Deep-Sky Planner 5 Preview: Logging Features

The new observer's log has occupied a large portion of research and development time for Deep-Sky Planner 5 (DSP5.) It has been updated to contain many more data items and expanded reporting features. New items have been identified through user requests and through months of research into observation data. Although many items can be recorded with an observation, all are not required so the user can determine which items to log. Some fairly advanced uses of these data will appear in DSP5. Convenience and flexibility in reporting have also been a focal point for the log.

For example, imagers have the ability to view equipment and exposure data taken directly from their image files and record them in the log. Another new capability allows users to access online resources directly from the log. Perhaps the most advanced new feature is the ability to record sky and weather conditions in extreme detail with observations. Users can access web resources and local ones to access these conditions.

The following screen shots show some of the new features in the Observation Browser.







DSP5 introduces support for all models of the Sky Quality Meter. Readings can be entered into an observation manually or automatically if the user has any of the models that support communications. This includes models with Ethernet, USB or 9-pin serial connections.

The expanse of data that can be recorded in an observation makes this portion of the observer's log a revolutionary improvement in astronomical logging software.

Handling log data is much more flexible and convenient. Users have complete control over report content and format through the new style sheet technology in DSP5. Furthermore, observations may be imported and exported in both a native Deep-Sky Planner format and the new OpenAstronomyLog format. OpenAstronomyLog is an international initiative by astronomical software developers to make observing logs portable between software applications. Knightware has embraced the standard and has contributed to its development.

The screen shot below shows an observation file exported in native DSP5 format and displayed using a style sheet that ships with DSP5. You can create your own style sheets and use them to display observations from DSP5.


The screen shot below shows the same observations exported in OpenAstronomyLog 2.0 format and displayed by Internet Explorer.



In addition to the reporting capability shown above, users can still search the log and produce reports in 2 predefined styles. These reports have styling capabilities, and they can be exported in multiple formats - HTML, formatted text or MS Excel.