New iPhone/iPad App - "Scope Help"

[iwatkins]

Chap I know has just a new app onto the AppStore for iPhone and iPad. Basically a scope help app that gives info such as correct time, levelling help etc. I know he is adding polaris transit/clock face at the moment etc.

Oh, its free too: Scope Help for iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4, iPhone 4S, iPod touch (3rd generation), iPod touch (4th generation) and iPad on the iTunes App Store

Cheers

Ian

[kiffy]

thanks for the heads up.. im always happy to try out new apps.. especially if their free!

[Philip.]

Nice app, easy to use, my only gripe is the ad banner obliterating the map at the bottom.

I'd be happy to use a paid for version if it got rid of the ads.

[Viv]

nice one - thanks much.

downloading now.

[j45on]

Thanks I will give it a try

[BlueAstra]

Nice App!

[iwatkins]

New version up for approval shortly with Polaris stuff in, so I'm told.

Cheers

Ian

[riverer]

Downloading now, thanks for pointing it out

[ramdor]

Cheers Ian for posting about Scope Help

It is my first iOS app, and brings my love of astronomy together with that of development.

As Ian mentioned, a new version was approved yesterday by Apple (v1.0.1) which includes a sidereal clock, polar alignment info and transit high/low times, eye piece calculation and a bunch of other helpful tools. It is available from here... http://http://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/scope-help/id511732057

I have been talking to Bill over at project pluto and have made use of his rather complex code to calculate star positions. I started writing my own code to do the maths, but I didn't really want to reinvent the wheel, especially when Bill has been working on that wheel since the late 80's/early 90's.

At the moment it doesn't take into consideration proper motion although he has given me some insight into how to implement this, including parallax, but I figured it would be ok as is for this version.

Anyway, if anyone has any questions or would like an extra feature added then just let me know and i'll try to help out.

Cheers & clear skies

Richie.

[ramdor]

Nice app, easy to use, my only gripe is the ad banner obliterating the map at the bottom.

I'd be happy to use a paid for version if it got rid of the ads.

Hi Philip. The new version has ad removal in the settings section.

Cheers & clear skies

Richie.

[BlueAstra]

It would be really handy (for me!) if you could add camera fields of view in you calculator section. Perhaps as a separate 'page' to the visual information.

Added equipment: Sensor {name, size (eg 1024 x 768), pixel size (eg 7.4 um)}, Modifier {none, focal reducer (eg x0.8) , barlow (eg x2)}.

Information displayed: Actual focal length, Actual F/N, Actual full FOV (W x H), Actual pixel FOV, with a 3 wheel 'selector' - telescope/(none(x1)-FR-Barlow)/camera. Not sure if pixel size given for cameras includes the 'gap' between the pixels. So pixel size x no. of pixels may not give quite the right sensor full width. Maybe an option to put actual size in (eg 15.1 x 10.2mm).

[Cath]

Seems to work OK.

I like the level/compass. It would be much more helpful to setup and level my scope mount if it beeped continuously according to how close you are to being level, because at the moment I have adjust one leg, then stand up to look at the spirit/bubble level, then back down to adjust the leg, and so on.

It would be easier with continuous feedback - maybe change beep pitch according to how close to level we are - we are much more sensitive to pitch changes than any other change in beep properties.

[ramdor]

It would be really handy (for me!) if you could add camera fields of view in you calculator section. Perhaps as a separate 'page' to the visual information.

...

good idea ! I had planned on adding barlows and focal reducers. On the todo list now !

Cheers

Richie.

[ramdor]

Seems to work OK.

I like the level/compass. It would be much more helpful to setup and level my scope mount if it beeped continuously according to how close you are to being level, because at the moment I have adjust one leg, then stand up to look ...

ah yes Cath This was sort of in v1.0 but I removed it because it was badly implemented. I need to produce a sine wave or something as a wav/mp3 beep so it can play a continuos tone. v1.0 had a quiet part in it so it beeped whilst the pitched changed, it was a tad nasty.

I'll look into this and perhaps some lower level sound stuff to generate the sine direct to the audio hardware buffers.

Cheers

Richie.

[jambouk]

Richie,

It's no longer available on the app store. Is it possible to still get it?

James