All Sky Camera Project - BYE vs APT

[laser_jock99]

I'm thinking of using an old Canon DSLR for an automated all sky camera project. Would either APT or Backyard EOS enable me to programme only shooting sessions during hours of darkness? I.e. starting and finishing shooting at certain times of day?

Since the camera could be unattended for several weeks- I don't want Gigabytes of daytime skies to clog up my HDD.

[Yoddha]

Hi Laser,

At this stage APT can't make such automation, but I can consider adding such feature  

[Yoddha]

I have started to work on such option. It will be great if we continue to discuss this into my forum. I don't want to violate the rules here

In short will combine the existing Loop feature with new Schedule options - dark time, astro night and night...

[laser_jock99]

Ivo,

thanks for your interest in my project!

I think it is fantastic how you (the software author) has re-acted to my question by possibly adding a new feature.

Just thanks again!

LJ99

[Yoddha]

Hi LJ99,

Thank you! After short analysis it happened that I already have most of the needed parts - plan looping, scheduling and darkness clock  I hope to finish the whole functionality today... There will be a small update in the next 10 days so look for the automation in it

Here is how the interface looks:

[james_screech]

Ivo,

How about adding an end time option as well.

James

[Yoddha]

Hi James,

At this stage the end option is a bit awkward  If you select Loop # to be different than 0 and use one of the new scheduling options APT checks the condition after every round. For example if you select DSD APT will stop next loop when DSD is over... Hope that it is good enough till I find time for better solution

If the Loop # is 0, then the loop will continue on the next night

[james_screech]

Ivo,

How do you define DSD, Astro night and night?

[Yoddha]

They all come from the Darkness Clock  All that is needed is the site coordinates and timezone. APT takes care for the rest

DSD is the time between the end and start of Astro twilight and without Moon.

Astro night is  the time between the end and start of Astro twilight no matter the Moon

Night is the time between sunset and sunrize