Milky Way photography is a blend of art and science, and image processing is difficult as cameras filter out the red light produced by hydrogen emissions. So we only capture a very limited amount of colour in the nebulae, and images need a lot of restoration to bring out faint colours and details hidden in
Scope Nights 2.5 Now Available in the App Store New Features … Scope Nights 2.5 is a free update which includes iOS11 compatibility, support for older iOS9 devices, new features, performance improvements and bug fixes. NEW – iOS11 compatibility allowing Scope Nights to work on the latest devices. NEW – Backwards compatibility with older devices
After much deliberation, and in an effort to do more stargazing and astrophotography instead of virtual stargazing on the iPad, I decided it was time to get a new telescope! Finding the right telescope is a tough task as they vary so much in both size, weight and quality and some are easier to setup than
Scope Nights v2.4 Update Scope Nights 2.4 is a free update with iOS10 support, new features, performance improvements and bug fixes. I have taken on board your feedback and also removed the upgrades. All features are now accessible with the initial purchase of the app. In-App Purchases (IAP) did not work in the short lived
Thought I’d post a few photos of the recent transit of Mercury across the Sun to show what can be done with a small telescope and a solar filter. Despite the wind buffeting the scope, I managed to capture a few sharp photos that show some surface detail. In hindsight I should have used my
Supermoon Lunar Eclipse 2015 Despite being surrounded by light polluting street lights, I managed to capture a few photos of the supermoon lunar eclipse. From the end of totality to the receding earth shadow on the lunar surface. A supermoon occurs when a full moon or a new moon coincides with the closest approach the moon makes
A Scope Nights upgrade is what Apple calls an “in-app purchase”, which is a license that belongs to your iCloud account and enables you to activate extra content within apps, just as an iOS app purchase gives your iCloud account a license to use that app. The particular type that Scope Nights upgrades use is called a “non-consumable” in-app purchase,
Scope Nights 2.2 focuses on iOS9 compatibility and performance, and much of the code has been refactored to 64-bit, ensuring the app takes advantage of speed improvements offered by newer 64-bit devices. Scope Nights 2.2 also includes bug fixes and a new list of IDA dark sky sites and general improvements to the Dark Sky Locations upgrade. This is
Partial Solar Eclipse 2015 Thought I’d share a few of my favourite photos of todays partial solar eclipse from Liverpool, UK. Taken with just my digital camera and a tripod. Luckily the clouds rolled in and they acted as a filter and took a lot of the glare away. As the Moon covered more and more of the
Dark Sky Map The Dark Sky Locations Upgrade gives you full access to the Scope Nights Dark Sky Map. This is a high resolution global light pollution map designed to help you find local dark sky sites with the best stargazing forecasts. Your favourite Scope Sites will be shown on the map with the stargazing ratings
Scope Nights 2.1 now includes an accurate dark sky map designed to help you find local dark sky sites with the best stargazing forecasts. For those who are new to Scope Nights please also read the Scope Nights App page for a full description of features. For those updating from v2.0 here’s a list of changes… iOS8 & iPhone
Kielder Observatory is located near Kielder Water in Northumberland National Park and is the creation of Gary Fildes who began a crusade to build an observatory in the park after experiencing it’s wonderful dark skies. The result is an architecturally unique wooden building in the middle of nowhere that attracts thousands of visitors each year. Northumberland
Scope Nights Astronomy Weather has been on the Apple App Store for nearly two years now, but there is still no Astronomy Category for my app. So I have had to place it in the Weather Category which is very misleading as it’s primary purpose is an astronomy observing and planning aid and not just
The global forecast included with Scope Nights is one of the best medium-range forecasts available and originates from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). This enables Scope Nights to be used anywhere in the world, and is ideal as a general guide and for planning further ahead. But those who require more detailed forecasts may want
To test the waters I’ve made Scope Nights a FREE download for a limited time only (Offer ends Monday 20th Jan 2014). So this is a great chance to try it out. Advanced features are still available as paid upgrades as I still need to put food on the table, but you will get a
The Astronomer’s Weather Upgrade is designed for those who want more than just a basic stargazing forecast. It allows you to customise stargazing forecasts using night-time coverage and observing thresholds for moon, wind, humidity and temperature. It also includes medium range global forecasts up to 10-nights, clear period notifications and sharing of astronomy weather reports
I recently updated Scope Nights: Astronomy Weather Reports to version 2.0 because the iOS7 release by Apple included a massive user interface change, and for the app to be fully compliant with new Apple devices it had to undergo a lot of changes. User Interface changes take a lot of time for mobile app developers
Scope Nights requires a working Internet connection to download weather data. You can either let the app find your current location or choose another location anywhere in the world using the search screen. The Scope Nights screen shows forecast for each night’s stargazing conditions using a simple traffic light system. Green = Good weather conditions
Scope Nights is a unique astronomy weather app that uses a combination of national and global weather forecasts to compile detailed stargazing weather ratings up to 10 nights ahead for anywhere in the world. Many weather apps are unwieldy, over complicated and very generalised. Scope Nights was designed to be intuitive, quick, and easy, focusing
Scope Nights: Astronomy Weather Reports will be one year old in August 2013, so I thought I’d write a little bit about my experience in order to try and help new app developers and also to highlight the amount of work that goes into creating a mobile app. I started writing Scope Nights in Spring
A friend asked me a while back for advice on what scope to buy to get into astronomy. So I thought I’d post some details to help anyone else looking for a decent starter telescope. Ultimately it all depends on how much you want to spend really. But when buying a telescope you need to consider
Hi, I’m from a 2000 year old roman city called Chester situated just south of Liverpool, England. From an early age science, technology and multimedia have always been passions of mine… I bought my first astronomical telescope in 1980, a small 60mm refractor, and once I’d gazed upon Saturn as a tiny cosmic jewel in