StarLog: Log observations on your Android phone

I'm proud to announce that my latest astronomical app for Android is now available in the Play store!

StarLog© allows you to log your astronomical observations in the field, right there behind your telescope while you are looking at the object. You no longer need to jot down a few short scribbles on damp paper by the dim light of a red flashlight. You can just log your observations directly on your Android device!
You simply specify which object you are looking at, which telescope and eyepiece you are using, and a simple tap on a button brings you to a prefilled form to log your observation.
You can even add voice recordings! You can enter all your astronomical gear, even filters and barlow lenses.

To make sure you don't ruin your night vision, StarLog© features a night vision mode that turns the whole interface red, including the keyboard and all pop-up windows! You can even turn the brightness of the app down to a comfortable level.

You can full-text search through all your observations and sort them in various ways.

StarLog© can export all your observations in the OpenAstronomyLog format (OAL 2.0), for maximum compatibility with your other astronomical software. Support for exporting to DeepSkyLog.be is built into StarLog© by default. Deepskylog is very popular in Europe.

To make it easier to discuss your observations with others, StarLog allows you to make a screenshot of the observation, so that you can post it on forums or include it in e-mails.
To make your transition to StarLog© as painless as possible, you can import observations and instruments from apps like 'Stargazing Log' and 'FOViewer (full or trial)'.

Here are some screenshots, have a look:

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Does your app support tablets?
Can't find it when searching Google Play app on my tablet.

Regards,

skybsd

Hi Skybsd,

Yes it does, all screensizes and devices are supported.
Strange that you do not see it! Which tablet are you using?

Maybe you could try it the other way around.
Go to the app in the Play store via the link in my OP.
Then klik the "Buy" button there, a window with all your devices should pop up. Then just click you tablet and the Play Store should send it to your tablet.

You do need to be logged in the Play Store with the same gmail address you use on your phone.

Just checked it again, you should be able to find it!

The app even has a text-to-speech option that reads the objectname and the most important details out loud

Maybe you could try it the other way around.
Go to the app in the Play store via the link in my OP.
Then klik the "Buy" button there, a window with all your devices should pop up. Then just click you tablet and the Play Store should send it to your tablet.

You do need to be logged in the Play Store with the same gmail address you use on your phone.

Hi,
I'm using an Asus Transformer Prime - TF201 JB.

I loaded the Google Play app, and tried to search for "StarLog", but your app is not in the list of results.

Will try your suggestion..,

Regards,

skybsd

Hi Skybsd,

Very strange, I have a Asus TF300T and I can find it without any problems... When was the last time you checked?

Hi Skybsd,

Very strange, I have a Asus TF300T and I can find it without any problems... When was the last time you checked?

Worked it out..,

I'm traveling abroad at the moment - at a dak site location, that does not yet have access to paid apps on Google Play. So not only can I not find your app via the search facility on Google Play, I can't find ANY paid app..,

Clicking through your direct link does take me to the app on Google Play, though so I found it that way.,

Thanks..,

Regards,

skybsd

Ah that explains it, thanks for figuring it all out!
I was starting to worry

I hope I can welcome you as a new customer when you get back home? Just out of curiosity, what dark site location are you at?

Ah that explains it, thanks for figuring it all out!
I was starting to worry

Yeah - it became obvious after I tried to look for a few other paid apps on Google Play., All's good..,

I hope I can welcome you as a new customer when you get back home? Just out of curiosity, what dark site location are you at?

I'm thinking I'll have access to full Google Play services once I get to the US once we're done here.., I'm in the French Antilles at the moment.

Best..,

Regards,

skybsd

Then you are not to far away from me, I'm in Holland
Enjoy the european skies!

Price has been reduced!

Did I mention StarLog has a Text-to-speech option?
A Speech-to-text option is currently in the works!

I have just released a Free version and a Lite version of StarLog!

Limitations of the Free version compared to the Full version of StarLog©:

• No search option for objects.
• No restore option for backups.
• Only 5 observations can be exported to either CSV or OAL format.
• Only 5 observations can be imported from apps like 'Stargazing Log' and 'FOViewer (full or trial)'.
• No text-to-speech option.
• No voice recording functionality.
• Ad in the logging screen and details screen.

Limitations of the Lite version compared to the Full version of StarLog©:

• No search option for objects.
• Only 5 observations can be exported in OAL format.
• Only 5 observations can be imported from apps like 'Stargazing Log' and 'FOViewer (full or trial)'.
• No text-to-speech option.
• No voice recording functionality.

So now there is a StarLog version to suite every wallet :thumbsup:
PS. The Lite version was released literally minutes ago, so it might not show up in the Play store yet.

Last night I released an update for all StarLog version.

When in night mode, you can now switch between the default Android keyboard and the Starlog keyboard through the settings. When the app is in day mode, it always uses the Android keyboard.

*UPDATE*

The current versions of StarLog now have the ability to use observation lists. You can import observation list in CSV format. With this new feature you can e-mail a CSV import file to yourself, then open it on your device and Android will show you a list of apps that can open CSV files. Choose StarLog from this list and you will be able to import the list as an observation list. Observation lists can be accessed by swiping to the left in the main StarLog screen.

When you log an object, StarLog will check all your observation lists to see if the object is mentioned. If it finds the object being logged in an observation list, it will automatically check off the object in that list.

The format of the import file is:

The delimiting character for the fields in the CSV file needs to be a ';' (semicolon). 
The first row of the import file is considered to be a header row and will not be imported.

The definition of the fields in the import file are as follows:

Object name (alfanumeric field, e.i.: 'M 1', 'NGC 2312', 'Abell 12')
Alternative object name (alfanumeric field, e.i.: 'NGC 1952 - Crab Nebula - Taurus A - Crab Pulsar')
RA coordinates (alfanumeric field, e.i. '05h34m32s')
DEC coordinates (alfanumeric field, e.i. '22d00m52s')
Constellation (alfanumeric field, e.i. 'Taurus')
Type (alfanumeric field, e.i. 'Supernova remnant', 'Galaxy')
Magnitude (numeric field, e.i. '8.4', '12.3')
Surface brightness (numeric field, e.i. '11.9', '12.3')
Size (alfanumeric field, e.i. ' 8.0'x4.0' ')
The fields need to be in the exact order as listed above!

Example:

M 1;NGC 1952 - Crab Nebula - Taurus A - Crab Pulsar;05h34m32s;22d00m52s;Taurus;Supernova remnant;8.4;11.9;8.0'x4.0'

M 33;H400 22 - NGC 598 - Triangulum Galaxy - Triangulum Pinwheel  Galaxy;01h33m52s;30d39m27s;Triangulum;Galaxy;5.5;13.9;68.7'x41.6'

The full and lite version of StarLog allow you to import complete observation lists, the free version will only import the first 10 objects from the CSV file.

Another step in my quest to eliminate those pesky damp paper observation list!

Enjoy!

Yes, yet another update for StarLog!

Version 2.1 has just gone live!

New in this version:

• You can now create, edit and delete observation lists on your device
• StarLog now works together with SkEye for Go To/Push To functionality
• StarLog supresses your lock screen while it's active, you can turn your device/StarLog on/off without having to unlock

Enjoy!