1. Tips for using SkyTools 3
SkyTools 3 Power Tips
Tips for using SkyTools 3

2. Basics Right-click on everything!
Use context whenever possible (example: logs)
Keep the planner windowed (not full screen) and use it as a popup on top of the charts
Night vs. Date – a night begins/ends at noon
Keyboard shortcuts:
Enter “shortcuts” into help Search
Press “k” on a chart
Look at Popup menus
Online guides: skyhound.com  Services & Support  SkyTools 3 User Guides
Yahoogroup: tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/skytools

3. Night Vision Mode
Intended to be used with red screen cover

4. SkyTools Preferences See current version Register or send Feedback
Control how the program behaves
Change how much data is installed
Globally control how designations are used

5. Configuring Designations
Designations tab of the SkyTools Preferences dialog
Used globally except for chart labels, which have their own control
Controlled separately by object class (galaxy, open cluster, etc.)
Enable/Disable designations
Change order in hierarchy

6. Nightly Planner Reading the NightBar Sort on Optimum Time
Red dashed line is altitude of selected object
Sort on Optimum Time
Observing Lists are organized into Groups, like file folders
Notes/Ratings are also organized into Groups
Operations that work on more than one object at a time are via the multiple operations (red check mark) column
Multiple operations example: Thumbnail Viewer
Column can be customized for each list and column schemes can be saved
The Stoplight column tells us the quality of the observation opportunity
Green means at or near best visibility; go ahead and observe it
Yellow means maybe wait for a better night
Red means wait for another night
Right-click on the NightBar to make an overhead sky or naked eye chart for the time corresponding to the point where you clicked. 

7. Charting Power Tips Use the right Chart for the task at hand
Open charts directly from the context: observing list, event, ephemeris, log, object info, etc.
Interactive Atlas – best for general use – when you want full control
Latest Sun image displayed in chart background
Tip: plot objects from list on an Overhead Sky chart
NE chart – for exploring the naked eye sky
Simulation/Finder chart – for finding and identifying objects
Use the Sky Report to check current conditions (model inputs)

8. Chart View Controls Some charts have more than one View
There are separate View Controls for each View
Only permanently saved if Save button used
Labels: by class, selectable label density
Special view controls for simulation/finder chart views (insets, fov, etc.)

9. Chart Preferences
Three Basic Chart Styles (based on how stars are drawn)
Classic Atlas
Model PSF (photo realistic)
Bitmap (from a selection of scalable star images)
Define a Chart Scheme
Save then apply to another chart

10. Configuring Printed Charts
Chart Preference schemes are separate from on-screen charts
Don’t forget to Save Current Settings as Default before you exit

11. Supplemental Databases
Used when an object has a temporary nature, such as a comet, or is missing from the main database
Supplemental objects work just like any other object in database
Can create Log entries
Can associate data such as notes, rating, and images
If exported with a list the object data is automatically exported to
Managed via the Supplemental Data tab on the Data Manager
Download/Import Data button used to get comet / minor planet data
Enable supplemental objects on charts via View Controls
How to tell whether an object is in the Supplemental Database
Via the Object Requestor
Via the Object Info window

12. Associated Data Three types of data can be associated with objects
Notes/Ratings
Images
Web links
Each type of data is organized into Groups
Associated data can be exported along with an observing list

13. Sharing Data Export an observing list + associated data
Notes/ratings
Images
Web links
Log Entries
Send your best observing lists to me!

14. Synchronizing data between different computers
The SkyTools license allows use on more than one computer
Use Sync to transfer data without the worry of overwriting anything

15. Managing Observing Lists
Use the Data Manager Tool
Organized by Observing List Groups
Move lists from one group to another
Copy/Move objects from one list to another
Use the Observing Lists tab of the Object Information window to see what lists an object appears in

16. Tweaking DSS Images
Some download sources are better aligned than others
Select the best image color for your target
Red for HII regions
Blue for reflection nebulae and galaxies
Adjust rotation, scale, and center to get better alignment
Use the plottable image group to organize your DSS images on the charts

