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Observation Browser

Observation Browser is used to maintain visual and imaging observations in the Observing Log. To learn about equipment/ log browsers in general, please see Equipment/Log Browsers.

Mini-browsers

Mini-browsers are built into Deep-Sky Planner so that you can display web pages that help you with various aspects of observing. These mini-browsers are opened by clicking one of the 'show resource' buttons denoted by the web icon on the Observation Browser. These are described below in detailed descriptions of various functions.

Each mini-browser has a default address (URL) associated with it so that the first time you open the mini-browser, a resource is shown that is stored locally on your computer. You can navigate to a different web address by typing into the address bar of the mini-browser. Note that you must have a live network connection to navigate to a page stored outside your computer (an intranet or the Internet.) The web address is stored when you close the mini-browser so that you can return to the same page later. The size and placement of each mini-browser is also stored when you close it so that you can train each mini-browser to display a resource to suit your needs.

Mini-browser web page addresses can be restored to their shipped (local) settings by selecting Restore.

Tool Bar

In addition to the tool bar buttons located on other equipment/log browsers, the Observation Browser includes these buttons:

History clears the data entry history for the observation browser, allowing you to 're-train' it. As you work with the observation browser, it retains settings as you work, allowing you to 'train' the browser and streamline data entry. History contains things like the last instrument, eyepiece, etc, that you selected when entering an observation.

Restore sets all web resource addresses in the Observation Browser to their shipped settings.

Browsing Pane

Observations shows a list of all objects observed in the Observing Log, the date and time of each observation and the observer that made it. Both the user-preferred and system-preferred designations are shown. Select an entry to edit, delete or view its properties. Double-clicking an observation opens it in the property pane for editing.

Clicking in the title bar of one of the columns sorts the data by that column; clicking again in the same column toggles the sort order between ascending and descending order. You can turn off sorting in a column by Ctrl-clicking the column's title bar. You can sort by multiple columns by Shift-clicking.

For example, to sort observations by descending date/time and ascending Object (User): click the Date/time column twice and then Shift-click the Object (User) column once. You should see direction indicators in the Object (User) (up) and Date/Time (down) columns.

You can resize and move columns too. To resize, move the cursor to the dividing line between column titles. Once the cursor changes to indicate resizing mode, drag the column to the desired width. Click and drag a column to move it. The green arrows indicate the 'drop' position.

Object (User) Filter allows you restrict the observations shown in the list by showing only the observations of objects whose Object (User) matches this filter. For example, to see observations of only Herschel objects, enter H * and click Apply. To see all observations again, click Clear.

Close closes the browser.

Property Pane

The property pane for observations is presented in multiple tabs as described below. Any tab or data entry item name with an asterisk (*) indicates that its data is optional - you do NOT have to enter that item.

Property Tabs
Details	Sky Conditions	Weather Conditions	Images	Media	DSS	Projects

Save stores changes to the database and returns to browsing.

Cancel discards changes, disables editing and returns to browsing.

Details Tab

Session allows you to specify the date and time of an observing session during which the observation was made. Sessions are added to the Observing Log using the Session Browser or by clicking the Add Session button . You can view the session details by clicking .The date and time listed is the beginning date and time of the session, followed by LT if it is a local time or UT if it is universal. This value is also used as an initial date and time for the observation. Any observation added for this session must have a date and time equal to or following the beginning date and time of the observing session. Also, the date and time of all observations made during this session are local or universal as defined for the session. Session selection is retained in history.

Date/Time of Observation allows you to record when you made the observation. This date/time must be equal to or follow the beginning date/time defined for the selected session. Also, it must fall within the date/times of the session, inclusively, if the ending date/time is defined for the selected session (see session properties.) If you don't want to record the time of each observation, you can simply leave this value set to the session beginning time. The date and time of the observation are local or universal as defined for the session.

Now sets the Date/Time of Observation to your computer's present date & time, adjusting it to UT if the session is defined for UT.

Observer allows you to record the name of the observer. All observations require an observer; Unspecified is a valid observer. You may select an observer by highlighting a name in the drop down list. Observers are added to the Observing Log by using the Observer Browser or by clicking the Add Observer button . You can view the observer details by clicking . Observer is retained in history.

Location Method allows you to differentiate between observations that are made with or without the use of a digital device. Location Method is retained in history.

