. To do this, simply display the star in the Viewing Cube, click on "Data" mode, move the green mouse crosshairs to the star until they brighten, then click to select the star.

Detail of Star Data panel emphasizing the Selected Stars scroll buttons.

2) Check Your Star

The Star Data panel will tell you if the desired star is the current Focus Star. If you have selected more than one star (through chance alignment or because the star is multiple), then scroll through the selection using the scroll buttons just to the right of the Star Data panel "Star Count" window.

Detail of Hood Tools panel focusing on the Calc Distance button.

3) Click the Calc Distance Button

In Hood Tools, find the "Calc Distance" button and click it.

Viewing Cube and bright green cursor. Move your mouse cursor over this image (with JavaScript enabled) and you will see both Focus and Target markers.

4) Click on the Target Star

Move your mouse cursor to the desired target star. When the cursor has acquired the star, it will brighten. Simply click on that star. This will display the magenta (bright pink) Target Star marker.

In the illustration to the right, if you move your mouse cursor over it with JavaScript enabled, you will see the magenta Target Star marker.

Hood Tools panel and the finished calculation.

5) Read the Distance

On the Hood Tools panel, the distance is now displayed, either in parsecs or light years. You can switch between these units by selecting from the menu, View, Light Years, or deselecting this. You can also perform this switch with the shortcut, CTRL-Y.

The "Calc Distance" button now says, "Done." Until you click the "Done" button, certain functions are disabled. For instance, to change the Focus Star, you need to click "Done," beforehand.