Keeping Track

[technofetishism (Nick)]

With the rather inclement weather and the colder temperatures outside, I've been finding a stronger desire to plan what im going to be looking at night before heading out to make sure im not wasting time slewing from obscured object to obscured object before finding something that I've already looked at.

Now I've used EQTour a bit to plan sessions, but still at times my plans are 80% blocked by trees/houses or already viewed on numerous occasions during the hours im outside.

I'm starting to look at AstroPlanner, but wondering what other recommendations people have before spending cash on anything.

[jjjnettie (Jeanette)]

I just check with Starry Night, when an object will be in view or not. Anything to the west and south west is out for me, trees.

[RobF (Rob)]

Astroplanner is certainly great for urban environments Nick where you have significant obstructions. If you spend some time mapping your horizon, you get quite an accurate indication of what is available at a given time. Fantastic application for logging where you've been too. I rarely plan an imaging session without checking it for rise/transit/set/astronomical twilight/moon data/objects previously viewed, etc

You could easily prepare a list of objects, then simply slew to them (V2 required). Freeware V1 alone is pretty good, but doesn't do ASCOM scope control very well if at all (V2 far better)