▪Unspecified is included to describe observations where this detail is unknown.

▪Manual describes locating an object by using mechanical setting circles or star-hopping.

▪GoTo describes locating an object with a GoTo mount or using direct computer control.

▪DSC describes locating an object with the use of digital setting circles.

Object (User) allows you to specify the designation of the object observed. When this value is entered, the software attempts to find the entry among planets, favorite asteroids and comets, and in the catalogs. If it is found, descriptive information is displayed beneath the object designation in the Object Information box. Note that the system-preferred designation is saved in Object. If the object is located in the catalogs, then Observations detail tab will show this observation.

Lookup... opens the Look Up Object dialog which allows you to search the database for the object designation entered in User Designation, including common names. See the appendix for more information about object designations.

Object is the system-preferred designation for the object specified in Object (User). See Designations & the Lookup Engine for information about the difference between the two.

Object Information shows catalog data for the selected object, and moon altitude and distance from the object. The Object Information box appears beneath Object. You can append object information to your Notes by clicking the Append button

Rating allows you to assign a numerical rating to the observation. You can use this feature to highlight truly outstanding observations or rank observations. Whether you use 1 to indicate 'best' or 10 to indicate 'best' doesn't matter as long as you are consistent; however, you should use zero to indicate 'don't care'.

Instrument allows you to choose the instrument (telescope, binoculars, camera lens, etc) with which you made the observation. All observations require an instrument; None is a valid instrument for naked-eye observations. You may select an instrument by highlighting its name in the drop down list. Instruments are added to the Observing Log by using the Instrument Browser or by clicking the Add Instrument button . You can view the instrument details by clicking . Instrument is retained in history.

Eyepiece allows you to choose the eyepiece with which you made the observation. All observations require an eyepiece; None is a valid eyepiece for binocular, imaging and naked-eye observations. You may select an eyepiece by highlighting its name in the drop down list. Eyepieces are added to the Observing Log by using the Eyepiece Browser or by clicking the Add Eyepiece button .You can view the eyepiece details by clicking . Eyepiece is retained in history.

Barlow/Compressor allows you to choose the barlow or telecompressor (or focal reducer) with which you made the visual or imaging observation. All observations require a barlow/compressor; None is a valid selection. You may select a barlow/compressor by highlighting its name in the drop down list. Barlows and compressors are added to the Observing Log by using the Barlow/Compressor Browser or by clicking the Add Barlow button .You can view the barlow details by clicking . Barlow/Compressor selection is retained in history.

Filter allows you to choose the filter with which you made the observation. All observations require a filter; None is a valid selection. You may select a filter by highlighting its name in the drop down list. Filters are added to the Observing Log by using the Filter Browser or by clicking the Add Filter button . You can view the filter details by clicking . Filter is retained in history.

Camera allows you to choose the camera with which you made the imaging observation. All observations require a camera; None is a valid camera for visual or naked-eye observations. You may select a camera by highlighting its name in the drop down list. Cameras are added to the Observing Log by using the Camera Browser or by clicking the Add Camera button . You can view the camera details by clicking . Camera is retained in history.

Equipment information is calculated and displayed beneath Camera using the selected combination of equipment. You can append this equipment information to Notes by pressing the Append button . Equipment information depends on whether the observation is visual or imaging:

Visual

▪Working magnification

▪true field of view

▪exit pupil

Imaging

▪Field of View

▪Image Scale

Extinction information is calculated if possible and shown beneath Equipment information. Several data items related to the total calculated atmospheric extinction are displayed. You can append extinction information to Notes by pressing the Append button .

▪Altitude is calculated for the time and location of the observation. The angle is formatted as specified in Preferences.

▪Airmass indicates the amount of air that light must travel through to reach your eye or optic, where 1 is the minimum and it occurs at the zenith. Since air absorbs and scatters light, this is a primary contributor to extinction.

▪Extinction combines the total effect in magnitudes on a stellar source contributed by Rayleigh scattering, aerosol scattering and absorption by ozone. This value is calculated for a specific wavelength of light: either the transmission center line of the filter in use, or 510 nm, the 'sweetspot' of human dark adapted vision.

Notes allows you to record comments about your observation. You may enter up to 64,000 characters.

