Downloaded from the Android Market place for free - I have used "SkEye" with limited success on my LG Ally Smartphone. Limited because the screen is really too small to properly view and navigate.
Workable, but I grew frustrated.
The larger real estate screen size..and the option of mouse/stylus as well as swipe..makes it a much more comfortable experience.
SkEye starts out with a large section of the sky and in active mode..meaning it follows the sky wherever it's pointed to...
Any contact with the screen disables the "Follow" mode, but easily re-activated when desired.
No objects are labeled at this point, but only when zoomed in with a "reverse pinching" gesture, do the names start to come out...
Major names of stars and DSOs start to appear. Although not everything is labeled, as the fainter stars are just nameless dots - even when zoomed in at maximum...
There is absolutely no detail on the objects, just ID marker dots. Some dots are larger than others relating to magnitude - but that's about it.
But, SkEye is not an in-depth Star Atlas, Planetarium app nor Star chart - instead, more of a Telescopic pointing aid...and that's ok by me - there is the always reliable paper star chart to consult. And there's plenty to work with here, as along the left hand side are data numbers...
A nice readout on Altitude and Azimuth - depending on where the Tablet is pointing or locked into. And above it is a handy battery charge display...
A field of View in Degrees and this is as tight as the app allows.
And a running Right Ascension and Declination read out reflecting on where the tablet is pointing. I'm not sure what the "HA" represents yet....
As you travel across the sky map, (either manually or automatically track modes), a reticle displays where you are pointing to. As one approaches most objects, the object lights up with a greenish hue and pulsates - and the info on the object is displayed at the top...
There is also an option to search for specific objects in the massive database...
One can select from stars, Solar system, Messiers, NGC or constellations in the catalog. Here, I select Alberio, the pretty Gold & Blue Binary we all enjoy sharing with Chicago Astronomer visitors on warm summer nights...
The reticle changes to a location circle-pointer...
And the data on the object is displayed at the lower right of the screen - including the distance in degrees to the object...
And Alberio is highlighted by a pulsating cross...Notice that the distance degree is now displaying a smaller degree-to-object readout....but still is an active readout is continuously reading out at the top on the objects one is passing on the way.
When close, the reticle loses it's pointing guide arrow and it becomes a larger solid circle.
I like it...
To assist in properly aligning and calibration of SkEye to your telescope, there are a couple of settings and selection to activate. One is to center your object in the reticle and tap the align button, bringing up the confirmation dialog...
And like all go-to scopes, SkEye is more accurate when it knows where it's pointing to, so it allows for Multiple object alignment identifications...
It recommends three alignment objects like any other go-to scope.
There are numerous options to activate or disable in the settings...
The Redlight/nighttime toggle is really not useful, but they tried...
This app has great possibilities and potential to help guide the C11 Beast to target difficult objects via manual Push-to means. I like the readouts in real time displays and appreciate the author in developing this for Astronomers. It is more useful for the active Astronomer than Google Sky....let's see how well it works.
I have yet to take the tablet under the Chicago skies and attach the Tablet to the C11. But really itching to try it out something bad...
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
-=CROMAN=- Tenured Chicago Astronomer member is offline
Joined: Jan 2011 Gender: Male Posts: 626 Location: South Elgin
Re: SkEye on Tablet... « Reply #1 on Nov 22, 2011, 6:04pm »
Joe... The biggest problem I encountered was the magnetic field disruptions caused by the device being to close to the metal tube. The minimum distance of device to ota was around 8 inches with my dob. It you can get around that then you've got yourself a winner. Otherwise using it for lat and lon coordinates can't be beat. WhenI setup my dob to use degree circles iskeye can't be beat!
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 6,943 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: SkEye on Tablet... « Reply #3 on Nov 23, 2011, 2:18pm »
Pre-Field Test Update -
By happenstance and coincidence, I have been in contact with the author of the SkEye app, Harshad, who could not access the Chicago Astronomer forum for some time now, due to me banning a certain series of IP addresses. (I was getting an awful lot of spam from the prefix - so I just banned the lot.)
He was continually getting "Sorry, but you have been banned from this forum...". Adjusting my ban list, he was now able to fully access the CA and I hope we get to see him often.
But, I took the opportunity to ask him what the "HA" signified with the R.A. & Dec readouts. He says:
"Thanks for checking out the app.
HA stands for Hour Angle. It is bit like RA but is counted from zenith and increases as you go towards West. (Hence it is topocentric, while RA is geocentric).
And thanks for the detailed review. It's the most detailed review of my app so far. Looking fwd to the update after you try out the PUSHTO."
Doing some additional research I came across this:
The object's hour angle indicates how much sidereal time has passed since the object was on the local meridian. It is also the angular distance between the object and the meridian, measured in sidereal hours (1 hour = 15 degrees).
For example, if an object has an hour angle of 2.5 hours, it crossed the local meridian 2.5 sidereal hours ago (i.e., hours measured using sidereal time), and is currently 37.5 degrees west of the meridian. Negative hour angles indicate the time until the next transit across the local meridian. Of course, an hour angle of zero means the object is currently on the local meridian.
And here is a nice little interactive graphic demo...
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 6,943 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: SkEye on Tablet... « Reply #4 on Nov 23, 2011, 8:54pm »
A quick Field Test of the SkEye on Tablet...
It was actually clear this evening, so I thought I would try and see if I could get the Tablet to work with the C11.
It was just a so-so conclusion...
Although it was in the 50's this day, the temps plummeted by night fall and it got pretty cold by the time I set up the C11 after dusk...around 5:00pm.
