FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021
software resources - SkySafari
Many regard SkySafari as the best astronomy app for mobile devices.
I have a love-hate relationship with it. It's good in many ways but
it is also mind-bogglingly frustrating in others.
I have paid for it twice, that is purchased the app on two occasions
many years apart. I acquired most recently in 2021 so to better support
it when others ask me about it and to more easily facilitate building
observing list files.
The visuals are pretty good. The paid versions support custom observing
lists which is cool—and I deliberately make them. It can show
field of view circles which is very good. It offers vertical and horizontal
flipping which is amazing. It can use a phone's sensors for pointing.
But the data on double stars is a mess. The old free Basic version
did not show the sidereal time.
I also think their documentation, in-app and on-line is stunningly
bad. Out-of-date, incomplete, poorly organised, and rife with errors.
Anyhoo, it occurred to me in July 2021 that I have a lot of experience
with SkySafari, a lot of insights, a number of tips and tricks, and
many cautions and warnings, but I wasn't aggregating this in one spot.
manufacturer: Simulation Curriculum
category: planetarium, simulation
platform(s): Android, iOS, Macintosh!
SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2021
show current sidereal time
- tap the Settings button
- tap Date & Time
- if nec., put a tick in the User Current Time checkbox
- read the Local Sidereal Time row
For SS: Plus version 6.
FRIDAY, JULY 30, 2021
show FOV circles
To show a field of view circle, or multiple circles, first configure
the display. Then later you can quick turn on or off the circles.
Configure:
- tap the Observe button
- tap Scope Display
- if you don't have the properly sized FOV, create it:
- tap the Add FOV Indicator button
- enter the size of the custom FOV in degrees
- if nec, tap the rectangular shape button
- tap the device Back button
- sort the list, if nec.
- tick the checkbox for the FOV to use
- adjust options by via the checkboxes
- to show a cross-hatch, tick Crosshairs
- to show N, E, S, W, tick Cardinal Directions
- tick Show Even if Not Connected to Telescope
- tap the X close button
Note: the first three Custom Field of View indicators will appear
in the main screen pop-up.
To show or hide the FOV circle(s):
- tap the top-right of the screen, where the field of view dimensions
show
- tap the preferred Rings button which lies under the last
three FOV indicators
- if nec., tap the appropriate Flip button
For SS: Plus version 6.
THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021
sharing a custom list
I believe, now, in this modern era, security restrictions within
the Android operating system prevent the direct use of files.
In the past, I'd copy a .skylist file FROM the mobile device. Can't
do that now. They do not show. They are hidden. Maybe if you root
your device you could see them but let's not go there.
Now, the LiveSky tool is needed. And, happily, it works well, and
provides some good spin-offs like that your precious observing lists
are backed up to the cloud.
- log into your LiveSky account
- click Observing Lists
- if you want a copy of the file on your computer, click the Download
button and save the file
- if you want to use the built-in sharing feature, click the Share
button then click the Email, Facebook, Tweet, or Direct Link button
THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2021
installing custom observing list
This is the file-copy method where the device is connected to a computer.
In my case, I connect my motorola phone running Android 9 to a Windows
10 computer and use File Explorer to copy the .skylist file.
This is what I did in the past: I'd email a .skylist file to a friend,
we'd download the file, I'd move it to an appropriate folder, and
start the app. SkySafari would see the file. Done. Easy.
Well, easy for me, 'cause my brain's wired that way. I cut my teeth
on DOS, files, directories, etc.
This still works but you must use a particular location... Here's
the path:
Internal shared storage
\Android
\data
\com.simulationcurriculum.skysafari6plus
\files
\Observing Lists
The com. reference maybe end with "pro" as opposed to "plus."
Should be obvious.
When you open the Observing Lists directory, it will likely show
as empty, which is a tad disconcerting. Anyhoo, copy your .skylist
file in there. For me, the file is displayed when the copy process
completes.
When you access the Observing Lists in the app, the new custom list
will show. It is ready for use.
And when you log into LiveSky, it will show there too...
Concisely:
- open a file manager window
- open the Observing Lists folder
- copy the .skylist file from the computer to the Observing Lists
folder on the mobile device
- check the Observing Lists display on the device
For SS: Plus version 6.
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2021
creating a custom observing list
Creating a list on the mobile device involves two main processes.
