New features for start and end times

Sequence Generator
1

This new feature for start and end times…

Define times by altitude (or by time of day)
Lock time or altitude
When time is locked, the time will remain static from day to day and the altitude will vary
When altitude is locked, it will remain static and the time will vary

I dont quite understand how this works or how it is used. The only thing I have noticed is a ‘padlock’ next to the Start and End times with some numbers next to them.

If the are the altitude I do not see a way to ‘lock’ the times?!

Are these numbers calculated altitudes?

So if I check the lock it will automatically adjust the time from day to day to start/end at those altitudes?

What I have been doing in the past is using a spreadsheet created which had the initial date and times for each target. Then I input the current date and it would spit out adjusted start and end times.

Does this new feature sort of do that same thing?

2

I have questions about this, too.

3

One additional question. Where are the altitude numbers derived from? Plate solve?

4

They can be derived from RA, DEC and position on the Earth.

5

Yes of course but are they determined by the target?

What if you do not have coordinates for the target input?

Does the altitude need to be set ‘manually’?

6

Huh, so no further input or explanations for this?

Seems like it would be a handy feature if I just understood how it works.

7

@UlteriorModem

The altitude graphic is drawn based on the target’s RA and DEC and your observing latitude and longitude and the current date. So, all that data has to be pre-entered for the graph to have any accuracy.

Charlie

8

Thanks Charlie that makes sense, but I am asking about the target start and end times not the planning tool.

9

You raise a good question. I have had to tweak the times using the planning tool each night. I have not yet found out how to set a target altitude and have it re-calculate the time each successive night. I also noticed that the planning tool does not update itself at the beginning; if I continue a sequence at twilight in subsequent nights, the planning tool does not come up with the warning. If I advance and retreat the time by a few minutes, it does. The planning tool needs to refresh its warning each time it is shown, not only after changing one of the parameters.