42 replies to this topic

[artik]

What is AstroHopper?

 

It is free and open-source application for sky navigation that utilizes smart phone sensors to find targets in the night sky easily. By attaching a smart phone to the scope you can convert your scope to "push-to" scope with ease.

 

App: https://artyom-beili...strohopper.html

Manual: https://artyom-beili....io/manual.html

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/AtArqBLWWJ8 by Nir Zonshine

Project Sources on Github: https://github.com/a...eilis/skyhopper

 

Changelog for 1.0.10

 

• Added object search box to main screen to improve searching experience
• Now you can open Wikipedia information page about selected object by pressing "W" button - developed together with Robert Barron.
• Added Moon to the objects list
• Fixed parsing of RA/DEC in user object to allow double quote as seconds mark
• FIxed incorrect escaping of error message in user object parsing
• Documentation improvement of observation list formatting

 

(note to moderators - I keep no more than 1 announcement per week rule - it is just recently AstroHopper went viral on youtube so lots of users pop older threads with questions)

[adamgali89]

Thank you Artyom! Keep up the good work! 

[J.Moore]

Noted update last night seeing the 'search' button on main screen, cool! Also, I tested the App on my Classic C8 mounted on the original Fork/Wedge mount/tripod which is basically a GEM. Worked as accurate as my ALT/AZ mount but requiring more manual movement in RA/DEC to hit targets. 

[blackhaz]

Interesting! I'll definitely give it a go. How would you recommend to attach a smartphone to the OTA? The dovetail-to-smartphone adapters I can find are all 90° perpendicular, so phone's backplate is facing the target. Are you planning to release a 3D-printed accessory for this app? :-)

Edited by blackhaz, 06 June 2023 - 02:26 PM.

[artik]

Interesting! I'll definitely give it a go. How would you recommend to attach a smartphone to the OTA? The dovetail-to-smartphone adapters I can find are all 90° perpendicular, so phone's backplate is facing the target.  :-)

Note you don't face backplate to stars. Phone need to be parallel to OTA as showin in quick start manual.

 

Simplest velcro + phone cover. Or even a cello-tape.

 

Are you planning to release a 3D-printed accessory for this app?

 

Actually there is an accessory, watch here: https://youtu.be/6-_58mSGz1Q?t=253

 

(It isn't created by me)

Edited by artik, 06 June 2023 - 02:57 PM.

[PEterW]

What sort of accuracy can you get, somewhat surprised the metal tube doesn’t cause too much trouble, but I am sure the phone can handle some local interference and that’s what the calibrate function also helps with. Going to give it a try.

Peter

[artik]

What sort of accuracy can you get, somewhat surprised the metal tube doesn’t cause too much trouble, but I am sure the phone can handle some local interference and that’s what the calibrate function also helps with. Going to give it a try.

Peter

 

Because compass is used only for initial direction. And even in that case it isn't really needed since you can adjust initial direction manually. 

 

After the alignment gyros are used and they aren't affected by magnetic interference 

[g3cwi]

Brilliant app thanks. Suction cups arrived today so looking forward to trying In tonight on my 200p

[Another_Dave]

What sort of accuracy can you get, somewhat surprised the metal tube doesn’t cause too much trouble

Personal real-world experience with it ...

 

Phone compasses can be affected by local metal, electrical fields, magnets. I had tried a magnetic case for attaching to OTA and that was not the best choice. I now use a cheap second phone case and self adhesive velcro patches. Yes, a steel OTA does affect the compass a bit with my Pixel 7. I also have HV power lines in the vicinity making the compass a bit inconsistent in some directions. But ... AstroHopper only uses the compass to try to get you into the ballpark for your first alignment and, worst come to worst and it's way off, you can scroll to the star for alignment anyway.

 

I find it best to re-align to the brightest star in the nearest constellation when I move from one part of the sky to the other. Then you can work in and around that constellation with good accuracy. Once the alignment process becomes familiar, you can re-align in mere seconds so this works very well and is no issue.

 

Give it's free, it's an amazing tool for the low budget astronomer. And it keeps getting better. I commend Artyom on his work with this app.

[mikee1]

So, how does one go about getting AstroHopper, it’s not in the App Store?