Show Logging Resources allows you to open your favorite observing resources web page in a mini-browser that is built into Deep-Sky Planner. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The address of the new page is saved when you close the mini-browser so that you can train the mini-brower to display this resource in a custom size and placement. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

This web page address (and others on the Observation Browser) can be restored to its shipped setting (a local web page) by selecting Restore.

Sky Conditions

None of the sky conditions data is required.

Transparency allows you enter any of several measures of atmospheric transparency

▪Personal Rating - a simple rating according to your own scale (1-10).

▪Air Quality (PM2.5) - particulate matter measurements are often provided by the air quality section of environmental agencies. PM2.5 data is a measurement of particulate matter of 2.5 microns in size or smaller in ug/m3. These particles scatter light and therefore contribute to atmospheric extinction.

▪Aerosol Optical Depth - Aerosol Optical Depth is a direct measurement of atmospheric turbidity taken by satellites. The MODIS instrument aboard the Terra satellite provides data in the scale of 0 to 1.0 with a geographic resolution of 10x10 km2 every 10h30 minutes. Aerosols absorb light and therefore contribute to atmospheric extinction. The effects of AOD on extinction can be modeled.

▪Show Air Quality allows you to open a mini-browser to your favorite air quality information web page. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

▪Show AOD allows you to open a mini-browser to your favorite aerosol optical depth information web page. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

Seeing

▪Personal Rating is a simple rating according to your own scale (1-10)

▪Antoniadi Scale is an estimate made by the observer using a 5 point scale where 1 = best and 5 = worst.

▪Pickering Scale is an estimate made by the observer using a 10 point scale where 1 = worst and 10 = best

▪Arcseconds is a direct visual estimate made by the observer by splitting close double stars, or the full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) value obtained from an imaging device such as a Seeing Monitor

▪Show Seeing allows you to open a mini-browser to your favorite seeing information web page, such as the Pickering Scale web page designed by Damian Peach. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

Darkness

▪Personal Rating - a simple rating according to your own scale (1-10)

▪Bortle Scale - is an estimate made by the observer using a 9 point scale where 1 = best and 9 = worst

▪Limiting Mag (NELM) - is a direct visual estimate made by the observer of the faintest magnitude star visible at the zenith. Zone indicates the

▪Zone is a color swatch corresponding to NELM that represents the darkness zone as used in The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness (Falchi et al, 2016).

▪Mag / Square Arcsec - is a direct measurement made by the observer using a device such as Unihedron's Sky Quality Meter

▪Zone is a color swatch corresponding to MPSAS that represents the darkness zone as used in The New World Atlas of Artificial Sky Brightness (Falchi et al, 2016).

▪Show Darkness allows you to open a mini-browser to your favorite darkness information web page such as a page created by SQM Reader Pro. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

▪Read SQM acquires a darkness reading from a Sky Quality Meter and records the data in Mag / Square Arcsec. See Sky Quality Meters to configure a connection to a device.

Show Overall Sky Conditions allows you to open a mini-browser to your favorite sky conditions reporting web page such as a Clear Sky Chart for your observing site. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

Weather Conditions

None of the weather conditions data is required.

Read Weather allows you to read an attached weather device. The name of the weather device is shown and the reading data (if available) are stored on this tab.

Temperature may be entered in either degrees Celsius or Farenheit as selected in Preferences.

Dew Point is displayed if it can be computed. This value is computed using the August–Roche–Magnus approximation method and is only valid when temperature in degrees Celsius is between 0 and 60, exclusively, and relative humidity is greater than zero.

Relative Humidity may be entered in percent.

Wind Speed may be entered in either kilometers per hour or miles per hour as selected in Preferences.

Wind Direction may be selected from one of the cardinal directions (N NE E SE S SW W NW)

Pressure may be entered in either hectopascals (millibars) or inches of Mercury as selected in Preferences.

Show Weather Conditions allows you to open a mini-browser to your favorite weather conditions reporting web page. A default (local) web page is displayed until you select another page in the mini-browser. The web icon indicates that a live Internet connection may be required for this function.

General comments about weather conditions, such as 'high clouds' can be entered in an observation's Notes or the session's Notes.

Images

You can use Images to link image files on your hard drive to this observation. The images themselves are not stored in the database due to performance concerns. When an observation is opened that contains an image, the path, image information and image are displayed automatically. You can navigate among the image path(s), add or delete a path, edit a path and save or cancel your changes.

