Possible "Plan" feature. "See" into the future!

ryan1776

This could be big halo feature. But I think it would be an amazing thing to add.
First let me start by saying I know that in Stellarium you can overlay your backyard to the sky and see where objects are at a given time. But it's not perfect. And if you roam around, not very realistic to do every time.

OK my idea.
I would like to see the future. 😃
For example say I want to target the Crab Nebula.
But for the first maybe 2.5 hours of that target being visible (above the horizon) it is not visible to my scope as there are trees.
I think it would be neat to have the mount and scope "plan track" the target throughout the night session with the approx time at which it would be pointing at that object.

So the scope would point at the horizon and display.... say. 7pm (all times made up and local)
But really it's 4pm, the sun is out and you can clearly see where everything is pointing. It's just using it's internal logic to see into the future where the object will be at a given time.
Well you can easily tell that the scope is pointing at a tree.
Now you can select maybe "Fast Forward 1 hour". Scope will move to where the object will be plus one hour.
Now 8pm...ok not there yet.
PLUS ONE HOUR
9pm. Alight. Object is now in view.
Now here is where I think it can really be beneficial.
Plus one hour, or maybe user selected. Plus 5 hours.
The scope will move to where the object will conceivably be at 2am local. (include the required meridian flip if needed)

So now you can tell that maybe you're pointing at your house at at this point.
BACK UP 1 hour. (30 min. 10 min whatever)
Clear sky is in view.
Now you'll notice and have projected the object to be in clear view between 9pm and 1am.

You can calculate your approx number of exposures-taking into consideration dithering, flipping, focusing routine. etc.
Great! Now in your plan you target a new object for the night and know that you didn't lose frames on the primary target AND you can get the most data on the secondary target.

Or if you're only interested in one object that night. You know the last 3 hours of darkness are worthless to you and you can end your session and have the scope return home.

Ryan.

Byrdsfan1948

ryan1776 I use Plan Mode all the time and essentially do exactly what I think you are suggesting...... From my preferred imaging site on my patio, I have an unobstructed viewing window of about 3 hours before a Meridian Flip and maybe a half hour, to 45 minutes additional imaging after. So what I do is program in a series of objects I can image all evening, that I know will be one by one passing through that unobstructed window during the evening. As a matter of fact M1 is currently one of those I'm imaging that way. It currently becomes unobstructed from about 8PM to 11PM for me. Until then my Plan Program will image something else that is visible, for an hour or so. Or of course I could just wait for M1 to become visible. Then my Plan program moves onto my second target ( currently M1 ), and shoots it until it moves out of my window. If I know the night will be clear, I usually have a third object programmed in after M1 to image for a few more hours. It's just a matter of knowing what your unobstructed view is, and when an object will pass through it over the course of the evening. I use a simple Guide To The Stars Planisphere to see what the RA and DEC coordinates are for objects that will pass through my window then I Program my Plan Mode to image them one after another like a non stop parade as they move into and out of my unobstructed field of view.

ryan1776

Byrdsfan1948 Well Sorta. Yes, you're right. The end result is what you do. But I want to plan ahead.
I want to have the scope move through the plan and show where it's pointing before the object is in view.
As I said, at like 4pm. During the day. And have the AIR move the scope and display the approx time it would be pointing in that direction. Then I can plan around the obstacles.