(Handling cold metal is not a favorite pastime...)
Haze has also come in, but it was a good thing Jupiter was out to test on. I had to find a way in temporarily attach the Tablet to the OTA of the C11. I do have a windshield cradle, but the suction cup was too large to attach to the rear of the cell - unlike the windshield holder that I have for the Smartphone. So I needed another way to test it this evening...
Using electrical tape, I bound the tablet cradle to one of the C11 handles - and it felt secure enough to start some preliminary testing.
The alignment of Jupiter was pretty easy at first, but I was having a problem with keeping the planet in the reticle when zooming in with a tablet pinch. I would center it, but them when I hit the align button, it would jump out...
And at times, it thought I was pointing at something else..
I did a magnetic figure 8 calibration, lowered the sensitivity of the tablet and started again...
It was better, but not precise enough, as I would align with Jupiter - slew it far away and attempt to come back to the planet only using the screen. More times than not, it got in in the general area. but not close enough to bring the object in the FOV of the 40mm 2" eyepiece. I had to resort to using the optical finder scope to bring it in....but not by much.
Also in pinching to zoom/expand the screen...
At about mid point, when reverse pinching to zoom in - the whole screen would jump to some other area of the sky and then return. But I did discover of the action was done slowly, it kept a steady screen.
I spent about an hour and a half testing the device, with very limited success. I figured that I might as well image Jupiter while I was set-up...
And as usual, the C11 always brings visitors...
They are building a garage next door to me and the workers were all drawn to the scope, asking questions and enjoying the Jovian planet.
The evaluation is still pending on the Thrive tablet and the SkEye app. I think the massive metal of the whole C11 assembly is corrupting the sensors in the tablet, but I did not get the "Strange Magnetic Field" message from the app either.
More testing to come...but this is warm weather stuff!
Re: SkEye on Tablet... « Reply #5 on Nov 23, 2011, 11:12pm »
Hi Joe, it's Harshad here.
Just a quick comment. You wrote:
"At about mid point, when reverse pinching to zoom in - the whole screen would jump to some other area of the sky and then return. But I did discover of the action was done slowly, it kept a steady screen."
I think this indicates that the electrical tape fixture holding the tablet was not rigid enough. I can't think of any other reason why the screen would jump when pinch-zooming. Too bad that you can't fit the suction mount on the scope; it would have been ideal.
Croman seems to have used electrical tape too in his photos of his phone mounted on the scope, but the way he has taped it looks more robust. The tablet would be heavier than the phone too, so that's additional burden on the tape.
Joined: May 2004 Gender: Male Posts: 6,943 Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA, Earth,
Re: SkEye on Tablet... « Reply #6 on Nov 24, 2011, 1:48am »
Hi Harshad.
Great to have you join in!
You are probably correct, as the whole set-up is not ideal.
Even with the suction cup working, the whole assembly is not rock steady - as there is play and flex in all the plastic parts. Trying out the cradle for the first time today on my car windshield, even there, I notice flex, bounce and play. A better set-up is needed.
I'm thinking about using one of the finder scope bases on the OTA as a holder of some sorts for the cradle...or a different more robust cradle...or just come up with something else more solid and little play.
There will be some trial and error in the next few months and perhaps by our start of the public star parties in the spring of 2012...we will be ready for show time!
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars."
-=CROMAN=- Tenured Chicago Astronomer member is offline
Joined: Jan 2011 Gender: Male Posts: 626 Location: South Elgin
Re: SkEye on Tablet... « Reply #7 on Nov 24, 2011, 5:13am »
Harshad.. I also mounted it on a 4 inch telrad base riser but could not get past the strange magnetic field warnings. What do you suggest?
Also would it be possible to change the way searches are performed? In my opinion if you puta simple search box on the screen it would make sense. When the user begins to type, iskeye would begin presenting them with results. Just like google does with ajax on their search form.
Even with the suction cup working, the whole assembly is not rock steady - as there is play and flex in all the plastic parts. Trying out the cradle for the first time today on my car windshield, even there, I notice flex, bounce and play. A better set-up is needed.
Hmm.. I can only guess from here, but if the flex is not much and the mount springs back to position quickly, it is fine. A good test would be to use it in practice and try the same test: pinch-zoom to see if the display changes much.
Quote:
I'm thinking about using one of the finder scope bases on the OTA as a holder of some sorts for the cradle...or a different more robust cradle...or just come up with something else more solid and little play.
There will be some trial and error in the next few months and perhaps by our start of the public star parties in the spring of 2012...we will be ready for show time!
Sounds good. You can find some mounting ideas here. Do keep us posted
Harshad.. I also mounted it on a 4 inch telrad base riser but could not get past the strange magnetic field warnings. What do you suggest?
Unfortunately there's not much that can be done about magnetic interference, other than increasing the distance from the metal.
Quote:
Also would it be possible to change the way searches are performed? In my opinion if you puta simple search box on the screen it would make sense. When the user begins to type, iskeye would begin presenting them with results. Just like google does with ajax on their search form.
Certainly; I need to do this soon since the list of objects has been growing. It's high on my TODO list. If you would like to, you can vote up and be notified of the feature request here. Please look at the other requests too and vote them up so I can prioritize them.
Also would it be possible to change the way searches are performed? In my opinion if you puta simple search box on the screen it would make sense. When the user begins to type, iskeye would begin presenting them with results. Just like google does with ajax on their search form.
I just released a new version (5.2.1) which has this feature. You can start typing in the search box to filter the list of objects.
I always wanted to do this but croman's post helped overcome some inertia
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