I found this on you tube, it looks Amazing, but it does not exist?

https://youtu.be/6-_...9Tn2QT5flDwYhs7

 

thanks,

mike

[artik]

You probably didn't watch the video. It is web app. You don't need app or play store to access or install it 

 

Just follow the link

 

https://artyom-beili...strohopper.html

Edited by artik, 26 September 2023 - 01:05 PM.

[Astro_In_Tampa]

OMG... What an amazing program!! Thank you soooooooooooo much!! I loaded it up on an old IPhone 11 that I had collecting dust in a drawer, and I used two small squares of Velcro to attach it to the OTA. Turns out the IPhone compass was wildly off, so I had to use the manual alignment option to align the phone. That was a piece of cake. Once I had it aligned, I was star hopping all over the place! It wasn't perfect alignment, but I think that was more operator error rather than the program. As someone brand new to the hobby, and for my first time using it, I'd say this program is AMAZING! I would highly recommend it to newbies, and even for the intermediate guys. Much has been said in these threads about the need to learn the sky on your own. I happen to agree! I've had my AD12 now for a whole week, and with the aid of first Stellarium and now Star Hopper, I can now look at the sky and pick out various targets without the need to refer to either program. So I think they are great tools to help teach people like me where things are in the sky.

 

Thank you again for creating this amazing program!! 

[Dave Mitsky]

I've been using AstroHopper for a couple of months now with one of my Dobs at my red-zone home and a club telescope at the Naylor Observatory and have been getting better results with each session.   

[brenski]

What is AstroHopper?

 

It is free and open-source application for sky navigation that utilizes smart phone sensors to find targets in the night sky easily. By attaching a smart phone to the scope you can convert your scope to "push-to" scope with ease.

 

App: https://artyom-beili...strohopper.html

Manual: https://artyom-beili....io/manual.html

Video Tutorial: https://youtu.be/AtArqBLWWJ8 by Nir Zonshine

Project Sources on Github: https://github.com/a...eilis/skyhopper

 

Changelog for 1.0.10

 

• Added object search box to main screen to improve searching experience
• Now you can open Wikipedia information page about selected object by pressing "W" button - developed together with Robert Barron.
• Added Moon to the objects list
• Fixed parsing of RA/DEC in user object to allow double quote as seconds mark
• FIxed incorrect escaping of error message in user object parsing
• Documentation improvement of observation list formatting

 

(note to moderators - I keep no more than 1 announcement per week rule - it is just recently AstroHopper went viral on youtube so lots of users pop older threads with questions)

Looks like this could be really useful, however, I'm having problems installing it

 

In order to install the application, open the URL https://artyom-beili...strohopper.html and install it:

– Android/Chrome – tap on “…” near the URL, and select “Install App” or “Add to Home Screen”

 

not seeing this - all i get is "add to home screen"

is it not possible to install as standalone app?

[artik]

not seeing this - all i get is "add to home screen"

 

And this is what you need - you'll have an icon on "desktop" of AstroHopper and it would behave like an ordinary app.

[brenski]

And this is what you need - you'll have an icon on "desktop" of AstroHopper and it would behave like an ordinary app.

thanks

[Padraic]

Dear Artik, 

 

     Thanks for the app for me as newbie. Watch the Youtube and found you. 

 

Padraic

Skywatcher Flex 250P DOB

Celestron C6 w ASI plus and ASI533MC Pro

[luna0363]

hallo

can i use astrohopper on a truss dobson

best regards

[artik]

hallo

can i use astrohopper on a truss dobson

best regards

Yes. Why not? Just connect the phone at the ring with finders or to a truss tubes

[luna0363]

hallo

thanks for the anserw

find astrohopper objekts like jones 1 or ctb 1

i use a self made  18"dobson

best regards 

[doctordub]

Thanks for excellent program Artik.      

CS

Jonathan

[areyoukiddingme]

Yes. Why not? Just connect the phone at the ring with finders or to a truss tubes

Will it work with a ball scope (Portaball)? In that case, motions depart from orthogonal. . . 

[artik]

Will it work with a ball scope (Portaball)? In that case, motions depart from orthogonal. . . 

Good question. 

 

I don't really know. Try it. I assume keeping the phone in upright position is helpful 

[whaleman]

Thank you for the app! It is impressive. Is there a way to search for comet 12P?

[artik]

Thank you for the app! It is impressive. Is there a way to search for comet 12P?

You can go to stellarium or whatever app you want and extract RA/DE coordinates for the observation time.

 

And just add it as a user object. That what I did so far for most comets and it worked without issues