First, create the list to hold the objects. Then add the objects.
Create a new list:
- tap the Observe button
- tap Observing Lists
- tap the Create New Observing List button
- enter a name for the list, e.g. "colourful double stars from
SkyNews"
- tap the X close button
Add objects to a list:
- get to the object in question by a method noted below:
- direct:
- tap an object on the screen
- tap the Selection button
- searching:
- search for the object
- tap the ... More button
- tap Add To Observing List
- tap the target custom list
- note the feedback message
For SS: Plus version 6.
FRIDAY, APRIL 30, 2021
TSTM observing lists
For SkySafari .skylist observing list files from The Sky This Month
talks that I deliver, see the presentations
page on this companion site.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 20 , 2021
my blog posts
For quick reference, here is an index to the blog posts referring
to the SkySafari app. Reverse chronological order.
- saw Cloudy Night post on non-functional
email, 7 Aug '21
- app showed file was loading, couldn't
cancel, 6 Aug '21
- approx. 14
hours for "additional file" to load, 6 Aug '21
- encountered another
label error, 1 Aug '21
- spotted an error due to character
sets, 30 Jul '21
- documented
SkySafari errors with double stars, 24 Jul '21
- sent
brief bug report to check against Starry Night, 23 Jul '21
- showed
how to flip the view to Melody, 5 Jul '21
- needed
FOV circles without cross-hairs, 5 Jul '21
- found more
errors in SkySafari, 20 Jun '21
- rude
response from Whipps, 18 Jun '21
- created LiveSky account to transfer files, 17 Jun '21
- uploaded
FNGC lists made by Dave and Chris, 17 Jun '21
- wasted
time trying to manage observing files, 17 Jun '21
- successfully loaded
a custon observing list, 16 Jun '21
- couldn't
make a list in SS6!, 16 Jun '21
- procured
SkySafari 6 Plus on discount, 16 Jun '21
- received message on LiveSky cloud features, 2 May '21
- provided TSTM list in SkySafari format, 7 Apr '21
- prices reduced
again, 8 Oct '20
- app prices
doubled, 12 Sep '20
- checked
iOS prices (Basic not free!), 9 Aug '20
- received message on LiveSky product, 3 Aug '20
- provided TSTM list in SkySafari format, 19 Aug '20
- learned SkySafari
Basic updates weekly, 13 Jul '20
- received good response from Hjelle, 8 Jul '20
- received mediocre response from Braganca, 6 Jul '20
- reminded users Basic does not support adding comets, 6 Jul '20
- received weak response from Goodman, 4 Jul '20
- sent complaint message, 4 Jul '20
- halted order to due upselling and missing web pages, 4 Jul '20
- decided to purchase new version of app, 4 Jul '20
- received "flash sale" ad, SkySafari 50% off, 3 Jul '20
- provided TSTM list in SkySafari format, 1 Apr '20
- provided TSTM list in SkySafari format, 11 Sep '19
- she confirmed
it as Mars, 27 Jul '18
- learned of free
versions of SkySafari for Android and iOS, 4 Jun '18
- provided TSTM list in SkySafari format, 15 Nov '17
- turned
off tilt detection, 4 May '17
- checked southern
sky on tablet, 8 Mar '17
- provided TSTM list in SkySafari format, first time!, 6 Oct '16
- learned of SkySafari
5 for Android, 9 Aug '16
- unable to help with beta
testing, 21 Jul '16
- taught
NOVA course and recommended SkySafari, 23 Feb '16
- response
on RASC Journal article, 9 Dec '15
- Binary
Universe review published, 22 Jul '15
- transferred
observing list from SkyTools, 10 Jun '15
- tried
panoramic background, 9 Jun '15
- tried
app with ISS flyover, 6 Jun '15
- joined
Yahoo!Group, 4 Jun '15
- showed
a galaxy that SkyTools didn't!, 17 May '15
- searched
for Mercury, 16 May '15
- tried SkySafari on ASUS tablet in the field, 19 Apr '15
- identified
a star, 5 Apr '15
- purchased SkySafari Plus 1.8.5 for Android, 31 Mar '15
- Simulation Curriculum acquires SkySafari, 20 Dec '13
- tried
SkySafari on an iPad, 5 Mar '11
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