Template:Infobox star/doc

This is a documentation subpage for Template:Infobox star. It may contain usage information, categories and other content that is not part of the original template page.

{{Infobox star}} is an {{Infobox}}-based template designed to present a summary of important facts about a specified star. It is intended to be used at the top of an article about a star, but may also be used in a section about a star in an article about a broader or loosely related topic, if appropriate. Designed as a replacement for the {{Starbox begin}} series, it features an integrated star map and interchangeable sections that can be activated by simple cell parameters, with support for a summary of double and triple star systems. It is an intricate template that is made up of inputs for 25 parameters, with up to 24 additional parameters for expansion when summarising information about a two or three-star system. A <div> phrase is used to create the frameless location map that appears as the default lead image, and 37 {{#if:}} parser functions are used for the template's interchangeable sections.

Alpha Centauri

α Centauri AB is the bright star to the left, with Proxima Centauri circled in red. The bright star to the right is β Centauri
Constellation	Centaurus
Coordinates	14h 39m 36.49400s –60° 50′ 02.3737″
Distance	4.37 light years
Epoch	J2000.0
Alpha Centauri A
Proper name	Rigil Kentaurus
Apparent m	+0.01
Spectral type	G2V
Age	≈4.4 billion years
Mass	1.100 solar masses
Radius	1.2234±0.0053 solar radii
Rotation	22±5.9 days
Alpha Centauri B
Proper name	Toliman
Apparent m	+1.33
Spectral type	K1V
Age	≈6.5 billion years
Mass	0.907 solar masses
Radius	0.8632±0.0037 solar radii
Rotation	36 days
Orbit
Period	79.91±0.011 years
a axis	17.57±0.022°
Eccentricity	0.5179±0.00076
Inclination	79.205±0.041°

PSR B1257+12

Location of PSR B1257+12 in Virgo (circled)
Proper name	Lich
Constellation	Virgo
Coordinates	13h 00m 01s +12° 40′ 57″
Distance	2,300 light years
Epoch	J2000.0
Characteristics
Age	1–3 billion years
Mass	1.100 solar masses
Radius	1.2234±0.0053 solar radii
Rotation	6.219 milliseconds
Planets	Draugr Poltergeist Phobetor

{{Infobox star}}'s syntax features a base of 25 parameters for an article or section describing a single star. An additional 12 parameters can be used to convert the infobox into one that describes a two-star system. It can also be expanded by another 12 parameters to convert the infobox into one that describes a three-star system. These additional parameters are shown below in the example code, separated by line breaks from the base parameters. The examples presented at right show the template as it appears when the base parameters are used for the pulsar PSR B1257+12, and when the first expanded set of 12 parameters are used for the Alpha Centauri system, with Proxima Centauri excluded due to it having its own article. The syntax for this template, in its intended order and spacing, is presented below.

{{Infobox star
| name           = 
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| alt            = 
| map x          = 
| map y          = 
| map circle     = 
| proper name    = 
| constellation  = 
| galaxy         = 
| ascension      = 
| declination    = 
| distance       = 
| epoch          = 
| magnitude      = 
| spectral       = 
| age            = 
| mass           = 
| radius         = 
| rotation       = 
| planets        = 
| period         = 
| axis           = 
| eccentricity   = 
| inclination    = 

| proper name b  = 
| magnitude b    = 
| spectral b     = 
| age b          = 
| mass b         = 
| radius b       = 
| rotation b     = 
| planets b      = 
| period b       = 
| axis b         = 
| eccentricity b = 
| inclination b  = 

| proper name c  = 
| magnitude c    = 
| spectral c     = 
| age c          = 
| mass c         = 
| radius c       = 
| rotation c     = 
| planets c      = 
| period c       = 
| axis c         = 
| eccentricity c = 
| inclination c  = 
}}

The |name= parameter sets the name of the template, displayed in large, bold font at its heading. {{Infobox star}} features a location map as a default lead image if |image= is not active. It uses an English-language map of a constellation specified in |constellation=, created by Torsten Bronger. For example, a map of Orion will be displayed if the parameter is set to |constellation=Orion. This is achieved by fixing the infobox image to File:{{{constellation|}}} constellation map.svg, taking advantage of the maps' harmonised filenames under Wikimedia Commons guidelines. The minimalist design of these vector maps are preferred over the maps published by the International Astronomical Union as they are hard to read at a thumbnail level. A <div> phrase is used to create the location map instead of {{Location map+}}, as the template, along with its variants, do not have support for frameless thumbnails, which allow users to display thumbnail sizes according to their preferences as advised by the Manual of Style. The Location map templates are by default fixed to 250px width, and any attempt to set it to a frameless width will result in a Lua error. A caption for the map is also fixed and the corresponding |caption= parameter disabled if |image= is not active. Its syntax is written as "Location of {{{name|}}} in {{{constellation|}}} (circled)". Coordinates for the location map's circle will have to be inputted as well, through |map x= and |map y=. The circle used for the location map, File:Red circle.svg, is set to a width of 12px as default. This can be changed through a |map circle= parameter, where its width in pixels, excluding the "px" affix, can be inputted.

When an input for |image= is detected, the location map is disabled entirely, through the use of an {{#if:}} parser function. In this instance, |image= is used to input the filename of an image to be displayed as the lead image, excluding its "File:" prefix. Per the Manual of Style's image size guidelines, the width of the image is fixed to frameless, to ensure that users' preferences for thumbnail sizes are respected. Both |caption= and |alt= are also made active when |image= is, with |caption= intended to be used to input an appropriate descriptive caption for the image displayed in |image=, and |alt= intended to be used to input an alt caption for the same image. The use of {{Longitem}} is highly encouraged if the caption is larger than a single line.

For articles or sections describing a star system, it would be appropriate to expand {{Infobox star}} with a suite of parameters that add support for information on two-star and three-star systems. This is possible by simply adding a "b" or "c" to the end of parameter names under "Characteristics" and "Orbit", such as |radius b= or |eccentricity c=. "b" parameters help describe a secondary star in the system, while "c" parameters help describe a tertiary star in the system. Additionally, the |proper name= parameter can be expanded with "b" and "c" names as well. When any "b" or "c" cell is active, the infobox design is rearranged from a structure describing a single star to that describing a star system. The "Characteristics" headings become title headers with the Bayer designation for the stars displayed; the "Orbit" headers remain consistent, however. When any particular "b" or "c" cell is active, {{#if:}} parsers check to see if a wikilink to that cell's label already exists in the infobox. If it does, the wikilink is removed, and if there is not, a wikilink is placed onto the label. An example on the right shows how the wikilink for |spectral b='s label is removed if one already exists for |spectral='s label. This is to comply with the Manual of Style's guidelines on overlinking.

{{Infobox star}} was designed to be a replacement for the "Starbox" series of templates that were primarily used as summary boxes prior to the standardisation of {{Infobox}}es. They were used from 2005 to 2019. The series was made up of 15 separate templates, of which their purpose has now been succeeded by {{Infobox star}}. The "Starbox" series as a whole featured many more cells than {{Infobox star}}, and often went into detail that exceeded the purpose of an infobox as a summary (and not supplant) of key facts that appear in an article. This inspired and informed the selection of {{Infobox star}}'s limited amount of parameters and cells, in order to resolve this issue. The 15 templates of the "Starbox" series are presented below.

• {{Infobox astronomical object}}
• {{Infobox comet}}
• {{Infobox galaxy cluster}}
• {{Infobox globular cluster}}
• {{Infobox open cluster}}
• {{Infobox planet}}