nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

Spartanburg SC was 40 miles away from a good sky forecast so I contacted "Clear Sky Chart" about using my backyard observatory. The next day I got this. I have found this forecast information very helpful. If you don't have this already near your "up" shooting location(s) ...then send danko@pobox.com and email and make your request. I am a member of the Roper Mountain Astronomers and this may have helped....I noticed they were credited.

http://cleardarksky.com/c/OvrstrtObSCkey.html

Hope everyone has some great skies - good stuff is "up" now!

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Handy site!

Local chart page added to favorites Thanks for posting!

:thumbup:

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

I have the app in my Smarter-than-me-phone.
Really handy.

The only booger for me is it only gives a two day forecast. So for further views I resort to the weather.com 10 day outlook.
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You might be interested in something else I found, the Messier app. I upgraded to the Pro version this morning, $0.99, (yeah, I'm a big spender) to get rid of the ads at the bottom. Both give the night view (red) by tapping the gear in the upper right.
Now I feel confident I can enter the M-xx code and have the AVX get me close... really, really close.
I'm looking forward to one of you UHHer's to find the next one.
M-111 anyone?
Messier for Apple Jack's (and Jill's)
Messier for Android robot's.

Albuqshutterbug Loc: Albuquerque NM

Download skyportal from Celestron.
Its free from the usual sites for Apple and Android.
I like it almost as much as Stellarium in fact more because it can synch with our mounts if you have the WiFi adaptor.
Muhahahah

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

Yeah right! Now you want me to get the WiFi thingy. :roll: :lol:

Last summer I bought my Nikon Camera, Lunch Box Edition.
Case, two lenses, strap, and a WiFi dongle. Oooooo, a "Free" WiFi do-dad.
Yeah, it works. But holy moly does it ever drain both the camera AND the android's battery!
Biggest disappointment is that is all the dumb thing does.
WiFi my butt.

I do have the Celestron app, but not the dongle. Once bitten, twice shy. :hunf:
If the AVX had a USB port, I could try the Nikon Dongle in the mount. :idea:

(BTW, the Celestron Tech, Alex, told me that Celestron is working on making all their stuff wireless.
Now dig that, Jim, sitting out with your scope-N-mount, and having your laptop wirelessly running the set-up.
Now think about it...
Sitting inside observing... and controlling the scope/mount... from your easy chair.
:twisted: Always more to buy. :(

Damn it, Jim. Delivery is Wednesday. :roll:
SOB better work. :lol:
Last time I did something like this I found out my IPad was too old to update enough to use it. Thank You, Apple. :evil:

chazz4623 Loc: Prairieville, La

Hey Sonny, got any conspiracy theories? How about 'planned obsolesence'. I figured that when it first became common knowledge that you couldnt change/replace the batteries in the I-pod, you had to replace the whole thing. Nothing's changed since.

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

I can do that now with the AVX mount and you can as well.

SonnyE Loc: Communist California, USA

WiFi?
How?

nikonshooter Loc: Spartanburg, South Carolina

You need SKYLINK - plugs into your AVX then your IPAD or Iphone can log onto the network created by Skylink. Walla, open up Sky Portal by Celestron which is a bastardized form of Sky Safari and you can do everything from your IPAD/Iphone.

I use CAMRANGER to control the cameras - I can see what the scope is seeing......change any setting I want. The only think I cannot do remotely is focus....and that is because I haven't spend the money on a auto focusers. Camranger has it's own wifi network as well. I usually use my iphone for skyportal and Ipad for camranger. Sooo on cold nights, once I have a focused star, I can sit in my car or in my house and do anything and everything, even meridian flips.

But....even though I can....I mostly just stay with the gear, set up a table with laptop - freeze - drink hot chocolate - talk stuff with friends - and play with "up"