17. Visual Observing with SkyTools 3
Tips for using SkyTools 3 to help you get the most out of visual observing

18. Configuring SkyTools Estimating your sky brightness – very important!
Defined at Zenith on a dark night
Use the Bortle Scale
Or use a Naked-eye chart
Or use a Sky Quality Meter
Creating an obstructed horizon
Draw on an Overhead Sky Chart in the field
Read from a File
Use a connected telescope

19. Deep Sky Observing Using finder charts in the field
The Context Method; at right orientation, scale, limiting magnitude
Adjusting the size of the views
Disabling Views
Moving Views
Forcing the target to be visible
Printing multiple finder charts
Useful Object Info tools
NightBar
YearBar
Apparent Data
Synopsis
Visual Difficulty

20. The Sun, Moon & Planets Use the Sun, Moon, and Planets observing list
Events – Special vs. Current
Appulse/transits/occultation events
Eclipses
Jupiter satellite and Great Red Spot (GRS) events
Satellite elongation events
Open charts directly from events!
Observing distant planet satellites
Displaying satellite trails on charts
Using the best resolution eyepiece selection
Using the "b" key on the Atlas to zoom to the planet
Synopses on the Object Information Window

21. Comets
SkyTools is the only software that can reliably tell you if a comet is visible to you
The Current comets observing list is always up to date with data culled from recent observation reports
Magnitude
Coma diameter
Degree of Condensation (DC)
Using the Optimum Ephemeris for comets
Comet Synopses on the Object Information Window

22. Asteroids (Minor Planets)
Two databases
Primary/reference (first 10,000 numbered)
Supplemental (must download latest elements)
The Current Minor Planets list
Downloading minor planet orbital elements
Via the Supplemental Data tab on the Data Manager
DPS for minor planets (Pro) -- practice

23. Double Stars Special Double-star planning columns Charts
The Primary pair is the pair most likely to be observed (usu. The AB pair)
Splittability (how easy it is to split the main pair)
Optimum Splittability
Splittability status (stoplight column)
Green if the current splittability is at or near optimum
Yellow is somewhat inferior to optimum
Red if you should wait for a better night
Charts
Can zoom in to 1”
Using the best resolution eyepiece selection
Plotting long-period binary star orbits
Reading the Object Info
Long-Period binary ephemerides
Using the Database Power Search for double stars

24. Nova and Supernovae The Current Nova/Supernovae List
Updated every few days

25. Real Time Observing All calculations for the current time
Targeting with DSCs (or Pushto mounts)
Targeting via GOTO mounts
Use Optimum Sort to put the best current objects at the top
Charts open in Real Time update mode
Configuring Real Time Refresh Rates

26. The Context Viewer A popup simulation window for the Interactive Atlas
Also displays the selected FOV on the Atlas
Lock to Atlas (always locked to the Atlas target, or center)
Lock to Telescope (always locked to the current position of the scope)
Simulation toggle
Simulate view for current conditions
Or simulate view for optimum conditions
All toggle – display all non-stellar objects whether visible or not

27. Logging Observations How to set up defaults
The New Log Defaults Dialog
Also used for creating multiple log entries
How to use context to quickly create log entries
From the planner/real time
From a chart
How to set up presets for eyepieces and conditions
Using the log search function
Creating Night Logs
Miscellaneous Logs

28. The Mount Alignment Tool
Available from the Real Time tool only
Opened via the Telescope Control menu
Two Methods of Alignment
Via a chart of the pole location
Via the drift meothod

29. SkyTools 3 Tools for Digital Imaging
Tools for Optimizing Imaging Sessions

30. Introduction
SkyTools uses a scientific model of your camera, optics, location, atmospheric conditions, light pollution and target object
The model estimates the final Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) for the image or image stack
The goal is to maximize SNR by making the best informed choices (where and when to observe, what order to use filters in, etc).

