FAQs

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Top Frequently Asked Questions

  • Click on the retical either in the logo of the home page or at the top of the settings page. From the locations page, click Add Location. Choose the type of location (current GPS, city/country, list of remote observatories, or manual lat/long. Give the location a name, and adust the uniform horizon if desired. Click save.

  • Select a location from the locations page. Scroll t the bottom and selects Add/Update Custom Horizon. Check to see if the zenith (directly overhead) is open or obstructed and click the appropriate button. Place the center crosshairs at the top of the tree/building line in any direction, and click the shutter buttom to drop the first point. Rotate the phone around the tree line or other obstructions, clicking the shutter button every 10-20 degrees. When you get near the starting position, click complete.

  • On the Best of the Night Page, New to You page, or any object detail page, simply click on the date to change it to another date. Click Tonight to return to the current night.

  • From any object detail page, click Add to Sky Planner. The app will select a good range by default. Drag the green start and red end line to djust the range. Note that frequently the red (end) line may be to the left of the green (start) line. This is because the end time is in the next year. You can click the boxes to include the same range in future years, and you can click to place a strikethrough of the object for the remainder of the season once you are done shooting it for the year.

  • From the search page, click the yellow (+) button. On the resulting page, fill in the object name and/or number, RA/Dec, and object type. Other details, if known, will improve ranking listing of the object. A custom image can be added to any custom object (Sky Planner Pro is NOT required to add a picture to a custom created object).

  • This feature requires Sky Planner Pro. Subscribers can simply click on an object photo on any object detail page and select any photo from their photos app. The object photo can be reverted to the default at any time.

  • Catalogs sometimes disagree on object sizes, brightness, and sometimes even exact position of large objects (eg., the center of a nebula). That said, if you spot what you believe to be a serious error, use the contact page to bring it to our attention.

  • Since SkyPlanner is an astrophotography app, all calculations are based upon when a target can be observed or imaged.  So objects that are high in unobstructed sky at sunset are said to "rise" at sunset (+ whatever twilight setting you have selected).  Similarly, if the sunrises with an object still in unobstructed sky, the app reports the object to have "set".  When the rise/set times are thus clamped, you will see a "(dusk)" or "(dawn)" next to the times.

Getting Started

  • No. But the app will function much better if you do. Without permission, the initial default telescope location will be set to a mid US location.  You can change this to your own location manually, and can choose options other than "GPS" when creating new locations.  

  • On first opening, the app is populating the database with more than 4000 deep space targets, as well as many years of ephemeris data for planets and the moon.  This process will generally take a few seconds, and is never repeated-- unless the initial import is interrupted.  App openings thereafter are rapid.

  • Current targets and events will appear in this section after they are added to the planner.

  • Yes.  SkyPlanner Pro subscribers can change the weightings of object types in the rankings by adjusting the sliders on the Settings page, prioritizing preferred target types, and de-prioritizing (or excluding) non-preferred types.  

    Non-subscribers can filter targets types on the Best of the Night or New To You pages to eliminate non-preferred target types.

  • This is the SkyPlanner Weather Bar!  It represents the cloud cover from sunset (left side) to sunrise (right side) for the current night.  It changes to reflect the currently predicted hourly cloud cover.  You may notice it updating throughout the day or night.  Greater predicted cloud percentages for a given hour are shown as increasing opacity to the gray color overlying the clear sky.

  • This usually means your telescope location has an incorrect geographical location associated with it.  Make sure that you have authorized location access for the app, or have correctly manually set the location for each included telescope location.  Also, if you have obstructions (trees, buildings, etc), either adjust the uniform horizon to a higher altitude, or trace a custom horizon. 

  • On the Home screen, rotate the phone to landscape orientation.  The screen will now show detailed moon rise, set, and illumination data.  The times for twilights tonight and tomorrow are displayed below the moon data.  To the right are detailed sky conditions, including cloud cover, transparency, and seeing.  If available for your location, a text based forecast is presented, along with a precipitation warning if configured in Settings.  Note: SkyPlanner uses the top included location for all weather data.  You can drag the locations to reorder them as needed. 

Telescope Locations

  • Tap on the reticule either in the SkyPlanner logo or at the top of the Settings page.

