viewing the closest stars

I've been thinking about, for a couple of days now, making a red dwarf list for SkyTools. But it is proving to be somewhat challenging. That's because SkyTools, despite the advanced Database Power Search utility, does not expose the stellar class. You can search by colour, indirectly, using B-V values.

A couple of ST observing lists were assembled by others, lists of "red stars." But these are a mixture of K, M, and carbon stars and not necessarily dwarfs.

As I was researching the B-V index, the current classifications for stars, the HR diagram, I came upon a good list, over at the amazing wikipedia, of course, the List of Nearest Stars. Ah ha! Nicely assembled, colour coded, with good detail.

And I was happy to see that a number of these are within reach. Easily spotted with a medium-aperture telescope...

After I posted a note to the RASC listserv, Eric uploaded to the Files area an Excel document that lists the 250 closest stars.