31. Setting Up a Camera Traditional CCD camera Digital Camera Video/Webcam
Filters and Lenses
Focal extenders/reducers
Eyepiece Projection

32. Important Model Inputs
Sky brightness
An observing location parameter
Estimated at zenith on a dark night
Can use Bortle scale, faintest naked-eye star
Ultimate measure is directly from your images
Astronomical seeing
Affects resolution and SNR
Temperature and Relative Humidity
Used to estimate atmospheric extinction

33. Color Filters Broadband filters only Convolution of:
Narrow-band filters not presently supported because single emission lines are not modeled
Convolution of:
Target object surface brightness at U, B, V
Typical sky surface brightness at U, B, V
Optical transmission at U, B, V
Filter transmission
Detector sensitivity vs. wavelength

34. Estimating Sky Brightness from an Image
Start with an image obtained under a dark sky
Record:
Target
Time
Filter
Measure the dark subtracted sky signal in ADU
Set the Exposure Calculator exactly match the image circumstances
Set sub-exposure time = total exposure time
Read estimated sky value in ADU and compare to measured value
Adjust sky brightness on Observing Sites dialog until the two numbers are close

35. The Exposure Calculator
Really an Imaging Laboratory
Experiment! Try different things to see and watch the effect on the final SNR
Stacking and recommended sub exposure times
The optimum sub exposure time depends on the camera, telescope, object, and observing conditions. This optimum obtains the highest SNR in the final stacked image.
It is important to get the sky brightness (light pollution) right!
In some cases the final SNR may be insensitive to sub exposure time. The program may suggest very short exposures. Use the calculator to explore what impact different sub exposures times has and come to your own conclusions.
Set Allowable Sub-exposure times
Effective Resolution
Estimated resolution including the effects of seeing
Current Weather Conditions
Astronomical seeing
Air temperature
Relative humidity

36. Questions Answered
What is the optimum sub-exposure time for my current conditions?
What is the estimated Signal to Noise Ratio I will obtain for a given exposure?
What is the estimated total exposure time needed to reach a specific Signal to Noise Ratio?
How much effect is the moon going to have tonight?
Should I travel to a dark site?
In what order should I expose when using multiple filters?
How long can I image a planet before rotational smear blurs the composite image?
What is my field of view?
How many pixels will my target cover?
How many pixels apart with a pair of stars be?

37. Digital Imaging at the Telescope
Using SkyTools to get the most out of the various types of digital imaging

38. Planning Deep Sky Imaging Sessions
Reading the NightBar
Red line is altitude
Blue line is relative imaging quality (Q) Q=100 best possible from this site
Quality Letter Grades (A, B, C, D, F) – filter to A or B only
Use Optimum Sort
Using the Exposure Calculator
Select one or more Q block(s)
Drag yellow lines on NightBar to manually select exposure
Manually select sub exposure time
Manually setting target surface brightness
Calculate exposure for a desired SNR

39. Planning Solar, Lunar, and Planetary Imaging Sessions
Reading the NightBar
Red line is altitude
Blue line is relative imaging quality (Q) Q=100 best possible from this site
Solid orange line is relative effective resolution quality
SNR is still useful but also we want to maximize resolution
Filter on “A – excellent only”
Using the Exposure Calculator
No seeing selection (short exposures assumed)
Period of time without rotational smear (for total observation period)

40. Planning Double star Imaging Sessions
Reading the NightBar
Red line is altitude
Blue line is relative imaging quality (Q) Q=100 best possible from this site
Solid orange line is relative effective resolution quality
SNR is still useful but also we want to maximize resolution
Filter on “A – excellent only”
Resolution Parameter (RP): A value of 1.0 indicates a pair that is barely resolved under the current conditions. A value less than one indicates that the pair is unresolved. Values greater than one indicate increasingly well-split pairs.
Image size column: separation of component stars in pixels
Using the Exposure Calculator
No seeing selection (short exposures assumed)
Period of time without rotational smear (for total observation period)

41. Real Time Imaging All calculations for the current time
Use Optimum Sort to put the best current objects at the top
Filter on “A – excellent”

42. The Context Viewer A popup simulation window for the Interactive Atlas
Also displays the selected FOV on the Atlas
Lock to Telescope (always locked to the current position of the scope)
Drag FOV on Atlas to reposition telescope
Rotate FOV with mouse (from corner)
Simulation toggle
Simulate view for current conditions
Or simulate view for optimum conditions
All toggle – display all non-stellar objects whether visible or not