  • There are 4 options for setting the geographic location of a telescope-- all accessed via the tabs at the top of the Add Location page.  GPS used the phone's current location, City allows for a city/state/country search.  Observatory allows for the selection from a list of numerous well known remote observatory sites.  Manual allows for the direct input of latitude and longitude.

  • On either the Add Location page or an already existing location's detail page, you can change the altitude of the uniform horizon.  To create a custom traced horizon, from an existing location's detail page, click Update Horizon Profile.

  • Click Update Custom Horizon from any location's detail page.  A live view will launch.  Rotate the phone.  First see if the zenith above the location is open or obstructed (this is important for the visibility logic to function correctly).  Select the option Open or Obstructed.  Slowly trace the junction between sky and obstructions (trees/buildings) that define either the 360 degree horizon, or a window of visibility in the canopy (if the zenith is obstructed).  Use the shutter button to drop points along this line every 10-20 degrees.  As you near the starting point, you will see a green Complete button.  Pressing this closes the circle and finishes the capture process.  

  • A 360 degree horizon is open at the zenith, no matter how small the traced circle is.  A visibility window is obstructed at the zenith, now matter how large the opening is.  Think of a visibility window as a gap in the tree canopy off to one side.  For most telescope locations, the 360 degree horizon option is the correct option.  But there may be some locations on your property where a window exists that allows imaging of otherwise obstructed targets.  The window option can also be useful for planetary imaging, where a long visibility time is less important.

  • Yes.  Many users have locations both at home as well as other places they image, whether traveling or housed in a remote observatory.  In general, though, you should only have "include" checked on telescope in one geographic location.  The visibility logic will run, but may give some unusual results, when telescope locations from very different geographic locations are included in the analysis.  So if you have, for example 5 different potential setup areas at home, and a telescope in a remote observatory, either have just the remote location included, or all the home locations included, but not both.  

  • Simply press and hold on a location, then drag to the desired place on the list.  Remember that the weather data is tied to the top included location.  Also, if "location time" is selected in the settings, the top included location will define the displayed times.  This is important if your remote observatory is in a different time zone.

  • SkyPlanner requires at least one telescope location to function.  If you remove or uncheck all locations, the last included location cannot be clicked to exclude it.  If you wish to exclude that location, first either add or click to include another location.  Doing so will unlock the button so that you can then exclude the other location.

Using the Planner

  • The planner serves as a place to display all the objects you want to shoot.  The placement logic of the planner is complex.  It considers whether a target's nightly integration time is increasing or decreasing, the angular distance to the moon and moon illumination, the magnitude of the target, other objects in the planner, among other factors.  It then attempts to place each object on the best night to shoot it.  That said, astrophotographers know that weather intervenes.  So the best way to use the planner is to look not only at the current day, but really the whole month.  Generally, a target in the planner is a good target for the entire month.  

    Note that because of the placement logic, when a new target is added to the planner, targets in the planner may be moved around.  This DOES NOT happen for events though.  Events (things like occultations, transits, etc.) are always locked to the date assigned to them, for obvious reasons.

    The planner is especially useful when you discover an object or event that isn't well positioned until many months in the future.  Drop it in the planner, and when you get to that time in the year, your reminder will be there.

  • From any object's detail page, click "Add to Planner" below the photo.  On the resulting screen, drag the green (start) and red (end) lines to define the period you wish to place the target in your planner.  Frequently these will be placed correctly by default, as SkyPlanner attempts to define the period of best yearly visibility given your included locations.  

    NOTE:  Frequently the red line may be to the left of the green line.  This may seem counterintuitive, but makes sense considering the cosmos doesn't care about our year breaks.  When the red line is to the left of the green line, that means that the end date is actually on that day in the FOLLOWING year (you can see this in the date readout below the chart).

    Click Add to SkyPlanner to save your selections and close the window.

    Use the Strikethough for Season if you want to mark that you have completed the target for the year, but want to keep it in the planner for record keeping.  Use Include in Future Years if you would like the target to repeat the following year, using the same start/end dates.  

    Note that events and planets are treated a bit differently, and are covered in separate FAQ's.

  • Planets, and especially the inner planets, are handled a bit differently than deep space objects.  For the outer planets select and drag the start and end lines as desired, as with deep space objects.  The date of opposition is listed for reference.  You may have to use the arrows above the chart to navigate years if the opposition is near the start or end of a year.  