Deep-Sky Planner remembers the last image path added to observations. Thus, you might find it convenient to put all images attached to observations into a single folder such as C:\Users\<windows account>\Documents\Deep-Sky Planner 9\Images\.

allows you to add a new image file path to the observation. The path is appended to the list of paths. You should save your changes to the new path or cancel them.

allows you to delete the selected image file path. You must confirm that you want to delete the path. Note that the image file itself is NOT deleted.

allows you to edit the selected image file path. You should save your changes to the path or cancel them.

Path to Image File allows you to select an image filename (types supported shown below). To browse to a file, click .

▪JPG/JPEG

▪FIT/FITS

▪PNG

▪BMP

▪TIF/TIFF

▪Camera Raw files

▪Canon camera raw files (*.cr2, *.cr3, *.crw)

▪Nikon camera raw files (*.nef)

▪Other camera raw files: Kodak (*.dcr, *.kdc), Minolta (*.mrw), Olympus (*.orf), Pentax (*.pef), Fuji (*.raf), Leica (*.raw), Sony (*.srf, *.sr2, *.arw) and Sigma (*.x3f).

Image Thumbnail allows you to view linked images. The image is displayed here and on Detailed Observing Log reports. Note that JPEG and PNG images are included in Observing Log reports that are saved to HTML. Other image file formats can be linked and displayed. Currently, only one image is exported.

You can double-click the thumbnail to open the image in the default program defined in Windows for this type of file. This is useful if you want a larger view of the image or want to open it in an image processing program.

Media

You can use Media to link a media files (audio or video) on your hard drive to this observation. The media itself is not stored in the database due to performance concerns. You must Open the media file in the player and Play the media file to begin playback.You can navigate among the media path(s), add or delete a path, edit a path and save or cancel your changes.

Deep-Sky Planner remembers the last media path added to observations. Thus, you might find it convenient to put all media attached to observations into a single folder such as C:\Users\<windows account>\Documents\Deep-Sky Planner 9\Media\.

allows you to add a new media file path to the observation. The path is appended to the list of paths. You should save the changes to the new path or cancel them.

allows you to delete the selected media file path. You must confirm that you want to delete the path.

allows you to edit the selected media file path. You should save the changes to the path or cancel them.

Path to Media File allows you to select a media filename. You can play any file type that is supported by Windows Media Player, such as .avi and .wmv video files, and .mp3 audio files. The file types that can be played depend on what version of Windows Media Player you have installed. At the time of this writing (Media Player 12), these include

▪Windows Media Audio: .asx, .wm, .wma, .wmx

▪.mp3 and .m38

▪.aac

▪.wav

▪Windows Media Video: .asf, .wmv, .wm

▪AVCHD files (includes Dolby Digital audio): .m2ts, .mst

▪.avi

▪Apple Quicktime files: .mov and .qt

▪.wtv and .dvr-ms

▪MPEG-4 movie files: .mp4, .mov and .n4v

▪MPEG-2 movie files: .mpeg, .mpg, .mp3, .m1v, .mp2, .mod, .vob, .mpv2

▪MPEG-1 movie files: .m1v

▪Motion JPEG files: .avi, .mov

To browse to a file, click .

Open Media loads the media file into the player. Once the file in loaded, the play time of the file is displayed and the player controls are enabled.

Close Media closes the media player. If a media file is playing, it is stopped. The play time is erased.

Media Length shows the play time of the media selection. It is displayed in hours:minutes:seconds format. You can append media length information to Notes by pressing the Append button .

Player Controls are used to control playback of the media file after it has been opened. In order of appearance, the buttons are Play, Pause, Stop, Advance to end of track, and Move back to beginning of track. The player controls are active only when a media file has been opened.

The selected media file is played in the area beneath all of the media controls. If the media file contains video, it is scaled to fit the size of the display area. A hyperlink to play the media files is included in Observing Log reports that are saved to HTML. Your web browser may need a plug-in to play the media file when it is viewed.

DSS

You can use DSS to view Digitized Sky Survey (DSS) images downloaded from the Internet. You can learn more about the DSS tab here, or get an overview of DSS image support in Deep-Sky Planner here.

Projects

Projects lists all observing projects to which this observation is attached. This item is for display only.