9 replies to this topic

[ecuador]

Some of you might know of the free astro weather app Xasteria. Today I released Xasteria Plus, a modified version normally included in Polar Scope Align Pro, as a stand-alone app ( because not everyone needs a polar alignment app  ). Apart from borrowing features from PS Align (night mode, lunar calendar, location manager), the fact that Xasteria Plus is not completely free ($0.99) allows me to add non-free weather sources (Dark Sky currently), and also use the funds to add servers to the free 7Timer! weather service. The regular version of Xasteria will always remain completely free and continue to get more features (preparing an equivalent version currently).

 

The three views (icons, text, stripes) that were available for 7Timer work also with Dark Sky (text view is in night mode below):

 

 

Dark Sky does not calculate seeing and transparency like the default 7Timer! source, but it is combined with real time radar data and calculated hourly, so its cloud prediction should be more reliable for the next few hours.

 

And you can open browser windows of other sources, including light pollution maps and the nearest Clear Sky Charts if you are in North America (feature is coming to the free Xasteria as well):

 

 

Any users who are interested in checking out new features before they are released, can just send me their email and they will be added to the beta program (for Plus, non-Plus or both versions).

Edited by ecuador, 15 September 2020 - 11:17 AM.

[ecuador]

v3.1 was released with several tweaks and features like Green night mode for those who prefer it, bright satellite passes etc. The "vanilla" Xasteria 3.1 update will also be released shortly with similar enhancements (well, no night mode though).

[ecuador]

v3.2 was released. You now get a light pollution button that gives you a Bortle estimate and a proper World Atlas 2015 artificial brightness based color coding (not the bortle 4=green 6=orange etc that I find unhelpful). Pressing the button opens up the details:

 

Access to some new forecast sources under "Other" sources is added as well.

Both the free and the plus versions got the updates, so no reason to not try it out 

The app is always under development, if someone is interested in getting to try features before they are out, pm me your email and I'll add you to my beta test list.

Edited by ecuador, 02 December 2020 - 07:43 AM.

[ecuador]

Version 4.0 of Xasteria and Xasteria+ is out, with an improved design, featuring a lot more customization of the weather views (including the display size), new & extended data, especially for 7Timer (cloud layers, 7 days forecast etc). 

Example screenshot of a full height weather view and the source-specific config options:

 

 

Some more additions, like quick access to Sat24.com and fixes. As always, the base version is completely free with no ads and includes almost everything already, no reason not to try if you own an iPhone/iPad

[ecuador]

Xasteria+ v4.1 gives adds landscape view to the iPhone:

 

 

Landscape is supported on most page, here along with the new graphs for the lunar calendar:

 

 

iPad already had landscape support for both Xasteria Plus and the free Xasteria, it was just a bit harder to "fit" things on iPhones, especially when they have Face ID notches etc... Hopefully it looks good for everyone, otherwise drop me a message and I'll address!

 

[LightPainter56]

OK, I give up. Where is the light pollution button on both iOS (iPhone) and iPadOS (iPad) versions of Xasteria+??? I’m either blind, or I can’t find it on the initial main screen showing an Astrospheric-like display. 

[eyeoftexas]

Click the small box that says Bortle Class for the site chosen (see Bortle Class 4) in screen shot in post #5.  In the new page that opens you will see a button that says open the pollution map.  Click it and it opens the map.

[ecuador]

Hmm, perhaps I should try and make it more obvious... Not everyone knows "bortle" I guess...

[PEterW]

When I open the map you can select other maps (egVIIRS), but changing this doesn’t result in the map actually changing. Is this an issue with xasteria or the webpage it’s loading?
I find the more recent VIIRS provide more detail, but can vary a bit from year to year.

Peter

[ecuador]

When I open the map you can select other maps (egVIIRS), but changing this doesn’t result in the map actually changing. Is this an issue with xasteria or the webpage it’s loading?
I find the more recent VIIRS provide more detail, but can vary a bit from year to year.

Peter

I will look into this. Thanks.