    For the inner planets, the individual start and end dates aren't moved directly.  Instead, use the slider below the chart to select a number of days before and after greatest elongation.  Note: when there are multiple elongations in a year (especially common with Mercury), the planet will appear in the planner for all elongations that year. 


  • From the main Planner page, Click the yellow (+) and select "Add Custom Event".  Give the event a name (eg., "ISS Lunar Transit 20:03”), a single date or date range, add any needed notes, and save by clicking "Add to SkyPlanner".  Saved events, including past ones, are also visible and accessible on the favorites page.  

  • The planner logic considers many factors when placing targets, including what other targets are in the planner.  This means that when a target is added, previously included targets may shift dates.  This is expected behavior.  NOTE: Custom events will not move.  These are locked to the date defined by the user when it was created.

  • This functionality is not implemented at this time.

  • Sometimes the planner has to reload to show your newest addition.  If an added target isn't showing, either toggle the month forward one and then back, or navigate to another app screen and back to the planner, and your new item should show up.

  • From any object's detail page, click on the yellow "In SkyPlanner" button.  On the resulting screen, click Remove from SkyPlanner.  In some cases, you may have to toggle the planner month, or navigate to another screen and back, for the target to disappear from the planner screen. 

  • From any object's detail page, click on the yellow "In SkyPlanner" button.  On the resulting screen, adjust the date range lines as desired.  Click Update Entry. In some cases, you may have to toggle the planner month, or navigate to another screen and back, for the the date range to be recognized in the planner display. 

Settings

  • Click on the gear icon on the home page.

  • If Device Time is selected, all rise/set times, as well as the various twilight times, will be displayed based on the phone's current location.  This is the default setting and most users should use device time.  Location Time displays these times based on the top included location (ie, local to the telescope location).  The Location Time setting is useful for users with telescopes in remote observatories, at a time zone different from where they are.

  • Since most imaging isn't feasible immediately at sunset, or all the way up sunrise the following morning, SkyPlanner allows you to adjust the dark period used in calculations.  While the default twilights are set to sunrise/sunset, most users will want to adjust these to at least Nautical Dusk/Dawn, if not Astronomical.

  • NO! The precipitation warning, along with a text based forecast on the rotated home screen, are each currently limited to locations with forecast data provided by the US National Weather Service.  Even in these areas, ALWAYS CHECK LOCAL WEATHER FORECASTS BEFORE LEAVING YOUR EQUIPMENT EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.

    The sky conditions, however, work worldwide.  This includes cloud forecasts, transparency, and seeing.

  • This is a key benefit to SkyPlanner Pro.  You may subscribe right in the app.

  • No, though the rankings, and especially the shooting and processing advice in SkyPlanner Pro will improve if you do.

  • Equipment is used for the SkyPlanner Pro Astrophotography Tips section.  SPP advises on telescope/camera combinations to optimally frame targets.  It also will give advice on sub lengths, filter choices, and total integration time based on your telescopes' parameters.  Entering your equipment is a short one-time process that can have huge benefits as you use the app more and more.

  • We love feedback and creative ideas from our users.  Use the Contact Page to drop us a line!

Miscellaneous

  • SkyPlanner presents targets when they are available for shooting, and reports available integration time for a target on that night.  This means that an object hasn't risen until it is in the unobstructed sky AND the local time is within the dark window (including any twilight offsets).  Put another way, astrophotographers don't generally care if a target cleared the local obstructions at 3:00pm if it was still quite light outside then.  They care when they can shoot it, which isn't until dusk.  This also means that many targets will have the same rise or set time for a given night -- because any object in the open sky at sunset (plus the twilight offset) will be assigned that time for "rise", and any target in the open sky at sunrise (minus the twilight offset) will be assigned that time for "set".

  • No, but because it is an app for astrophotography, SkyPlanner handles moonrise and moonset a bit different than the way many sources do. On any given day, the app is primarily concerned with reporting the conditions for that night.  So when a user selects some day, whether for tonight on the home screen or selecting a different date on the many other screens, SkyPlanner presents the first moonrise that happens after 6:00 am for the selected date, and the next moonset after that rise.  This generally aligns with what photographers want when they consider conditions for the "night" associated with a particular date.  However, if you check a table of moonrise/moonset times, it may show, for example, the moonrise for a given date to happen at 2:00 am.  SkyPlanner won't report that one for that date, it will tell you about the moonrise at 3:00 am the following morning, because that's the moonrise that occurs during the night for the date you were interested in.

