Now on v6.0
based on Aladin v5.0
Comment: Aladin has lots of options; here I describe just the tip-of-the-iceberg

Aim: print a large-scale image as finding chart
Aim: find magnitude<7, SAO star near object
(LX-200 can goto such a star by number; xephem may be a better tool for this)

LX-200 can also goto by (M,NGC,IC) object# 
but going to a nearby bright star increases the chance you're on the right object.

bethe 6% Aladin

seek finding chart:
File->Load astronomical image->Skyview+
Pixels: 1000
Target: (enter an object name like m67 or RA/dec like 12:34:59 +36:17:51)
Size deg.: .5
Surveys: DSS2 Red
click: SUBMIT

wait for image to appear
This image will be 30 arcmin (i.e., .5 degree) on a side, whereas our CCD image will be 18x12 arcmin

Overlay->Grid

Stars are usually named by their catalog number, for example:
HR = Bright Star Catalogue (Yale)
HD = Henry Draper
BD = Bonner Durchmusterung
SAO = Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory 
Hip = Hipparcos Catalogue
Tyc = Tycho Catalogue
USNO = US Naval Observatory

for example, the star Vega has all the following names:
HR 7001, HD 172167, BD+38 3238, SAO 67174, HIP 91262, USNO-B1.0 1287-00305764

As our telescope knows the location of bright (<7mag) stars by SAO#,
it's handy to know an SAO# star near the object of interest. (FYI: AstroPlanner can goto any SAO#)
Aladin can load info on SAO stars near an object:
File->Load catalog->VizieR Catalogs
Target: (as above)
Catalog: SAO
Radius: 30
click: SUBMIT

An icon for a table is added to the plane stack on the upper rhs of Aladin's display
The corresponding objects are marked in the image; if you click on a star, data appears
on the bottom of the display.  This info can be displayed in a copy&paste format via the console:
Tool->Script Console (then click Dump measurement frame)

Typically there are no bright <7mag SAO stars in a .5 degree field
You can request a catalog for a wider area, select those stars and sort on Vmag to find the brightest
or use a filter like: ${Vmag}<7 {draw blue square}
or use xephem for a visual search of a large area for a bright SAO star (from SAO_LX200.edb)

You can get point-and-wait info about a star by turning on the automatic pointer:
Tool->Simbad automatic pointer
Now if you let the pointer sit on a star, Aladin will query the Simbad database for star info


I recommend by hand noting SAO stars, object, standard stars, etc on image


Note: Using the Java interface to SkyMap at
http://skyview.gsfc.nasa.gov/
allows you to find SAO stars easier:
enter RA,Dec; Size (say 1 Degree)
Overlays->Catalogs
click: Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory Star Catalog
click: Submit
(Don't seem to be able to get further info on these stars)

Note: Aladin can determine/write WCS astronometry (RA/dec) calibration
Load an image (typically from web) with existing RA/dec calibration
File->Open local file...browse to your fits file that lacks RA/dec calibration
Note: Image->Symmetry->Top/Bottom to flip images from our ST7 camera
use multiview to put images side-by-side (click box to select which image planes are to be displayed)
Image->Astrometrical calibration
select by matching stars
alternatively select x,y pixel location (star) on your image and get corresponding RA/dec on calibrated image
click CREATE when you have matched all desired stars
click tab "by parameters" to see resulting fit
File->Save...Export some planes

You can load a local catalog in Aladin:
4.5.3. Local Tables
Tables should be in one of the following formats:
– Tab-Separated-Value (TSV): one record per line, each
field separated by a TAB. By default, the first column is
assumed to be Right Ascension, and the second column
Declination (both in J2000 equatorial system). Values are
to be given in decimal degrees, or in sexagesimal hours and
degrees. Heading line can be present, as shown below:

RAJ2000 DEJ2000 GSC number Pmag
------- ------- ---------- -----
185.701 15.822 0144501972 15.55
185.766 15.795 0144502507 13.92
185.704 15.844 0144501918 15.06
185.710 15.849 0144502383 14.78

if separator is not TAB: Edit>user preferences>CSV characters