    Incidentally, the moon is also analyzed, as a photography target itself, against your local horizon like all other targets in the app.  That analysis follows the same logic as above.  The moonrise will be the first one after 6:00 am on the selected date, and the moonset will be the one after that moonrise.  A moonrise before 6:00 am local is considered to "belong" to the previous night.

  • On the Moon target detail page, the top moonise/moonset numbers are for when the moon clears the horizon-- a traditional moonrise akin to a sunrise. The moon can affect sky conditions once it has risen in this way, whether or not it has cleared your local obstructions.  The second moonrise/set values, under "Local Visibility", are when the moon clears your location horizon (whether custom traced or a uniform horizon at some altitude).  The second, lower one is what you want to use if planning to photograph the moon.

  • They may not be.  In higher latitude regions, if the user selected twilight setting isn't reached for a given night, the app falls back to the first available twilight setting that will generate a dark window, all the way back to no offset (sunrise/sunset). During polar day periods when the sun doesn't set at all, there will be no dark window and, the object list will be empty, except for the moon if visible.  One need not be in the polar regions to see these effects.  The northern part of the UK does not reach astronomical twilight for several months in the Summer.  Rather than have a user see no visibility for targets during that time, SkyPlanner dynamically reduces the twilight back to the first one that is reached, e.g., going from astronomical to nautical twilight.  If the twilight has been adjusted for the night's analysis, the dark window displayed on the home or tonight's best page will be marked with an asterisk (*).

  • Many things can cause unexpected changes in visibility from day to day.  Sometimes it's a custom horizon that causes an object to skirt an edge with many hours visibility, then the next night duck just behind or out from it.  Sometimes it can come from an object that has different windows of visibility at different locations-- a change in recommended location may cause a sudden nightly change in duration. 

    One of the most common causes is a change in the twilight offset if the user's choice of twilight isn't always reached.  At more extreme latitudes, sometimes the longer twilights might not be reached in a night (think of this like a less extreme version of polar day when the sun doesn't set).  In this case, instead of showing no visibility for targets that night, the app adjusts to the next less restrictive twilight offset.  This will cause the graph to "spike" on the nights of those transitions, suddenly showing more visibility than just 1 night earlier.

    You can even get a long period of high frequency aliasing artifact from the interaction of the nightly sidereal motion drift and the dark window changes due to sunrise/set changes.  If coupled with a target whose position puts it skirting the selected horizon for many nights in a row, the resulting tracing can be jarring in appearance.  This is not an error though, SkyPlanner is correctly reporting the visibility of that object each night, within the app rules of the dark window, and the definition of target "setting" in the app (whether it was up all night, or clamped by a sunrise/set).

  • We hope to add comets in a future release.  Currently, within the solar system, only planets and the moon are supported with ephemeris data.  Comets present a few challenges with their non-sideral motion.  In theory you could add a comet as a custom object, but the RA/Dec are going to be different every night.  So if you know you want to shoot it on an upcoming night, look up and enter the RA/Dec for that night near sunset, and the app visibility logic will work.

  • SkyPlanner's ranking logic is far more complex that simply a list ordered by available integration time-- that would be pretty boring.  So it is not uncommon to see targets of particular interest or popularity in the list at a time when their integration time isn't maxed out, or when lower ranked objects have more time available.  You can always look on a target's detail page to see when in the year its longest integration time is, and drop it in your planner for those months.

  • No.  Sometimes, especially at times when the night is long, a target may be visible for a short period of time near sunset, set, but then rise again later in the night and be visible until sunrise.  In these cases when there are essentially 2 windows of time, SkyPlanner will choose and report on the longer of the two windows.

  • Not at this time.  However, you can make a note for yourself on the object's detail page.  If you feel you see a significant error that warrants correction on future releases, you can let us know via the Contact Page.

  • The top row is % cloud cover for the night (same as the Weather bar near the top of the home page).  The middle one is transparency, with more lines representing decreasing transparency.  The bottom row is seeing, with higher frequency and amplitude representing worsening seeing.  All are represented in hourly segments, from sunset to the following sunrise.

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